770. FTFA 14 - நைஜீரியன் கோல் கீப்பரின் ... அமா ... அமா ....

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 http://dharumi.blogspot.in/2014/07/769-ftfa-14-pre-qurter-matches.html

 ப்ரான்ஸ் - நைஜிரியா 

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 நைஜீரியாவில் பிடித்தது அந்த கோல் கீப்பர் என்னீயீமா (Enyeama). ஆளு சரியான குட்டை. பார்ப்பதற்கு நம் ஊர் நடிகர் ஒருவர் மாதிரி இருந்தார், மதராசப்பட்டணத்தில் ஆங்கிலம் சொல்லித் தருவாரே ஒரு கூத்துப்பட்டறை நடிகர். அவரை மாதிரியே இருந்தார். பயங்கர நட்புறவோடு இருந்தார். முந்திய பந்தயம் ஒன்றில் அவர் எதிரணி வீரர்களோடு மிகச் சாதாரணமாக, மகிழ்ச்சியாக கலந்து உறவாடினார். அதைவிட அந்தப் போட்டியில் எந்த வீரரின் சத்தத்தை விட இவர் சத்தம் மிகவும் அதிகமாகக் கேட்டது. கோல் முன்னால் இவரது அணி ஆட்கள் தடுப்புக்காக நிற்கும் போது மிகச் சத்தமாக ‘அமா ... அமா’ என்று சத்தமாகக் கத்துவார். நைஜீரிய மொழியில் அமா என்றால் என்ன அர்த்தம் என்று கேட்க வேண்டும்.

இப்படி ஒரு ஆசையில் நைஜீரியாவில் பத்தாண்டு பேராசிரியராக இருந்த நண்பன் ஒருவருக்கு ஒரு கடிதம் எழுதினேன் ....


 regi

what is that அமா ... அமா’ ???

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 Dear Sam

 I have to find out where this Enyema is from first. There are three major lanuages Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa. In addition there are more than 15 languages and dialects I know of (Bendel (now split into three states) alone has seven languages; there could be more. let me investigate and come back to you, probably in a day or two. Missives have already been fired off to Nigeria to know about the Goal keeper and what "Ama" means. I am expecting interesting results.

 Regards Regi



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 Dear Sam

 I have not got any replies from my Nigerian friends yet. However I traced Vincent Enyeama to Akwa Ibom State in South-southern Nigeria in the delta (oil-producing area). There are seven languages spoken there, but one spoken commonly is Igbo, one of the major languages as I mentioned earlier. Akwa Ibom was a part of the Biafran Conflict and I am not surprised that Igbo is spoken there (Biafran Civil War was Igbos against the rest of Nigeria).

 "Ama" in several dialects of Igbo (also called Ibo) simply means "I am". This word has been adopted by African- Americans with Igbo ethnic links without knowing its real meaning. In the football context you mentioned, i.e. when the wall is formed in front of the goal during a free kick, the goal keeper shouting "Ama" simply means do not block me; let the kick be clean to me because, the goal keeper does not want the ball to be hidden from him when the opponent executes the kick. Most often the ball will go over the wall and dip towards the goal and the goal keeper needs to see it and not hidden because of the wall made by his own teammates. If you watch the replays, Enyeama also will be making hand signals laterally asking for unobstructed view of the ball. "Ama" should result in the shuffling adjustment of the wall to give him a clean view of the striker. Igbo or Ibo will be understood by all the Nigerian Players.

 Enyeama is 5' 1.5" tall. Is that short?

 I will be surprised if my Nigerian friends give any other interpretation. Being a Nigerian Chief (Wise man of the Olomu Isokos - another Delta tribe) should count for something!


 Best regards
Regi

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 Being a Nigerian Chief (Wise man of the Olomu Isokos - another Delta tribe) ......... who is this???

..........sam

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One correction - Enyeama is 5" 11.5" tall! I made a typo error and put 1.5".

You na savy who Chief be Olomu Isokos?

Na me oh my brother! Way pass many many years ago!

In case you did not catch the pidgin,  I was conferred this honorary title in 1987 for my work with nomadic Isokos who fished the Niger Floodplains below Niger -Benue Confluence. I practically lived with these folks during the dry season with my Nigerian graduate students for years. My services to them went past my research interests and this was an honour conferred in recognition. I will send you a copy of a book chapter that shows my involvement with them. The title also came with a sumptuous and well-endowed pretty young wife whom I had to decline politely citing lack of permission from my senior wife (also for olfactory reasons; the kid smelled of fish all the time)! The Military government in power at that time did not recognize the title in the gazette, but gave me permission to live in Nigeria as a permanent resident. As for as the fishermen folk were concerned I am one of their Chiefs with a title of the 'Wise man' and that cannot be changed till that generation disappears. This will all appear in a non-fiction book, A Journey through Nigeria, I have been writing for sometime in fits and starts whenever I get time. Whether it will ever see print is a another matter!

Best regards

Regi

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One of my Nigerian friends called me yesterday in reply to my query about "Ama". When I told him that he need not have wasted money calling me, his reply was that "Football is a serious business in Nigeria"

He confirms that Vincent Enyeama is from Akwa Ibom, formerly in Cross River State. Apparently Enyeama is a celebrated footballer in Israel!
Coming to the point, he interprets "Ama" as "Me" (I said "I am"). He mimicked 'Ama...Ama...Ama" on phone, and repeated as "Me..Me...Me ". Enyeama is calling attention to himself that he should have clean access to the ball. It makes a lot of sense. Does it?
I was surprised that you posted the answer to the "Chief" question.

My friend is from the Delta, but from another tribe called Ijaw

Best regards
Regi

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