AKWU or ALO (Idoms)

Posted by Chief Musa Adegbe  at March 28th, 2014

AKWU  or ALO IDIOMS (EKPA AKWU or EGWALO)

AKWU literally means riddles or expressions that are similar to idioms. It is also closely related to the Ita, which stands for proverbs; but unlike Ita ‘proverb’ that can be said or introduced at anytime of the day or night during conversations or speech making, Akwu ‘Idiom’ usually forms part of the traditional entertainment program for the youths every evening in form of tales. It normally takes the pattern of riddle, quiz or competition between two people or groups of peoples. It is interesting to note that the two major forms of Ita i.e. idioms and proverbs are usually passed down from generation to generation and reproduced verbatim off hands through folk memory.

METHOD 

LIA K’ATUJI – is a starting point and direct invitation to an opponent or a competitor. The traditional procedure is in essence similar to that of Akpo where two people are engaged in form of competition that will later produce a winner. The ability of any of the contestants to present or give accurate meanings to the questions sent to him by his opponent shows the depth of his experience in the field of Ita. The fact is, every Ita has to be translated by the opponent if he fails, a point will be counted against him. The one who knows all answers to what his opponent presents and is able to present some that could not be answered emerges the winner.