By
Obododimma
Oha
The use of
some Igbo proverbs in Christian evangelization, whether in direct preaching or
other modes like music and film, is one site of the meeting between the Christian and
the indigenous, this time around in the province of signification. It is true
that Christianity has been on the offensive path, looking at the indigenous as
undesirable and signifying the presence of the devil, but Christianity and
indigenous life have also been cooperating on other fronts. This “cooperation”
does not mean that each does not look for an opportunity to gain advantage or
to devour the other and become dominant. Happening at the site of
signification, precisely rhetoric, the appropriation of Igbo proverbs might
look simply as an endorsement of the validity of local thought, but it is also
(and even more) an endorsement of the Christian and making the audience view
the issue through the eyes of the expression they know and to which they
subscribe fully. Thus, in a sense, it is strategic use, a pretentious use even.
Yes, the use
of those proverbs indicates being mindful of the Igbo audience and getting to
the hearts and liking of its members. It is, therefore, being context-sensitive
in performance. The audience? Well, this audience is hybrid in its values. This
audience has realized that it is inevitable to put new wine in old bottles, no
matter what “new wine” and “old bottles” might refer to. In other words, the
preacher can hypothesize that this audience believes what it believes or stands between two worlds of signification and would still be the one to make choices in the
rhetoric, no matter the rhetoric the preacher comes from the Jewish world to impose.
So, the audience, like the customer, is still king!
Of course,
there are English or other proverbs in existence. There is even the Book of
Proverbs in The Holy Bible. A preacher could have used these. But speaking
mainly to the Igbo or in the Igbo world could mean the preference of an Igbo
aesthetic. The preacher may want Igbo ears through Igbo proverbs, Igbo ears
that care for the beauty of the speech provided by the proverbs!
Preachers
that know their worth look out for strategies in discourse that would help in
getting the target easily. It is just like market research. Yes; they are marketing Jesus Christ and must study and
know the market. This time around, the rhetoric mainly used in the market could
be the answer.
Now, let us
get closer to the actual use of these proverbs in contemporary Igbo
evangelization. How could anyone forget the music of Bro. Paul Chigbo in this
instance, apart from the numerous sermons in Catholic and Anglican churches in
Nigeria’s South-East in which Igbo proverbs are freely deployed? In Paul Chigbo’s
music, especially "Ike Si n’Elu", we find numerous interesting Igbo proverbs,
apart from other forms. These proverbs can easily touch and arrest any Igbo
listener.
I wrote about
“arresting” the Igbo listener above. I hope that is only a metaphorical
statement! I hope that security agents that can shoot themselves even are not
also deployed to effect the "arrest". Well, that “captive audience” is oriented
towards viewing proverbs with reverence as the wise words of the ancestors,
even if the fellow next door has authored one. Have I not pointed out somewhere
that being able to author these “wise sayings” is expected of us as competent
users of linguistic signification? OK; I am saying so now. Another thing is
that proverbs can also be “unwise,” voicing out sentiments of their authors, as
in numerous proverbs denigrating womanhood in many cultures.
Proverbs as
imagined words of the wise try to impose some values on the listener. A
preaching applying them indicates an appropriation of what can impose a
perspective on others and it can easily be accepted. Preaching hails and tries to intimidate us, even when we cannot see it. That it appropriates proverbs is
an easy invitation to an ally. That one is pleased on listening to a preaching
using them means that the alignment is a success.
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