Titles: Kukase and Tersuem Fa Dedoo
Author: Dr. Terver Simon Chieshe
Publisher: Onaivi Printing & Publishing Co. Ltd, Makurdi
Year of Publication: 2023
Reviewer: Charles Iornumbe
TIV language and literature occupy a significant place in literary books, particularly in the context of Nigerian and African literature. Tiv language and literature also provide a window into the culture, traditions, and experiences of the Tiv people, enriching the literary landscape with diverse perspectives. Tiv is one of the many languages in Nigeria, and its inclusion in literary books promotes linguistic diversity, challenging the dominance of major languages like English, Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo etc.
Tiv Literature on its own offers insights into indigenous knowledge systems, customs, and beliefs, contributing to a broader understanding of African epistemology. It helps to shape African identity, exploring themes and issues relevant to the continent, such as communality, culture, and social change.
Literary books in Tiv over the years have helped to preserve the language, ensuring its continued use and transmission to future generations.
Tiv language and literature are integral to Nigerian literature, enriching the country’s literary heritage and contributing to its cultural wealth and ideas.
Books in Tiv language could help to promote cultural understanding and exchange, support language preservation and diversity, enrich African literature with indigenous perspectives, contribute to decolonisation and African identity formation.
Dr. Terver Chieshe, a Medical Doctor by profession turned Writer has churned out many poetry books in the Tiv indigenous language. What Dr. Chieshe does in his poetry collections is to showcase the Tiv language as that language spoken by a people considered as constituting the fourth largest Ethnic Nationality in Nigeria. In linguistics studies, language documentation is vital.
Recording and documenting language help to preserve its structure, vocabulary, and grammar for future generations. Documentation provides materials for language learning, teaching, and revitalisation efforts. Documentation also helps to raise awareness about the existence of language, importance, and vulnerability thus, encouraging efforts to preserve it.
The art informs curriculum development, language teaching materials, and educational programmes; it involves language speakers in the preservation process, empowering them to take ownership of their language’s survival; it informs language policy decisions, helping communities and governments to develop strategies for language preservation.
Chieshe’s latest poetry books: Kukase and Tersuem and Fa Dedoo are an attempt at not just preserving the Tiv language, but also helping to provide insight into its various aspects of grammar such as lexicon, syntax, phonetics and phonology as well as semantics.
Poetry written in whatever language is a reflection of the Poet’s inner recesses which engage the intellect for the outcome of a rewarding literary enterprise. Both Kukase and Tersuem and Fa Dedoo explore themes such as counseling, morality, resilience, stoicism and character moulding etc. Poems that explore such themes are commonly referred to as didactic poems. Didactic poetry aims to teach, instruct, or convey moral lessons, often using storytelling, allegories, or direct address. This type of poetry seeks to guide readers toward virtuous behavior, wisdom, and personal growth.
HE DIDACTIC DYNAMISM IN THE POETIC TONE OF KUKASE AND TERSUEM
Kukase and Tersuem is a long narrative poem of one million, four hundred and twelve lines with one hundred and seventy eight stanzas. Like John Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’, Terver Chieshe deploys the technic of Dialogue to tell an interesting story of two people: the young Tersuem and his new found foster mother Kukase. The duo seem to share similar backgrounds in terms of early child upbringing, poor parenting, suffering that foster children go through before their eventual air of triumph that is propelled by the grace of God.
In the narrative poem, Tersuem is thrown out of his uncle’s house on account of asking to be enrolled into school. Though he is extremely hard-working, Tersuem’s uncle has to lose him because of the desire he expresses about going to school. On his way to Wannune, Tersuem gets tired. He sees a food vendor and decides to approach her. He politely asks if he could be given some food to eat. Kukase obliges and serves him food after which he washes the dishes. Kukase is happy that She finds an enterprising child who may wish to stay with her. Both characters share their ordeals about how they have come to secure their future. Tersuem is a successful motorcycle rider while Kukase is a successful food vendor.
The poem opens with words of encouragement from a father to his son who knows that someday, he will be no more and his child will suffer in someone else’s hands.
Nongun her, Mayange de shilin ave ga. Bugh keen chir keela
Shi wea lu aivor yô, Lôô ivor her’ page 4.
The above lines remind the Tiv Man of a popular adage that ‘ka atsahan wan, kpan a ungwan’ meaning a slave who listens to the King’s counsel of his child becomes a better person tomorrow.
What however is not the best practice is for Tersuem’s uncle to remind him of his father’s death by saying:
Duem hen ya sha. We anchaver wan ne. Ka Mo yange mwua mbamaren ou ga. Kura kyav you due yem sha (5th stanza page 5).
This is a dehumanising comment made to make one feel low and frustrated.
There is an atmosphere of dejection and abandonment at the beginning of the poem. (3rd stanza page 6 of the poem)
Kpa me vaa ga. Terem yange lu uma la. A kaa mo er. Anti Or u nan lu a Shima I. Tarver yô, nan ngu a ityôkwagh. I vaan chôvul ga.
The above lines establish clearly that Tersuem is not with his biological father.
His ordeal is a reflection of the plight most African children suffer in the hands of foster parents.
The Tiv are a people of great knowledge and wisdom. The Poet demonstrates this in the last two lines on (page 10) through Tersuem thus; Ishwa ka ia via. Ken tyev yô, Ka I wuhe I kera cii. Ve I gbile ye
Ahi kpaa. Ka aa uma kera yô, Ka I tem a. Chii ve I lôô ye.
These words coming from Tersuem shows use of wit by the Poet himself presumably to underscore the relevance of wisdom which doesn’t necessarily have to do with one’s age. In Tersuem’s case, it could be that due to his condition of learning the hard way, he requires a great sense of wit.
Apart from Dialogue and wit, Chieshe deploys other Linguistic features or terminologies to convey his message. A good examples are Code Mixing and Code Switching. As the word implies, to code mix simply means, to introduce English words into the writing and speaking of Tiv language eg. ‘Mza yam pure water’ page 12, instead of ‘mngerem ma ke ipol.’
‘Va ngohol result yô’ page 57 – result is an English word which could pass for ‘ikyaren’ in Tiv. Code mixing makes spoken or written language somewhat interesting even as it reduces the originality of the dominant language in which the literature is written. It also shows lack of proficiency in the consistent use of the right words in a language on the part of the writer or speaker.
The Poem ends with the voice of a Religious Instructor who is admonishing someone about God’s blessings thus; Nenge wan wam. Er Aondo alu kuran se. Nahan. Ka ape iveren na sha avese. Kpa ia seer gbem je la. Kpa aluer se undu imo. Se yem u chivir inyaregh. Shin eev man asaren. A tar yô, Se tumbul. Se vihi ayol ase. Man uyua nav chii. Shi se saa ishe. (Page 66)
In an attempt to instruct, teach or preach the gospel, Dr. Chieshe uses the story of Kukase and Tersuem which could be anybody ‘s experience to achieve his aim. There are instances such as the lines above where the Poet’s voice resonates. Were it Prose, one would refer to such as ‘Authorial intrusion’.
FA DEDOO
Fa Dedoo is a collection with seven poems all of which, replicate the themes in the earlier poem with the title Kukase and Tersuem. Like observed earlier, the voice in Fa Dedoo is one of a committed Preacher Man, who wishes a child grows into responsible adulthood. He also believes that, things be done according to order and standards.
In Fadedoo, Dr. Chieshe unveils his child whom he describes as God’s vessel and a precious gift to him and that he expects the child to note. He avers in the first stanza that: Wan wam, Myau sha ishor I gbidyen ga
Ei. Myau sha Do ga. Mtôô u atôô hen gbenda ga (page 5).
These lines stress the value a father places on his child and decides to speak as though, he was making some incantations to invite the gods to bear witness to his utterances.
He speaks to his child like God spoke to Prophet Jeremiah in the Holy books when he said “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before you were born, I set you apart, I appointed you as prophet to the nations (Jeremiah 1:5)”
Chieshe makes a statement that resembles that said to Jeremiah thus; Nenge. U ngu a hii u henen lyam ga je. Tsô, mngu veren we loho ne. Fa we ka un Ter Aondo u. Hembanagee. A wem kwagh man mlu veren we. Loho ne ye (page 7).
Names have cultural significance in Tiv cosmology. Sadly, most parents these days, just give names to their children without caring to know their meanings. In the second poem, which is ‘Mfa iti Yam’, Chieshe attempts an examination of the importance of knowing one’s geneology and name. He demonstrates this in the questions below; It yam er ana? Iti I terem er ana? Iti I ngom er ana? Iti I ngo u Terem er ana? Iti I ngô u ngôm er ana? Mo mdue hana? Terem due hana? Ter u ngôm due hana?
These posers underline the real essence of our human existence. It is customary that children learn from birth, who and where they come from so that as they grow up, they can explain to anyone who they really are and where they come from. Chieshe explores the theme of genealogy in this poem which is part of the cultural education everyone needs in society to be able to fit into the way of life of their people.
In ‘Gbilin Or’, the Poet lays emphasis on the economic benefits accruing to those who are selfless, hardworking and are available for others. The Tiv have a say that ‘wanye doon ka ityom’ meaning a child is loved because he/she is always available for the services of others. Such a child wins the hearts of many in a given environment. To the Poet, food should only be given to those children who have something to offer. He captures his feelings: Kôr nam. Ngohol za. Wanye ka nan za tyom I ngô u nan. Man we ka nyi or ulu ve. U Lu gande gande. Kpa u lu veren ashe sha kwagh u yan gbilinii?
He teases that lazy child with a popular Tiv song that angered children those days to even fight. ‘Mbayev ger nen wanye a ger akombo. Heeeeeee!’
In this poem, Chieshe holds the view that nothing should go for nothing. Hard work should pay those who are hardworking.
Dr. Chieshe is no doubt a moral philosopher. He has demonstrated this in almost all his writings. A moral philosopher is one who preaches ethical standards among the people. This takes me to the next poem in the collection entitled ‘Waikyo.’ Waikyo simply means to take care of oneself. In this poem which appears to be the shortest, Dr. Chieshe admonishes people to seek wisdom – that even in wealth, people should humble themselves.
First stanza captures Chieshe’s appeal:
Wan wam
U ngu Or umace
Er ior mba gen nahan
We alu a inyaregh
Shin we alu a kobo ga kpaa
U ngu Or umace
We alu a inyaregh
Kpa ker kwaghfan (page 52).
He advises us further to be in the vanguard of teaching people how to fish rather than give fish every day. The principle of teaching people how to fish encourages self-reliance and personal economic growth.
Chieshe’s poem upholds the sanctity of human existence. To this end, he feels according respect to people should not be based on class or age. Here him in the last stanza of ‘Waikyo’
Nahan wan wam
Fadedoo
Hanma Or kpa na nan ichivir
Alu wanye kpa nan nan ichivir
Alu Or gban iwan
Kpa na nan ichivir sha shigh
Ki Aondo man ken mhen wou (page 57).
The rest of the other poems: ‘Tese Mbayev Mbakiliki’, ‘Gbilin Kwagh’, ‘Tsav Mbu’ all harp on morality, discipline, wisdom, character formulation and society’s general well-being. The poem ‘Tese Mbayev Mbakiliki’ talks about teaching the children about God in response to the biblical teaching that encourages all to train their children in the way of God so that when they grow up, they won’t depart from it. ‘Gbilin Kwagh’ is closely related to ‘Tese Mbayev Mbakiliki’. In the poem, Chieshe asks parents to counsel and reprimand their children publicly but not to do it in the manner they might feel denigrated. These lines support the Poet’s position:
Wase un
Tuur un sha iniongon I dedoo
Tese un tom avee
Tese un tom wou
Tese un akaa a orun a
Mimi
Tese un atsam a
Loho u dedoo
Tese un kwagh u mimi
U sôôn ken shima
Man udughe a na
Ken akaa a ifer kera
The last poem in the collection entitled ‘Tsav Mbu’ reminds the reader that there is witchcraft and that though darkness prevails, light triumphs over it. He warns of the dangers of idol worship as it will lead them nowhere. He says:
Wa uma wou sha
Ikyev I Aondo
A nyion we er a
Hemba Yubu kpa
Na Aondo chivir.
There is use of biblical allusion in the second to the last line of the poem above. An allusion is when, in a literary work, the writer makes reference to a scenario in order to shed light.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The question on the lips of Writers and Academics had always been: in which ways will the Tiv indigenous literature be encouraged?
Chieshe’s two poetry books which are an attempt at documenting the language so that it could gain much grounds provides answer to the above question. There is the need to record and transcribe Tiv oral traditions, stories, and poems as a way of preserving the indigenous Tiv language.
There is also the need to develop the Tiv language through standardised orthography, dictionaries, and grammar books.
Government should establish literacy programmes to enhance reading and writing in Tiv language.
There is equally the need to publish Tiv literature in various forms such as books, journals, digital media and make it readily available, incorporate Tiv literature into school curricula and education programmes.
Government at all levels should institute awards or recognition programmes to honour Tiv writers and their contributions, encourage research and scholarship on Tiv literature, language, and culture.
Government should provide scholarship/special grants to students studying indigenous languages in the Universities.
It should equally provide automatic employment to students studying indigenous languages in tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
With these measures in place, much emphasis will be placed on our indigenous languages in the country for them to remain relevant, acceptable, and dominant so as to compete favourably with other languages. .
CONCLUSION
Dr. Chieshe’s Poetry in Tiv is an attempt at documenting Tiv language – an effort that will go a long way in not just showcasing the language but placing it at the global pedestal among languages striving to gain global presence.
I therefore recommend that because the two Poetry books have defined the person and character of Dr. Chieshe as a committed gospel preacher, instructor, and moral philosopher who uses poetry as a pulpit to evangelise, everyone should pick copies of the books.
