The art of Nigerian greetings.

As a proud Nigerian, born and raised in the Southwest, I understand the significance of greetings in our rich cultural heritage – it's a big part of who we are as Nigerians! I remember growing up, I had to greet every random person I met on the road that was older than me even if I didn't know them personally. I clearly remember  one elderly woman that knocked me so hard on the head because I was in a hurry and forgot to greet her. It hurt so bad that I never forgot to greet the elders after that day. That's how important greetings are to us.

Let's start with a simple hello. The diversity of culture in Nigeria is sometimes overlooked because something as simple as hello has different meanings in different languages. “Bawo ni” is the standard way of greeting in Yoruba. It means ‘How are you’ and can be used informally and formally at any time of the day. Though, it is not advisable to say ‘Bawo ni’ to elderly people ‘E Pele o’ is a lot more respectful. For the Igbos, “Kedu” is how to say hello. It literally translates as “how are you”. It is a common greeting among the Igbos and can be used any time of day in any kind of situation. “Sannu” is a formal way to say hello in Hausa. It is commonly used in the northern part of Nigeria. Though these are the three major tribes in Nigeria, other tribes have their unique way of saying hello. For example, the Benin people use “koyo” to say hello while the Efik and ibibio have “mesiere” as their everyday complimentary greeting between people. But in this article we will   focus on the three major tribes in Nigeria which are; Igbo Yoruba and Hausa.

Remember that woman that knocked me on the head for not greeting her?  she was Yoruba. Respect is very important in the Yoruba culture. A child or an adult who wakes up in the morning, meets people on their way, and does not greet them is regarded as being untutored and without the required home training. Greeting is very vital to communication and community life among the Yorubas because it acts as a motivator of some sort. Although there is no hard and fast rule about who greets first, it is preferable for the young person to initiate the greetings. In most situations, it is the first person to see that greets first; either young or old. However, when the younger ones are greeting the elders, the boys will prostrate- full stretch with their chests and chin on the ground while the girls will knee down with their two knees. They, then, greet as circumstance demands. They will be in the position until the elders complete their own part of the greetings.

When one is greeting an older person, it is necessary to use the honorific pronoun ‘Ẹ’ to show respect. For example, Good morning to parents is “Ẹ káàrọ̀ o, bàbá (bàámi)” or “Ẹ káàrọ̀ o màmá (màámi).” The parent will respond with "Káàrọ̀ o". Good afternoon! Is “Ẹ káàsán!” When Greeting an older person / or a group of people and “Káàsán!” When Greeting a younger person or friend. Good evening! (Early evening) is “Ẹ kú ìrọ̀lẹ́!” When Greeting an older person / or a group of people and “Kú ìrọ̀lẹ́!” When Greeting a younger person or playmate. “Ìrọ̀lẹ́” is from 4:00p.m. to 6:59p.m. Good evening!  (Late evening) is “Ẹ kú alẹ́!” Is used when Greeting an older person / or a group of people and “Kú alẹ́!” Is used to greet a younger person or a friend. “Alẹ́” is from 7:00p.m. to 11:59p.m. Good night! “Ó dàárọ̀!” Is a general greeting and has no formal or informal way of using it.  It is forbidden for the younger ones to look into the eyes of the older ones in the process of greeting. Greetings in Yoruba are countless. There is no occasion that does not have its distinct and peculiar greeting. For days, seasons and specific job types, there are special greetings. This is how important a part of Yoruba culture greetings are.

For the Igbos, however, greetings are much more complex. Not only does gender have an influence on how you greet someone, but also age difference and degree of relation. Although It is quite unusual and brisk for a woman to reach out her hand for a handshake in Igbo culture. However, if an older person stretches out their hand toward an Igbo woman, she can respond to the greeting by placing her left hand on her right forearm before shaking the person's hand. By slightly bending forward, she can express an additional level of humility and respect towards the person. Another form of greeting that women see in the Igbo culture is the back tap. The back tap is probably the most common greeting a woman can encounter in Igbo culture. To perform this greeting, the woman slightly turns her back toward the person she wants to greet and bends forward in order for the other person to tap their hand on her upper back. Friendly eye contact before and after the process is important to support the gesture.

Among peers, men use the standard handshake quite often. However, when a younger man is offered a handshake by an older man, he will use the left hand to support the greeting, just like women. The back tap is not common among men. But if a younger man wants to greet the Igwe, he will offer his back for a tap. The most prestigious greeting amongst men is the backhand clap. It is performed by titled men only. To greet, they will clap their backhands against each other three times before shaking their hands. Instead of their hands, they may use their walking sticks (Nkpo), ivory (Odu enyi), or hand fans (Akupe) to perform the greeting. It is seen as a big provocation if women or non-titled men greet each other this way. Similarly, in verbal greetings, there are formal ways and informal ways of greeting in Igbo. Kèdú (kay-DOO) is The most common formal greeting equivalent to ‘hello.’ Ǹdêwó (in-DAY-WO) is a formal greeting that can be used to greet anyone.  Má-ḿmá (MAHM-MA) on the other hand is the most common polite term when addressing an elder or important person in society. It is used alongside the person’s name and an honorific while Ǹnộ (in-NOOR)  is a greeting mostly used in the northern part of Igboland. 

When greeting friends, age mates and colleagues however, there are different expressions that can be used. ‘Ǹdâ’ Can be an equivalent of ‘what’s up. ‘Ánị̄’ is more direct and can be used only by friends but It is Insulting if used on someone older than the greeter. ‘Ọ̀lị́à’ is also mostly used from a friend to a friend. ‘Ọ̀gị́nị́ kwánụ́/gị́nị́ mẹ̀rẹ̀’ is Very direct and informal and It literally means ‘what’s happening.’ When in a group, ‘Kwénù’ is the The most common group greeting, used only by males. ‘Dǎlụ́’nụ̀’ Meaning literally ‘thank you all,’ and can be used by anybody. It’s important to adapt greetings to the appropriate context and relationship with the individuals you are addressing so as not to come off as disrespectful and insulting.

Hausa greetings are equally complicated like the other two. They greet each other according to age, status and gender. Handshaking is a very important social text for the analysis of Hausa greetings. In rural areas, handshaking, as a form of greeting, occurs mostly among people of equal rank or age. People living in small villages or communities hardly shake hands as a form of greeting. The only exception is when they meet at mosques after prayers; at this time, handshaking is made as a gesture of togetherness or brotherhood in accordance with the Islamic ideal of peace. It also happens in ceremonial circumstances.  

In the Hausa language,  sannu or barka are very common greetings and they mean hi or hello. Yet, to express concern for the health of the family or for something else, the greeting in Hausa society may be extended, taking a longer time, and giving a higher dose of human warmth and concern. Thus instead of just sannu, one may add ina kwana (how was the night-sleep or good morning). The latter can also be expressed as barka da asuba. It is important to note that greetings occurring in rural areas tend to take a longer time than they normally do in urban settings, except when urbanites use them to keep conversations going. when men shake their hands in rural areas, it is almost certain that one of the parties involved is a "stranger," someone from another village who has the same status or age. When age or status differs, it is more likely that the one who is younger or "lower" in rank will squat or bow to greet the other. This also applies to women except that they do not shake hands among themselves or with men because of Islamic and local traditions.

In urban areas the situation is different in many respects. Most noticeably, squatting occurs less frequently. Instead, people shake hands, sometimes despite age or gender. This is where education becomes a determinant factor. Those who have a Western schooling, even if in addition to an Islamic or other traditional education, are likely to shake hands. This may occur between women and men, and between old and young regardless of age differences.

However, the case is not that simple because of Islam's influence which is more marked in some regions than in others. As a result, in most cases where Islamic values are predominant, married women do not shake hands with men except, occasionally, at their workplaces. Yet handshaking is very frequent among unmarried people of all ages and sexes. It is true that in villages sons and daughters are expected to greet their parents if they live in the same compound. The morning greeting is usually the most practiced. In some village contexts even wives are expected to greet their husbands in the morning in conformity with the Islamic tradition. 

Usually, age matters less than status, which usually involves money or power, and greetings vary more according to the situation. For instance, if an employee shakes hands with his or her employer at a naming ceremony, then respect is shown by either bowing a little bit or by holding the hand that is being shaken by the employer. There are also other ways to show respect that depend on context and the kind of relationship between the two persons involved. The issue of who initiates the greetings is also complex. It may depend on the context and it may express the extent to which the people involved hold each other in esteem. In practice, however, anybody can initiate a greeting. A professor or teacher, for example, may initiate the greetings if he or she holds a student in high esteem. It is a way of encouraging the student and giving him an opportunity to approach the instructor for help. 

Furthermore, there are situations where greetings and respect are manifested by spatial distance. Because of Islam, close physical contact is prohibited between men and women except when they are married or in exceptional circumstances. So in most cases a mature girl has her place among girls of her age. The same is true with a mature boy. Crossing the line, unless it is before marriage when both girls and boys can mix, may be seen as a disrespectful act. The boys and girls can mix freely before marriage, but tradition demands that they observe some form of discretion when they are in the presence of older persons.

Greetings are an important part of our daily lives and I hope with this article you would learn the proper way to greet your Yoruba, Igbo, or Hausa neighbors and friends.

Tell me in the comments below have there been a time when you greeted someone wrongly and what were the consequences?