10 Most Common Childhood Games Played in Africa

 

childhood would be nothing without the games. 

Growing up, most of my childhood memories involves me playing games with my friends, I don't remember the fights or the tantrums, just the games. Quite often we forget that children play freely and innocently, they don't care about whether their clothes get dirty or who is who, they just have the best time. I grew up in Nigeria where the games were brutal but fun, it was all about competition but don't worry majority of the games on this list are safe and healthy.

1. Hide and seek

A game that never ages. It originated from the Greece and has since become the most popular game played by children around the world. At least two players hide in a specified environment, hoping to be discovered by one or more seekers. The game is played by one player (dubbed "it") counting to a fixed number with their eyes closed while the other participants remain hidden. When the player who is "it" reaches this number, he or she tries to locate all hidden places

2. Mr. Wolf 

This particular game redefined my childhood. They way it was played in my young days are quite different from how it is played now but come to think of it, I think we added a few changes to our version. The game is played with a number of 4- 15, a child volunteers to be the Mr. Wolf and the rest of the children pick a colour. The children then draw a circle and stand inside it, while Mr. wolf picks a colour and counts to 10 while the child whose colour is picked runs out of the circle (in our version he sings and the picks a colour)

3. Kudoda

I knew the game as throwing stones. it is originally from Zimbabwe and it involves 2 or more players. The players sit in a circle around a wooden or metal bowl containing 20 to 30 small stones or marbles . The first player takes a stone and throws it into the air. It all comes down to dexterity. The player attempts to pick up as many other stones in the bowl as possible before it falls. When all of the players have taken their turn, the stones are counted, and the player with the most wins.

4.     Fire and Ice

 One of the most interactive and team building games I played as a child. This game involves the formation of two groups, a group represents fire while the other represents ice. The entire concept of the game focus on the idea that fire melts ice and ice freezes fire. The two groups set out to chase and catch one another until all the members of fire group is frozen.

5. Suwe

This game was one for all children, played across many parts of Africa, this particular game is one of the few games that I will forever cherish. On the ground, a rectangular form is drawn and separated into blocks by lines. When the game begins, the first player throws a pebble on the first little rectangle and runs through the enter boxes on one leg, avoiding the pebble-filled box. After completing the voyage through the entire box, the player is eligible to purchase a home. They must turn away from the box and hurl their pebble at random. Any box on which it lands becomes their new home. They can put both legs in their home on following plays. The game will go on until there are no more houses to be acquired. The player who collects the most blocks is considered the winner!

6. Who is in the garden?

I am sure a lot of us have played the game when we were younger. It begins when the players form a circle and appoints a leader. "Who is in the garden?" the leader asks he walks around the circle. "Can I come and see her?" the leader responds after each participant says there is a tiny boy/girl. "No, no," everybody says. "Now you follow me," he adds, tapping another circle member who is expected to follow the leader beyond the circle. This continues until there are just two persons left in the room. Finally, the player who has not been tapped by the leader pursues the others. They then begin the following round of the game, with the one who had to chase down the most people becoming the leader.

7. Ten- Ten

A local game with a catchy chant. This requires a lot of hand and leg movement, such as clapping your hands against your partner's in a quick pace while moving your legs in the other way to beat them.

8. Kgati

This is basically the skipping rope game. There are many versions of how to play this game, some people make it competitive while others just want to have fun. There are also various songs or chants to go with this game. The child could either skip alone or have other children hold the rope.

9. Limbo

Who is ready to limbo! This game involves music, two players controlling the height of the stick and the rest of the players trying to limbo past the stick with touching it. The stick is usually placed at a level that all the players can safely pass and then the players controlling the stick keep reducing the level until a winner is announced 

10. Ampe

Originated from Ghana, the game has become quite famous and tho there are other variation of this game, the original version still stands the test of time. Firstly, a leader is chosen. The selected leader and another player leap to their feet at the same time, clap, and shove one foot forward. If both the leader and the other player put their foot forward at the same time, the leader receives a point. If they're not the same, the other player becomes "it" and takes on the other players. If the players are arranged in a circle, the leader walks around the circle, playing against each player in turn. The leader travels down the line if they are in a line. If there are only two players, they keep score until a certain number of points is reached.

I hope you all enjoyed taking this trip down memory lane with me. "A child might grow up but the child in them never leaves." 

Sights and Sounds- A Historical Review of Gombe, Nigeria

Boarded to four out of the six regional political zone by five different states, Gombe state is a state in Northeastern Nigeria. These states are Borno and Yola to the North and NorthEast, Bauchi State to the West, Taraba State to the South, and Adamawa State to the SouthEast. Gombe State is the state's capital and largest city. It was founded on October 1st 1996 from a part of Bauchi State during the regime of the late General Sanni Abacha. The climate of the state is warm not exceeding 30°C during hot months. It's hot months ranges from March to May with a monthly average rainfall of 850mm.

Topographically, the state is within the tropical West Sudanian Savannah eco-region, and it has some important geographic features which include the Gongola River which flows through Gombe's North and East into Lake Dadin Kowa, and part of the Muri Mountains; a small range in the state's remote south. Gombe state comprises of 11 Local Government Area which are Nada, Gombe, Biliru, Yamaltu-Deba, Kwami, Kaltungo, Akko, Balanfa, Dukku, Funnakaye, and Shongom Local Government Areas.

Ethnically, it's inhabited by diverse ethnic groups of which the Fulanis seems the primary inhabitant of the north and centre of the state along with the Bolewa, Kanuri, Lugunda, Dadiya, Jukin, Babunka, Per or Shonge, Tera, Tangale, Kumo, Tula, Cham, and Hausa people.

Religiously, Gombe state's population which is 2,353,879 as at 2016 are more of Muslims with a 75%, Christians are 20%, while traditionalist are 5%, respectively. The Muslims are the majority, while the rest are the minorities.

Politically, Muhammad Inuwa Yahayah, an APC candidate elected on March 2019 is the current governor. At the local level, they have 14 Emirates also called Chiefdoms.

Economically, Gombe state is a state based on agriculture. Food crops like sorghum, groundnuts, tomatoes, millets, and yam crops form the basis of their farming. They also engage in livestock farming like sheep, goats, camels, and cattles. In its economical status, Gombe State has the fourth lower Human Development Index and second lowest Gross Domestic Product in the country. Their main investment opportunities are Agribusiness, Light Manufacturing, Healthcare, energy, Mining, and Tourism. Speaking of Tourism, the state has lots of sights that are tourism worthy. Some of these sights are: The Tula Plateau, The Bulok Warm Spring, Dadin Kowa Dam, The Kalam Hill, and The Bace Hills, The Tomb of Sultan Atta among others. The state produces some solid minerals like Uranium, Gypsum, Clay, Limestone, Quartz, Magnetite, Trona, Potash, Feldspar,  Granite, Chips, Flutters Earth, Diatomite, Ore, Kaolin, Silica Sand, Mica, and Iron.

Culturally, the state holds some festivals, and the Kamo Cultural festival is one of them. It is a festival of togetherness celebrated by Kamo and Awake ethnic group by Kaltungo Local Government Area of Gombe State, yearly. It is being celebrated in April to unite the people of double ethnic grouping. It is a lively festival that people normally participate it, and it is unusual not to, as anyone who doesn't participate in the festival is being considered as a sadist. Other festivals are the Pissi Tangle festival, Chugothe festival, Kaltungo festival, Kuram festival, Yeka festival, Bushari festival, Yiliru festival, and Ilar-Zhare festival. 

Gombe State's Slogan is Jewel of Savannah, as the eco-region of the state is within the tropical West Sudanian Savannah.

Welcome to the Jewel of Savannah✌

Sights and Sounds - A Historical Review of Abuja, Nigeria

 

The spectacle of the Abuja city prompts the question of why Nigeria take on a 15 year development project when a significant portion of the population lives in poverty? It was the central part of Nigeria in 1996 before it was declared the capital of Nigeria in December 12, 1991. The different sophisticated centres and buildings in Abuja makes it plays the same role memorial bridge did in Washington DC. For the different functional centres in Abuja, it is not what people thought it would become. It is being said that Abuja should have been a model city, a rarity on the continent, instead of it being the fastest growing slum in Nigeria. Abuja is an urban post colonialism city. It has infrastructures that poses it as a very modern city. The city is approximately 300 miles (480km) northeast of Lagos, the former capital (until 1991). During the 1980s the new capital city was built and developed on the grass-covered Chukuku Hills.



Abuja is known for its central location, easy accessibility, good climate, availability of land for future expansion. It is the first planned city to be built in Nigeria.

Let's check out some beautiful sights to see in Abuja

1. The National Children's park and Zoo




2. The National Stadium





3. The Supreme Court





4. The National Arboretum





Welcome to Abuja✌

History of the Alaafin of the Oyo Empire [1210 to date]

 Yorubaland is the cultural region of the Yoruba people in West Africa. It spans the modern-day countries of Nigeria, Togo, and Benin. Its pre-modern history is based largely on oral traditions and legends. According to Yoruba religion, Oduduwa became the ancestor of the first divine king of the Yoruba.

By the 8th century, Ile-Ife was already a powerful Yoruba kingdom, one of the earliest in Africa south of the Sahara-Sahel. Almost every Yoruba settlement traces its origin to princes of Ile-Ife. As such, Ife can be regarded as the cultural and spiritual homeland of the Yoruba nation.

Ile-Ife was a settlement of substantial size between the 12th and 14th centuries, with houses featuring potsherd pavements. It is known worldwide for its ancient and naturalistic bronze as well as stone and terracotta sculptures, which reached their peak of artistic expression between 1200 and 1400.

The Oyo Empire was a powerful Yoruba empire of West Africa made up of parts of present-day eastern Benin and western Nigeria (including Southwest zone and the western half of Northcentral zone). It grew to become the largest Yoruba-speaking state and rose through the outstanding organizational and administrative skills of the Yoruba people, wealth gained from trade, and a powerful cavalry. The Oyo Empire was one of the most politically important states in the entirety of Western Africa from the mid-7th to the late 18th century, and held sway not only over most of the other kingdoms in Yorubaland, but also over nearby African states, notably the Fon Kingdom of Dahomey in the modern Republic of Benin on its west.

The origins of the Oyo Empire lie with Oranyan (also known as Oranmiyan), the last prince of the Yoruba Kingdom of Ile-Ife (Ife). Oranyan made an agreement with his brother to launch a punitive raid on their northern neighbors for insulting their father Oduduwa, the first Ooni of Ife. On the way to the battle, the brothers quarreled and the army split up. Oranyan's force was too small to make a successful attack, so he wandered the southern shore until reaching Bussa. There the local chief entertained him and provided a large snake with a magic charm attached to its throat.

The chief instructed Oranyan to follow the snake until it stopped somewhere for seven days and disappeared into the ground. Oranyan followed the advice and founded Oyo where the serpent stopped. The site is remembered as Ajaka. Oranyan made Oyo his new kingdom and became the first "oba" (meaning 'king' or 'ruler' in the Yoruba language) with the title of "Alaafin of Oyo" (Alaafin means 'owner of the palace' in Yoruba). He left all his treasures in Ife and allowed another king to rule there.

At one time, Oyo-ile was at war with the Bariba of Borgu, who wanted to subjugate the new city still under construction. Orangun Ajagunla of Ila, Oranmiyan's elder brother, stormed in with his men to assist. Not long after the war was won, Oranmiyan had a son, Ajuwon Ajaka; much later Arabambi was born by the woman from Tapa (Nupe). It is believed that the name "Sango" was given by his maternal grandfather or he adopted it from the local name for the God of Thunder. Either way the royal family was devoted to The Spirits of Thunder (Jakuta) and War (Ogun).

Oranyan, the first oba (king) of Oyo, was succeeded by Oba Ajaka, Alaafin of Oyo. Ajaka was deposed, because he lacked Yoruba military virtue and allowed his sub-chiefs too much independence.Leadership was then conferred upon Ajaka's brother, Shango, who was later deified as the deity of thunder and lightning. Ajaka was restored after Sango's death. Ajaka returned to the throne thoroughly more warlike and oppressive. His successor, Kori, managed to conquer the rest of what later historians would refer to as metropolitan Oyo

The title was retained after the fall of the Oyo Empire as the official title of the ceremonial ruler of the contemporary natives of Oyo, Nigeria. The Alaafin is the political head of the Yoruba people and the only monarch with the pre-requisite power to appoint a chieftain representing the entire Yorubaland. Examples of such appointments include Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland and Iyalode of Yorubaland.

As of 2021 the Alaafin (Emperor) of Oyo was Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III who was the 45th Alaafin, celebrated his 50th year on the throne. The Grand Custodian of Yoruba Culture and Tradition and the Emperor of Yorubas.

Sights and Sounds: A Historical review of the Ondo Kingdom

The emergence of the Ondo kingdom which is also known as “Ondo Ekimogun” started in 1510 at the Palace of Alaafin of Oyo in the ancient city of Oyo when the wife of Oba Alaafin Oluaso gave birth to twins, a male child known as Orere and a female child known as Olu. At that time, the birth of twins is forbidden in the palace of every Oba in Yoruba land. It was said that Oba Oluaso loved his wife so much and on hearing the news of the newly born twins, he lamented that the children were mysterious; ese – omo re, which later transformed to Osemawe as Oba's title in the Ondo kingdom.


 The twins and their mother were banished from Oyo under the command of the Oba Alaafin Oluaso. He further instructed that one stroke of the facial mark should be cut on each cheek of the twins as the kese or ibaramu mark will cause anguish for them on their journey. The single facial stroke mark became a modeled fashion in Ondo town to date. This is why the Ondo is referred to today as omo mula meji si oju s’eye.

Journey:

The twins were accompanied by the Alaafin of Oyo warrior's leader called ija or uja with their mother to Epin in the then Fulani kingdom. They later returned to Oyo after the demise of Oba Alaafin Oluaso in 1497 AD. The new Oba Alaafin Onigbogi also ordered them out of Oyo in 1498 AD with Alaafin warrior leader to the direction of Ile – Ife. They continued on this journey until they reached ita Ijama. This is why Ondo is referred to as Ekimogun ara ita Ijama today.

They didn’t stop at ita Ijama, they arrived at Epe where Iyanghede of Epe gave them a warm welcome with Royal hospitality treatment. This is why Ondo is referred to today as omo mude agogo mu omi.

After a brief stay at Epe, they continued with their quest to look for a permanent settlement. They arrived at a place now known as Ile Oluji, where Queen Olu(Alaafin's wife) slept for days without waking up. This specific place(or town) was named after the aforementioned incidence(Ile ti Olu sun ti ko Ji). After another short stay, Queen Olu and Princess Olu, the female twins left the town with one Ogunja from Epe, leaving Prince Orere behind at Ile – Oluji. They continued this journey until it ended at the foot of a hill now known as Oke Agunla. This is how Ondo is referred to today as opon inu odi Ogunja.

At the hill, they noticed a cloud of smoke rising from beneath and followed that direction down the hill and saw a man who identified himself as Ekiri. He was a lost warrior from Ado Benin(now Benin city). Ekiri decided to stay back at that particular place where he was found through a cloud of smoke in the air, with no family. He lived in a but which he vacated for Princess Olu as an expression of honor.

Ekiri later led them to a specific ground known today as Oriden where they tried to stick their yam stake proved futile as instructed by an Ifa Oracle before they left Epe. They were all glad and exa cloud of smoke:

                Edo do,

                Edo du do,

                Idi edo.


Which was finally transmitted to Ode Ondo during the ancient time.
Princess Olu, the female twin who is also known today as the late Oba Pupupu, eventually became the first Osemawe of the Ondo kingdom in 1516 AD while Prince Orere became the first Jegun of Ile – Oluji.
 

Royal mark:
It is said that the other historical Royal mark is cut onto the right breast of the descendant of past Osemawes from both male and female lineage with a prestigious birthright to Otunba title as known and practiced till today. The Royal families and Otunbas title bearers in the Ondo kingdom are headed by Olotu omo-oba(lotu omo-oba-in-council) with the official quarter at Oke- Otunba and its environs.

Dialect:
The Ondo have their specific dialect. It must be emphasized that Ondo emigrant settlers also founded many towns like Igbado, Ajue, Araromi Obu, Bolorunduro, Oke – Igbo, etc. When you listen to the dialects of the people from the aforementioned places, you will agree with me that Ondo is their source.

Innovation:
The first Osemawe palace was built by the late Oba Airo who was the first son of the late Oba Pupupu. He became the second Osemawe in 1530 AD after his mother. Late Oba Adeuga Fidipote II built the first ancient modern palace in Ondo when he became 40th Osemawe in 1935 AD while late Oba Festus Ibidapo Adesanoye- Osungbedelola II built the multimillionaire and befitting  Osemawe Palace in Ondo after he became the 43rd Osemawe of Ondo kingdom in 1992. The current Osemawe of the Ondo kingdom is Oba Dr. Victor Kiladejo Jilo III. He is the 44th Osemawe. And he was crowned the king on December 1, 2006


 Religion:
The Ondo embraced Roman Catholic Christianity in 1875 and this move was approved by late Oba Ayibikitiwodi while late Oba Jimekun accepted the CMS Anglican Communion in 1884 and Islam in 1888.

Food:

The Ondo are fond of eating pounded yam with okra soup or black soup.


Clothes:
Ondo’s traditional attires dignify them in any society they find themselves in. They are known for their consistent use of the old Aso- oke types. A few of their traditional attires are etu, alaari, sanyan, etc.
 

Occupation:
They are also known to be traders, farmers, or produce merchants of kola nuts, cocoa, etc.

Festivals:
The popular traditional festivals in Ondo are Odun Oba, Odun Ogun, Odun Moko, etc.

And Ekimogun Day Festival was recently initiated with the sole purpose of bringing all Ondo indigenes together annually to celebrate their prestigious heritage.

 

 
 

Is Africa truly the cradle of civilization?

Africa which is the second-largest continent of the world embraced civilization in the mid-nineteenth century.

This all happened when the Europeans came down to Africa to look out for gold and other valuable trading products. Suddenly, they started slaving trade. And they were joined by Arabs.

At the beginning of the mid-nineteenth century, more white Europeans traveled down to Africa as missionaries, tourists, and most especially as colonizers. These colonizers brought drastic changes to the "African traditions and culture" then. It was recorded that Africans had their freedom at that time.

Some arms were involved in the modern colonization of Africa: Britain, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, and Italy. The aforementioned countries introduced their culture to the African countries they colonized. For example, Nigeria, an African country that was colonized by the British empire inherited its culture in terms of the English Language, mode of dressing, western education, communication, new forms of money, and the propagation of the Christian faith. The above example can be likened to other African countries and their colonizers.

Africans were civilized through the influence of their colonizers. But Mesopotamia is regarded as the "cradle of civilization".

 

The Origin of Kolo, Esusu and Other Piggybanks

 Most times I ask myself if it's just me that miss using kolo to save my money.. I can remember how I was so devoted in putting 10 naira or 20 naira in it after school and then in 3 or 4 months time i would break the box to calculate how much I have saved up and of course spend it all with my friends and start again.


But I never knew how Kolo or any other old ways of saving money started, I just found people doing it and I did it too.


The use of Kolo started a long time ago by the western people. Kolo was a small wooden box or a clay pot with a little hole in the middle where money can be squeezed into but can't easily come out until it's been broken.


While Esusu originated among the yoruba people, it describes a traditional form of cooperation in African societies whereby groups of individuals contribute to informal savings and credit associations for their mutual benefit. These associations are found mainly in agricultural production and credit financing, and they substitute for and complement modern cooperative institutions and formal financial systems.


Esusu describe means of informal financing, whereby individuals come together to further their individual and collective interests. This may take several forms. First, there are units that are aimed at mobilising savings but that engage in little or no lending. Second, there are lending units that engage in little savings mobilisation. Third, there are groups that engage in self-help finance and involve various types of savings, including rotating ones as well as those provided by licensed cooperatives


Ajo is another means of saving money which was also originated by the western people and a bit similar to Esusu.

The way ajo work is that a group of people come together to each put an agreed amount of money into savings each month, then at the end of every month, someone in the group takes all the money saved for that month, which is subsequently rotated among all the group members throughout the period of the monthly contribution.

Ajo can be done among colleagues in the office, traders, members of a community etc.

A coordinator is usually chosen among contributors who administers the contributions and hands over the money to whoever is next in line.


There are other means by which money was being saved before the creation of banks, money may not have been entirely safe but it helped a lot.

How to Win an African Man's Heart

 

Every individual has his / her 'spec' or what attracts them, but there are some attributes that if an African woman should posses, their counterparts won't hesitate to let down their egoistic shoulders. African men are proud. Don't you know? They are very very proud. Because the African culture hasn't totally redeem itself from its original patriarchal self, some African men still posses such ideology, but there are ways to make them ignore it. Some of them are:

1. Be lordly

African men don't like bashful, vulnerable, or ignoble ladies. Do not buy the opposite ideology, it is outdated. When you are amidst them, don't lower your gaze. Look straight into their eyes, relieving your mind from any emotions. Don't shake. Be dignified. Be assertive. Stand on your soles. Be lordly!

2. Be Outspoken

Never tolerate their attitudes towards you that are not apt. Disagree against their opinion if you feel it is not suitable. Protect the interest of yourself and your fellow women. Do not let go of their bad attitudes toward you; walk up to them, and rebuke them, if they don't apologize. Be candid with your principles. African men love such women, women that speak out, and challenge them.

3. Be Financially Independent

African men love women that can pay their bills themselves. Women that are financially capable. Women that buy the things they want with their sweat. Women that don't beg for 'urgent 2k.' Women that don't spend on men, but only on themselves at their own satisfaction. African men likes women that enjoy "the baby girl lifestyle" from their sweat.

4. Climb the Success Ladder with them

African men love women that are up to par with them. Women that develop themselves. Women of high ranks. Women that can think and make decisions. Women that even men look up to. Women that carry an entourage of success. Women that are kings. Women of influence and affluence. Women of high caliber. Women that drag positions with men. African men do not only cherish such women, they love them, because they want mothers who will train their daughters to be such.



Get that African Man today😗