The year 2021 has been an interesting one in the pop culture scene as it saw the emergence of different slangs that trended all through West Africa.
Some of this slangs have taken a center stage in our daily communication in the ‘Pidgin arena’.
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Some of this slangs are coined from songs of popular artistes, relationship saga, poverty line, amongst others.
Below is a list of some of this slangs and how they came into being this year!
’70 years old man’
Former militant leader in Niger Delta, Asari Dokubo trended this year after the pharse ’70 years old man’ went viral from a video clip.
Dokubo was was speaking on National issues In a video and was quoted to have said “When the issue of Biafra come, Charly Boy said he’s not in support of Biafra. We are rascals; we are this thing, 70 years old man o.”
The phrase became popular after Dokubo used it to refer to Charly boy in the viral video, Nigerians and other skit makers don’t disappoint, they extracted the part and began using it for skits.
‘Our mumu no too much’
Charly Boy brought this slang into being but Asari Dokubo brought it into limelight in 2021 after he replied Charly boy ‘na im mumu nai too much.’
And yet again, Nigeria s don’t disappoint, they bounced on the slang and it trended beautifully well in 2021.
E choke
This slang introduced by Davido can be used in different contexts. Some use it to express shock, disappointment, mockery amongst others.
Sapa
Sapa is another word for being broke, when one is short of legal tender, it is said that sapa has dealt with this person. ‘Make sapa no follow us enter next year o’.
Aza
This is another word for account number! When asked to drop your ‘aza’, don’t delay, drop your digits!
Wahala be like bicycle
Wahala be like bicycle is used to express unpleasant situations. When something unpleasant happens, people clap their hands and exclaim ‘Wahala be like bicycle’.
‘You get it… If u don’t gerrit forget abou-rrit’
If you want to resist the urge to ‘shalaye’, this slang ‘You get it… If u don’t gerrit forget abou-rrit’ is a good one.
This slang trended after a lady in a viral clip asked Segun Old Skool Sege, to tell her the meaning of the abbreviation CV.
Sege responded ‘Certificate … rolled his eyes, whistled and told the lady; “You gerrit… if you don’t get it, forget about it”.
If you want to resist the urge to explain, this slang will always come in handy.
‘Cut soap for me’
This slang is mostly associated to the “G-boys” who wants to be successful like their colleagues.
They believe their successful colleagues have visited ritualists who have given them a special soap to bath with in other to attract their victims popularly referred to as ‘maga’
After the slang trended, it became a household term not only amongst “G-boys” but all who could relate with its context. ‘Cut soap for me’ can also mean ‘show me how to fish’.
Village people
‘I pray your village people free you this coming year’
Village people are ones enemies of progress and they can be everywhere not necessarily from the village. When a calamity befalls man, people tend to say ‘your village people still dey follow you’
May our village people never see us, claim this prayer if you want.
‘Na wetin… I wan dey do now’
This is also one of the popular hit slangs of the year 2021.
What you choose to do is your business as the slang has a whole lot of meanings attached to it.
As for us in the news media field, ‘Na stories wey go inform, educate, entertain and bring about peace and harmony we wan dey write’
‘Wetin you wan dey do for 2022?’
Japa
‘Japa’ means to run out of an unpleasant situation, place etc. In the Nigeria context, mostly every Nigerian youth wants to ‘Japa’ which means to travel abroad. Japa or no Japa, play your cards wisely!
Ko Po Ke or KPK
KPK means ‘e no plenty?”
When a person marks an achievement, he or she would take to the social media and tag the achievement with the caption ‘Talo so pe Ko Po Ke’? meaning ‘Who say it’s not plenty’? And the response is usually ‘O po Pa (OPP) or O Po Gan (OPG).’
We muevvvvve!
We muevvvvve was introduced by BBNaija housemate, Vee.
She was having a misunderstanding with Neo in the room during the reality TV show and she told him to move from the door so she can go outside.
Her foreign accent made the ‘Move’ sound like ‘Mueveee’ and Nigerians latched on it.
The slang is somehow motivating especially when the chips are down for an individual, he or she would accept his or her fate and muevvvvve!
Breakfast
Breakfast means break up. When a person is served breakfast he or she is heartbroken. One party has decided to quit the relationship and as such served the second party breakfast.
This bitter meal whenever served is still referred to as breakfast.
