Example of the Dog and the Baboon Politics
Abstract
The Media: Electronic, Print, and Social, is playing very significant roles towards
promoting political awareness and stability of any nation.
However, for the Media to play its role effectively, a clear and sound grasp of the Language of Communication is necessary.
Otherwise, there is the tendency of the Media spreading wrong and, or, misinterpreted information to the public, capable of generating rancor and political instability.
One such clear misinterpretation or misrepresentation of information was the Hausa metaphorical expression, Kare jinni Biri jinni quoted from the statement made by Rtd.
General Muhammadu Buhari, sometimes in April, 2013, while addressing his supporters from Niger State. In the political presentation of the term Kare – Jini Biri – Jini, quoted and translated by many Print Media in Nigeria, it was interpreted to mean; ‘The Dog and the Baboon will be socked in blood’, denoting bloodshed and declaration of war.
But the term Kare – jini Biri – Jini, literally; the Dog with blood and the Baboon with blood, or, the Dog is bleeding the Baboon is bleeding, or, both the Dog and the Baboon sustained injuries. It is a metaphorical expression denoting a hot competition, and serious struggle, between two competing parties that are closer in strength and stamina.
The expression got its origin among the huntging communities in traditional Hausa Societies.
From experience, it was always not easy to wrestle and hunt Baboon by the Hunter’s Dog. In many instances it ended a futile exercise, and even at instances where by the latter hunted the former, it would be after a serious struggle with both two sustaining injuries.
This paper seeks to highlight the poverty of vocabulary, and poor grasp of Nigerian languages among Journalists and young citizens in the country.
The paper therefore advocated for the retention and effective teaching of the indigenous languages in primary and secondary school’s curriculums in Nigeria.
The paper equally analysed the political origin of the Print Media in Nigeria, how since its first appearance, the print Media is being assigned very important political role by political elites in the Country.
Keywords: Media, Language, Dog, Baboon, Politics
Attahiru Ahmad Sifawa[1]
[1] Department of History, Sokoto State University, Sokoto-Nigeria
