People
from the eastern part of Nigeria are a very interesting set of people
with a really rich culture and history. They have unique ways of doing
things including the display of affection.
Igbo men
The eastern part of Nigeria, largely dominated by people from the Igbo tribe, is a unique place to visit or live in.
Aside from serene environs stretched over the area and the
generally low cost of living, there is a profound exhibition of culture
and deep respect for customs and tradition; and this affects how the
locals interact and relate with others around the country and world at
large.
Basically, people living in the eastern area are far more
emotionally reserved than their counterparts in the Western or Northern
parts of the country and some visitors find this disconcerting.
The truth, however, is that they can actually be both affectionate
and demonstrative when it comes to showing affection, though, they may
not show it in the way that is expected.
To help visitors looking to understand the lifestyle of these
people, Jumia Travel reveals 5 unique ways people in eastern Nigeria
show affection.
1. Hail with praise names and titles
A very common way people in the eastern parts of Nigeria,
especially Aba and Owerri, show affection is by hailing the person with
fancy titles and praise phrases. Some of the popular appellations
include Chief, Oga, odum, Eze e.t.c. They also use phrases that tend to
exalt the person being referred to, such as “onye Isi” meaning “the main man”, “Nwoke ukwu” meaning “Big guy”.
2. Brag about the person
Another way they show affection is by bragging to others about the
person or about something the person did or is going to do. Usually,
when they start to brag, they first make sure the person is within
earshot, so the person knows they are favored or loved. Parents usually
do this a lot with their kids rather than just hug them or share such
emotional words as “I love you” and more.
3. Symbolic/significant gifts
Giving gifts is a common way people from around the world show
affections, but people from the eastern parts of Nigeria take this a
step further when they want to channel affection. From unexpected
surprises to gifts of farm animals and food, they gift abundantly in the
bid to show affection .This is also why Nigerian women prefer to marry
Igbo men who genuinely care about them.
4. They share what they have
The Igbos are generally considered to be tight-fisted and selfish.
The key stereotype is that they love money and would amass as much
wealth as they can without offering same opportunities to others. While
this has not be proven and is largely regarded to be false, there
actually is an atom of truth to it. Igbos would actually only share
their food and possessions if they like a person and want to show
affection.
5. Exhibit domineering behaviors
This may seem conflicting, but people from the eastern parts of the
country usually demonstrate their love by being more controlling of the
person’s behavior or activity. This is why the parents tend to be very
strict with their children and the people seem to be meddlers.
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