Growing up in Nigeria can be all shades of awesome, weird and just plain insane, depending on the kind of Nigerian parents you had. But, the awesomeness of playground time cannot be disputed, sometimes I want to shed off this adult skin and dance in the rain while playing suwe or ten-ten.
We’ve listed seven games that make us reminisce about our childhood. Do you remember any?
Ten-Ten
This involves a lot of hand and leg movement; clapping your hands against your partner’s in a fast rhythm while moving your legs in a opposite direction to theirs, trying to best them.
Suwe
Multiple squares are drawn within a big rectangle on the floor, then each player hops on one leg after throwing a pebble in a square. The goal is to avoid stepping on the square with the pebble in it.
Boju-Boju
This is Nigeria’s equivalent of hide and seek. The only difference being that the seeker must sing; “boju-boju, oloro nbo, shey kin shi? (close your eyes, close your eyes, a maquerade is coming, should I open my eyes?)” while others find hiding places until they give permission to the seeker to open his/her eyes.
Who Is In The Garden?
After forming “a big circle like your mother’s cooking pot”, the next step is for someone to get within the circle then begin a call and response chant; “Who is in the garden? A little fine girl. Can I come and see her? No no no no. I beg my sister/brother follow me.“
I Call On!
This is an indoor game that requires each player to write the letters of the alphabet on a notebook, then proceed to write names of people, places, animals, fruits and things that begins with any letter that is called on. The player with the highest results wins.
Who Stole The Meat From The Cooking Pot?
This is also a call and response outdoor game that also involves forming a circle. An accusation of who stole the imaginary meat is made and everyone shifts the blame, you are out of the game if you get caught unaware with no response ready.
“Number one stole the meat from the cooking pot. You mean me? Yes you. It couldn’t be. Then who? Number two stole the meat from the cooking pot.“
When Will You Marry?
This involves a round of questions that must be answered while the player skips rope. Questions usually include; “When will you marry, this year, next year, single forever? How many wives/husbands will you have? How many kids would you have? How many cars would you buy? How many houses would you build?”
So, which of these were your favorite?
