The Kegite Club language is quite fascinating, palm wine drinkers in Nigeria have come up with interesting slangs that leave non initiates dumbfounded. To understand the unique language of the Kegite Club, let’s start with some basic expressions and their meanings.
Money is called Ola, “AB Chief” refers to the incumbent president, while “X Chief” denotes the immediate past president. “XYZ Chief” and “Archival Chiefesis” refer to former presidents, with the latter serving for over five years. Roles such as “Martial” for provost and “Parrot” for the public relations officer are also uniquely termed.
The term “Menag” means to see or look at, as in “please let Minawulus did not menag you facetus” which translates to “please don’t let me look at your face.” The phrase “construction via Ilya poly neked gyration on Eke market day via day D minus one” means “the construction was done by the Nekede Polytechnic Kegites Club on Eke market day, the day before yesterday.”
Understanding Kegite language necessitates an awareness for its distinct combination of originality, context-specific usage, and cultural importance. This specialised language not only promotes robust in-group communication, but it also provides obstacles to those outside the Kegite Club, emphasising language’s dynamic character and function in social identity.
Understanding Kegite Club Slangs and Meaning
We are exploring the language of the Kegite Club—a palm wine drinking club in Nigerian universities and beyond—and how they manifest their in-group identity through language. Kegite members communicate effectively in their language, which is accepted by members and serves as a lingua franca within and outside Nigeria. The Kegite language showcases creativity, productivity, and the arbitrary nature of language through various expressions.
Another key term is “Ola,” which means money. For example, “Babashainaminawulus fifty million genesis” means “please give me fifty million naira.” Similarly, “Rota” means come here now, as in “Baba, please try rotrate club noun or pronoun,” which means “please come to the club immediately.”
The term “Nasa nasa” or “Nassarawaly” means now, now. For instance, “Baba, plsashina menawulus twenty million eenesis nasa nasa” translates to “please give me twenty million naira now.” “Vurutus” means go away, as in “vurutus form menawulus facetus nasa nasa,” meaning “go away from my face right now.”
To play football is expressed as “try L.S.F Okocha karability,” while “ola” simply refers to money. The term “Okepeke” means female and “Okpaka” means male. Something big is called “Agbalagba,” while something small is “Nwancho.” Food is termed “solidify,” and to move or shift is “shifting cultivation.”
In Kegite language, “Gold cycle condom” means to round something, and “Kete kete” refers to a vehicle. “Menawulus” stands for me, and “Ginawulus” stands for you. “Rotate” means come, and “Aninirize” means steal. To write is “federize,” and to understand is “sancor.” To arrive is “alando,” and to make love is “feereki” or “sulee.”
Drinking is referred to as “imbibe,” while taking something is “arrest” and giving is “shine.” To hear is “timperize,” to see is “onyocopus,” and to copy is “photocopy.” To wake up is “resuration,” and to sing is “songitize.” To sleep is “neparize,” to smoke is “bacorize,” and a meeting is “mutation.”
Body parts are uniquely named too: the head is “coconut,” eyes are “Niger optical,” the chest is “obiomangwa,” and teeth are “dental formula.” The stomach is called “tafawa belle wa” or “G.P tank,” ears are “banana leaf,” and legs are “leggedixbenz.” The face is “fastus,” the nose is “sheltus,” hands are “handicap,” the penis is “letter I,” and the vagina is “letter O.”
Kegite expressions also include “Chiefo vibrations,” where “supreme comradion” means a chief and “woworiwoo” means woged (welcomed), and “nononoo” means noged (not welcomed). The phrase “unity in diversity” is self-explanatory, and “by their fingers and karability we shall know them” indicates recognition through actions. The chant “turu pepe turu pepe” means “the head of abalabi is not made for child’s play.”
Institutions have unique Kegite names too. For example, Lagos State Polytechnic is “Ilya lacost,” Alvan Ikoku College of Education is “Ilya du ice,” and Imo State University is “Ilya du lake.” Similarly, Federal Polytechnic Nekede Owerri is “Ilya du kokoroko,” and the University of Nigeria Nsukka is “Ilya du nkasu.” The University of Lagos is “Ilya du lagoon,” and the University of Uyo is “Ilya du ravin.”
The Kegite Club boasts over 100 branches (Ilyasis) across major institutions in Nigeria and abroad. Outside Nigeria, branches exist in the United Kingdom, like “Ilya du queen” at East London University, and in India, such as “Ilya du Punjab” at Punjab University. In the United States, there’s “Ilya du windy” at the University of Chicago.
The Kegite Club is reputed to have the largest membership and admirer base among tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Understanding their language involves appreciating a blend of creativity, local influences, and a strong sense of community. This unique lexicon not only fosters in-group communication but also presents a rich cultural tapestry for those willing to learn.
In this language, the “World bank/CBN” is the treasurer, and “Philosofa” is the teacher of new members. The “Spider” designs regalia, “Feda” is the secretary, “Cricket/Sungito” is the song leader, and “Drummito” is the drummer. The “HOD (Head of Drummisis)” oversees drums, and the “Zoo Commandant” manages new member grooming. Unique items like the “Emblem” (a local calabash) and rituals such as bringing a “Receipt” (a specific green leaf after urination) are integral to their practices.
Expressions in the Kegite language often blend English and local influences, creating terms like “Dia (3+1)” meaning “therefore,” and “Rot8” for “rotate.” Plurals are formed creatively, such as “bookosis/booko6” for books and “chiefesisi/chiefe6” for chiefs. Other terms include “Songito” for singer, “Drummito” for drummer, “Opendensial” for open, and personal pronouns like “Munwaness” (myself), “Guaness” (you), and “Yanwaness” (himself/herself).
Club-specific roles and terms are also significant. “Chief” refers to the president, “Comrades/Kongosis” are student members, and “Intercontinental lalala” is their anthem. Being fully dressed is termed “Regaliate 4/4,” and “Karid” signifies membership. Non-members are labeled “Animals,” and the “Shrine” is where club materials are kept. “Migration” refers to group movements, “Coronation” is the induction of a new chief, and “Liberation” is the inauguration of new members.
Announcements are termed “Agogorization,” and executive members are “G-Lord/Grand Lords.” An uncommissioned branch is a “Baby ilya,” and a selected yet to be coroneted chief is an “Omoba.” The “Keg of Office” symbolizes branch authority, and “Swahili” is the club’s approved language. The “Zoo” is where new members are trained, “Ozoemena” signifies death, and “Holy water/H2O” is palm wine. Other drinks are “Poison,” “Junior foreign poison” for soft drinks, and “Senior foreign poison/higher killer” for hot drinks.
Examples of Kegite Slangs used in Sentences
Example 1
A: Where are you migrating to? (Where are you going to?)
B: Migrating to my abuna (Going to my hostel)
A: Are you keteketerising yourself? (Are you going in a car?)
B: Two legesis migration remains my case. (I’m trekking)
Example 2
(Background: The number one member of the kigite club usually called Chief declares the social gathering open by calling for singing, drumming and dancing)
Chief: In our father’s house there is fullness of joy. So let all am karid in this kegite temple echo worosis and tanwigilise to the drummitoesponmo.
(In the kegite shrine, joy abounds. So let all kegite members in the shrine sing loudly and dance to the drummers’ drums).
All members: Gyration! Gyration! Gyration!
(Socialisation! Socialisation! Socialisation!
Example 3
Background: (Preparatory to the gyration, the chief blesses the palmwine and the ground, being a necessary pre-condition for kegite gyration)
Chiefe : As I, AB “X” Ilya du Kakanfo, blesmatua the holywater and gyration ground, I hereby close the gyration by the way of reverse. HOD drummy to marry the ponmons for gyration and imbibementation.
(As I, the incumbent chief “X” of Kakanfo [Ladoke Akinola] branch, bless the palmwine and the gyration ground, I hereby declare the socialisation open. The band leader to beat the drums for socialisation and drinking)
HOD Drunny: You are karid, chiefe.
(You are recognized, Chief)
Example 4
Background: (During gyration (socialisation) at the world headquarters, two male non-members are seen in the gyration ground and the chief directs his commissioner of defence to find out their mission)
Cheife: World Marshal, what remains the case of those two babases (pointing to them)?
(The commissioner for defence of the world headquarters [i.e. OAU], what is the mission of those two non-kegite initiates (pointing to them)?
Marshal: My cheife, they want to yokopio comrade Ajilete.
(My chief, they want to see kegiteAjilete)
Example 5
Background: (A kegite official fails to wear his uniform to the gyration ground for a formal gyration. Being an offensive act, he is summoned before other members for trial, presided over by the chief of the club)
Chief: National feather to sanko to the centre of centre.
(The secretary of the national headquarters (i.e. UI) to report to the centre.)
National
Feather: (He moves to the centre)
Chief: Fire me, why are you not regaliated? Gànífáwèhìnmí yourself.
(Tell me, why are you not in your uniform? Defend yourself.
National
Feather: Chiefe, I dof. The odusremains that I was already late for gyration….er…I could not get to my abuna for my regalia.
(Chief, I’m sorry. What happened was that I was already late for the socialisation….er….I could not get to my hostel for my uniform.)
Chief: Seek caution and apply terribly…
(Be warned and adjust seriously…)
Example 6:
(Speaker A is assigned to tutor speaker B, a new member, on some ethics of the kegite club, but B fails to keep the appointment)
A: Before I exercise the power vested on me, I want you to fire me why you decided not to romance with me yesterday for tutorialisation.
(Before I exercise the power vested on me, I want you to tell me why you decided not to come for tutorial yesterday.)
B: I doftòwòtòwò. I jam malaria and went by the way ofjaja to romance injection.
(I am respectfully sorry. I was down with malaria and went to jaja (health centre) to take injection)
A: Seek caution. I have vibrated!
(Be careful. I have spoken!)
Example 7: (During gyration, a kegite member requests for palm-wine from the wine-serving officer called Tapper and the officer advises him to drink responsibly as he serves him).
A: Any drink not blesmatua inside akèrègbèI cannot decode. Tapper, fill my emblem with holywater and let me imbible lavishly.
(Any drink not blessed inside the keg I don’t recognise. Tapper, fill my cup with palmwine and let me drink merrily.)
B: (Filling the cup) Imbibe and seek caution.
(Drink responsibly.)
