By ADEOLA SOETAN
It’s like my Alhaji status gifted by the rotund, ebony beautiful Iya Adija alamala and re-echoed by Iyadunni alamala, Iya Meta alamala, Iya Toke alamala and other Iya alamala in the ancient city of Ibadan has expired in Lagos because of the government unleashed acute naira crisis.
In Ibadan, all I needed to do was to put on my Jalabia regalia, enter any amala joint, eat and pay through bank transfer. After my brief “detention” experience by Iya Adija, I decided to be putting on any of my jalabia to go for breakfast and lunch in Amala joints. It worked like magic as I earned so much respect and preferential treatment by the food vendors whom some of them are Alhaja.
“E ba mi serve Alhaji kiakia o.” “E gba transfer lowo Alhaji” “Alhaji, e ma lo ti transfer o ba lo, e de transfer later sir.” (Please, serve Alhaji quickly, take transfer from Alhaji, Alhaji you can go if your online payment is not going, you will transfer later sir).
The Jalabia magic also worked for me in Ibadan banks at the beginning of the Naira crisis. Those on the queue voluntarily gave me the privilege of cashing before them. “Alhaji, please you can cash, you can enter sir.”
Since I came to Lagos few days ago, my gifted Alhaji status and the survival style of wearing jalabia to j’amala (eat Amala) with online payment and earning some Alhaji respect in banks has expired.
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Unlike Ibadan n’ile Oluyole, my second home and traditional home of the best amala joints in Yoruba land, Lagos is full of too many wild people. Kilode? I guess their harsher environment and conditions of living made them so. “Alhaji, a o gba transfer o” “Alhaji e ma fi owo kun to ba je transfer…) Even to enter bank with ease and grace of an Alhaji, dem no gree.
Since my Alhaji status seems expired here in Lagos, I may try bishop’s cassock, K&S Aso Adura, Cele Sultana or Fadeyi Oloro or Elemoso fortified traditional outfit. It’s all survival instincts in this era of Buharonomics and its naira crisis.
*Soetan (08037207856)
