SAY YOUR NAME

WHAT IS IN A NAME?

What is in a name? This question has been asked several times that I think it is now a cliché unless you have just landed straight from Pluto, the furthest planet. It has always escaped my attention until lately when I was doing an introspection of my life that I gave it a serious consideration. I checked around me and I could help but share my little experience so that others can also do a check on their names.

Most African communities name newborns after those who had died, time one was born or the season one was born especially in my community. This has remarkably changed with the advent of civilization and modernization. Nowadays newborns are named after famous celebrities, nice named cities and capital cities, after countries or even coining a name out of nowhere. Alicia Keys’ son with Swizz Beats is named Egypt, head of EABL is called Charles Ireland, Shakira’s daughter with Barcelona star Gerard Pique is named Milan same as Shaffie Weru’s and Calvo Mistari’s daughters. Bobby Wine’s children are named after capital cities.

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has named his son after the famous Cuban revolutionary leader, Fidel Castro. Former Anti-corruption boss, PLO Lumumba is also named after Patrice Lumumba, the former DRC leader and the list can go on and on.

My born of contention rests on the traditional names that carried with them potency and could if not, shape the life of the person being named. I was named after a close clan member who committed suicide. My mother was not happy about the name but the spirit of the dead man kept on disturbing her in her dreams and it was also making me cry endlessly. She had to give in and call me Nick, as that was the name of that man.

I was told the man was a friend to my father and so wanted to be named after one of his children and I happened to be born just after he died. In my culture, they believe that if you are named after a person who committed suicide you will also commit suicide. It was a taboo. Those who committed suicide were seen as cowards. Who would want their children to grow up to be cowards?

The once bubbly me, strong and healthy became a sickling shadow of myself. I was shunned by those around me. My fellow children could not carry or even play with me. My mother tried her best. People mocked her for naming me after a person who had committed suicide. They said I will not live for long. I had grown into a thin, emaciated child. She prayed constantly as doctors had given up after jabs dotted every part of my thin body. My mother used to tell me that every time I went quiet she would come to check if I was finally dead.

I made it through after almost a year of agony, pain and desperation. I left my mother worn out and dejected in and with life. My schooling life started when I followed my older brother to school and direct into his class and the rest is now history. I was five at the time and in class two.

My official name at that time was Nicholas Ogola. This was until class four when my mother decided enough was enough. I was ushered into class five the following year with a brand new name, Collins Ogola. I think she imagined now that the spirit was now calm and had forgotten about me. My life has been good ever since.

I have later come to realize that Nicholas is an Irish name with its short form being Collins. Is it a coincidence that I cannot escape the name Nicholas completely? I am still known by the name Nick in the village and nobody knows Collins that is now a grown up man waiting to marry. Am I going to end up as the late Nick? Only time will tell.

So, does a name really determine who you will be or is it just a baseless belief? I have named my niece Maya after the famous American civil rights activist and poet, Maya Angelou. I hope she does take after her or even go on to achieve just a quarter of the late Maya Angelou’s achievements.

Take a look around you and even on yourself and see if a name shapes one’s future life.