BANBẸ (BAA NIBẸ) - MEETING UP TO THING.S THAT FIT.S WITH TIME

By Ganiyu Ayanniyi Mubaraq

 

In African settings as well as in other parts of the world, it is very common for parents to provide for the basic needs of their children due to the immense love they have for them or probably because it's the parents' primary responsibility to the.ir child.ren (UNICEF, Right of the Child)*. It is a common practice among Yoruba people to buy things that last. Things that would be very relevant at the time of purchase and in the future; if not, then for them, such things are not worthy of purchase. So, they sew or buy things that last a long time, especially clothes and shoes, and such are often called Banbẹ in Yoruba language.

Banbẹ is a common habit among Yoruba people (in my observation), especially Yoruba parents. Banbẹ means to meet something with its long-term value in due time for present or future use. In another simple translation, it means "meet it there". The Yoruba parents in question are mostly mothers, probably because they are basically in charge of home affairs by taking care of the family, especially the children. They are in charge of the child.ren's food and clothing, etc., and this doesn't mean that fathers do not significantly contribute to the upbringing of the child.ren.

Also, this reminds me of different clothes sewed for me by my mom when I was very young. Many of those clothes were a little bigger than me, if not mostly oversized. She did so not because she had no means to sew another for me, and she always made emphasis by saying, "Waa baa nbẹ" (You'll grow up to the size of it). Sometimes the value or usefulness of those clothes or dresses can last for one, two, or even several years after the initial time of use or sowing.

 

This particular green cloth that I'm putting on in the picture has been with me for about ten years. The cloth was sewn when my mom, who was far away from me, sewed some of my clothes in absentia. She thought I had grown up to the size of the person whose measurement was taken on my behalf, but she was wrong in her imagination.

Reference:

*UNICEF. The Convention on the Rights of the Child: The children’s version - https://www.unicef.org/child-rights-convention/convention-text-childrens-version