MS ASHAWO

Calling a woman “Ashawo” is one of the easiest thing there is. It’s as though “Ashawo” is the most widely used swear word for a woman. I have been called that many times than I can count. Me,  ashawo. Choi!!! I usually just laugh.

Sadly, the word “ashawo” cannot be found in the Oxford Dictionary or any other Dictionary for that matter(at least non that I know of). So the meaning lies in our hearts, a collective unconscious meaning that we all hold. The closest to what it is in the Dictionary is “Prostitute”, and if you will agree with more, “ashawo is a little more derogatory, debasing than the word “Prostitute”, at least in my own head. For a Prostitute, its business and money, but for an Ashawo, the goal is “less defined”.

“Bastard” was one of the most used swear words, then. Sometimes, the person being called a Bastard lives in the same house with his parents, and is being catered for by his/her biological father-the mother’s husband.

Sometimes I wonder the need for ‘name-calling”. Most often than not, they are untrue. That is, the name cannot be used to ascribe the individual. And in the event it holds true, it’s needless reminding anyone what they (really)are. For one, they already know it. A thief knows he is a thief, a prostitute knows she is one. What someone is hardly needs reminding. A Millionaire needs no reminder, neither does a pauper.

Most people just fall back on tip-of-the-tongue swear names when they do not bother to make any effort to get to know a person. They refuse to actually get to know the flaws in one’s character, person before they choose to abuse them with it by name-calling.

Like I said earlier, what’s the need? Life is already hard, no one needs to be called (derogatory)names, whether or not they are that. People who are everything they are called are hardly moved by those names. They have developed a thick skin for the abuses. Moreover it’s what they are. Those who are usually jittery or are bothered about the names they would be called are usually those who are innocent, and are disturbed that their character is being smeared.

But certain truths need to be hold. Ironically, it’s easy for a Foe to call-out your wrongs(in hate), than for a friend to call them out(in love).

Just recently, Africans were “tickled” by the US President when he called African countries “Shitholes”. Shithole may not be the best of adjectives, but well, it was used to describe our place. Back to my point, the whole “shithole” frenzy has toned down, but the African problems still remain. The shithole insult did not alleviate or has not alleviated the problems in any way. We were called “frantically corrupt” not so long ago. One would think that would have charged us to become more practical about ending “our corruption”. But for where.

So you see, name-calling is just futile.