41. “ Gbwasu-gbwasu ase-nji foni wooli; Wooli gbwasu ase-nje wooli”.

You should acknowledge the distinction between personal property and community property

Maito, maito kaii: Fables of the Animal World.

Yasi  nanu:  During a dry season the Supreme National Council of Wolinyama decided to replace ownership of private farms with one large community farm in which they would plant all crops. Access into the farm would be free, and individuals would harvest freely.

Opposing the decision Ikula  Nyame explained:
Do not be deceived in believing in the slogans:
“This is our property.

That which belongs to me belongs to you”.
Be businesslike and endeavour to acquire your own personal property.  It therefore devolves upon every citizen to acquire his own possessions and control his possessions himself”.

(“gbwasu-gbwasu  ase-nje  foni  wooli;
wooli  gbwasu  ase-nje  foni  wooli”).

Ikule envisaged administrative difficulties in running the farm and predicted that serious problems would emerge during harvest seasons.In his view a community farm was doomed to failure and disappointment. 

Wolinyama were not prepared to listen to Ikule's point of view. They heckled Ikule and declared:

"We are fatigued by your litany of lectures.
Don't attempt to divide us, we the descendants of Nyama  Wanga  Likomba  la  Wanga.

We are one and will continue to remain one.
National unity cannot be guaranteed in a system of private ownership.
We must maintain one communityfarm only to serve all of us.
A community farm would be a symbol of national unity".

Ikule stuck to his guns and proposed further:
"The community should offer assistance to any individual who showed seriousness to own a farm.  Thereafter, the community would withdraw from the farm, and leave the individual to freely manage his farm".

In response Wolinyama said "No".

Work on the community farm commenced in the month of December (Muuli  me  Sali) By the middle of the month of March (Etoma  Matiya)  crops were already planted on some sections of the farm.

However, by the end of the month of May (e-Fimba  meya) difficulties in operating the farm started to emerge. A timetable assigning groups of persons to maintain the farm in rotation was drawn up but it was not respected.  By the end of the month of July (Veyale) weeds in the farm had grown taller than the crops, resulting in a poor harvest.

Scramble for harvesting of food caused frequent daily physical encounters in the farm. The farm was looted but was not maintained. Enthusiasm on the idea of community ownership of the “national farm of national unity” waned fast. Consequently, citizens withdrew from the farm and quietly reverted to private ownership of farms. 

By the end of the rainy season (e-Fufa) the community farm was completely abandoned and ceased to be a matter of public interest.  Events had now vindicated Ikula Nyama’s opposition to community ownership of property. 

At the beginning of the new dry season there were no suggestions at all about rehabilitation of the national farm or the commencement of work on a new community farm. Every one had then realized that “gbwasu-gbwasu  ase-nje  wooli”

Ikule then recalled an unfortunate dispute between two twin brothers, Mwaso  mo  Ngomba and Ekuku  a  Ngomba. When Mwaso indicated that he too wanted to rear a female pig (ngowa), Ekuke advised him in these words:

"Why do you worry yourself to own a ngowa also when I already own a ngowa that has delivered eleven babies (nguma).  My ngowa is your ngowa.  It is our ngowa. 
Let us concentrate on the maintenance of this our ngowa and its nguma (babies)”.

Responding Mwaso said: "it is a good idea".  Mwaso and Ekuke then maintained the ngowa and its babies. In due course Mwaso realized that Ekuke was not rewarding him whenever Ekuke disposed of the babies of the pig (nguma ja  Ngowa.)  A dispute emerged and Ekuke boldly told Mwaso:

“I have been maintaining my ngowa alone.
You do not assist me in the maintenance of my ngowa.
If you are good at maintaining ngowa as you claim why don't you own ngowa” ?

Gbwasu  gbwasu  ase-nje  wooli.
Nanu  ndi  ese  eveli:

Lexicon:

wooli = wealth; property; money.

Wolinyama = all animals; the Animal World.

nguma = a baby/young animal, for instance: nguma  ngowa.= a young pig.
nguma  nyaka = a young cow.  nyaka = a cow.

Oma Nanu

Imba

Mola Mbua Ndoko
P.o Box 38 Buea, South West Province
Cameroon, West/Africa

Comments

[Lyombe Eko]

Mola Mbua Ndoko,

Excellent proverb as usual. I just want to add two translations to this saying.

Wolinyama – The animal kingdom
Ikula nyame or Ikule Kule–the turtle or tortoise.

The Bakweri or whakpe have always frowned at people who transform community property into their personal property. This proverb hits the nail on the head.

Thanks

Lyombe