Between cultists, witches, and geniuses: Inside the world of lefties

RITA OKONOBOH in this report, juxtaposes the negative stereotypes steeped in cultural realities and the uncommon talent usually ascribed to left-handed people.

WITCHCRAFT, magic, stereotype, spite, disapproval and disgust are some of the words that play around the confines of the subconscious for many when it comes to the dominant use of the left hand by individuals.

For a country brimming with a vast variety of cultural expressions and traditions, even with the changing times and evolving realities, some practices still hold true in many parts. One of such practices is the seeming aversion to the primary use of the left hand.

In some cultures, within and outside Nigeria, the left hand is sometimes considered tied to evil, and as such, with threats, condemnation and persuasion, lose their identity as the hand for prominent use.

Mrs Funmilayo Adeolu, mother of six-year-old MoyinOluwa, a southpaw, is having a battle of her life trying hard to bring her young daughter to conform with the Yoruba cultural experience that frowns on the use of left hand in the performance of certain activities. Speaking with Sunday Tribune, Mrs Adeolu, said even with what would seem like acceptance in recent times, she still tried to discourage her daughter from using the left hand.

“I’m educated and well-travelled. However, the people with whom I interact with sometimes say it’s a cultural thing and, as such, I do my best to ensure she prioritises the use of her right hand. I even beat her sometimes, and at other times, I try to ‘bribe’ her. Of course, it’s quite inconvenient from her expressions, and she almost immediately reverts to the left hand; I still beat her for it.

“How much apologies would I keep offering when she offers people stuffs with the left hand or receives gifts with the left hand? I know the looks I get when that happens, even with those slightly older than her. They tell her it’s rude but she only ends up crying her eyes out when she is corrected in public.

“She’s becoming more conscious of it though and tries to make a swift change when she catches my disapproval in public settings, but to be honest with you, I wish people would just keep their opinions and snide expressions to themselves. It’s not like it’s something she does on purpose,” Mrs Adeolu lamented.

The dominant use of a particular hand has its mechanics linked to the body operations. For instance, left-handed persons are said to have a more dominant right hemisphere. Interestingly, for a group said to be in the lower minority – studies say they are less than 15 per cent of world population have the probability of having the dominant use of the left hand – left-handed individuals, in spite of the negative stereotypes, have come to occupy choice positions in various affairs globally. Ranging from politics, sports, entertainment, arts to  education, among others, left-handed people, who exist in as many spheres of society as possible, even if they are as few as they come, hence their tendency to stand out.

A few prominent left-handers include former US President Barack Obama, famous basketball player, LeBron James, and Oprah Winfrey. Nollywood diva, Adesua Etomi, also recently revealed she is left-handed. Jenifa series star, Funke Akindele, is also known for her use of the left hand, including Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, among many others.

 

The wedding ring disadvantage

Compared to the reality as it was then, when left-handers were dissuaded from the use of that hand as early in life as possible, attitude to that has changed, although, not as much as expected. In many Nigerian settings for example, while it may not be frowned upon for a person to write or even eat with the left hand, extending a handshake or giving out with the left hand is more or less considered rude.

There is even the connection to why the wedding ring is worn on the left finger, which can be a disadvantage for left-handed persons, as, aside the references to warding off evil and the Greek-vein-myth, the general perception is that the wedding ring is more convenient on the left hand because that hand is expected to be rarely used.

This is the reality for Mrs Blessing Anthony, a caterer. For her, the left hand hasn’t in anyway, hindered her job as a caterer as she works well with the hand when baking and designing cakes. For her wedding ring, however, she laments that when she got tired of changing rings, she resorted to removing the ring whenever she wanted to work. The only minus was that there was the tendency to misplace the ring. Now, however, she attaches it to her necklace as a pendant and wears it on her finger afterwards.

However, not in every country do people wear the ring on the left hand. According to reports, people in countries such as Denmark, Venezuela, Spain, Portugal, Peru, Greece, wear their bands on the right, although still on the fourth finger.

 

Lefties and the wrestling, matchmaking advantage

On another level, lefties are said to have the tendency to become ambidextrous – experts at the use of both hands, a fact which Mrs Anthony affirms. In a paper published in the International Journal of Current Pharmaceutical & Clinical Research, entitled Incidence and Gender Distribution of Ambidexterity among the Igbos of Nigeria, by G.C. Uloneme, D.N. Ezejindu, A.U. Obi, C.J. Ihetunge, A. Obialor, and C.D. Akukwu, “Some ambidextrous individuals were originally left-handed, such people learned ambidexterity skills either deliberately, or as occasioned by cultural threats in Igbo land where left-handedness is dishonoured or abhorred.

“Again, based on the fact that tools or devices designed for left-handed people are rare, many lefties were forced to learn to use such devices (e.g. scissors) right-handedly. Such lefties developed motor skills in their non-dominant hand than right handed people, who were not under pressure to use left handed models.”

According to the study, which focused on the South-East, ambidexterity in Igboland was determined as related to two factors – nature and traditional beliefs that abhorred left-handedness.

The study revealed that, “Investigations carried out showed that parental and societal influences have far reaching effects on an individual’s hand dominance, especially changing from left to right, and as a matter of fact, more females than males were affected since the Igbo strongly discourage left hand dominance among the females. While left hand dominance was found to have a direct relationship with heredity, ambidexterity was found to have no direct relationship with heredity: left handedness was however found to be the most predisposing factor to being ambidextrous. Injuries on right hand rather led to outright left hand dominance in most cases. It is the unacceptability threat placed on left handedness in Igboland, especially for females, that created the ‘loop hole’ for them to be more likely to be ambidextrous than males.

“Incidence of ambidextrous individuals of Igbo extraction is gender dependent and is being strongly influenced by a cultural belief that abhors left hand dominance (which in most cases predisposes to ambidexterity) more especially among the females. Ambidexterity is however, encouraged especially among the males for its perceived special importance and advantage in local wrestling competitions and expertise in playing local musical instruments – a skill that attracts the opposite sex to initiate love affairs and contracting of marriages.”

 

I have no idea how I became a right-handed basketball player —LeBron James

As a result of the uncommon use of the left hand, lefties, referred to as southpaws – a term derived from the boxing world for the left-handed stance for boxers – it would seem they excel in the sporting world. Using the left in various sporting activities such as wrestling, boxing, tennis, among others puts the player at an advantage as the manoeuvre is usually unexpected and a tad difficult to respond to.

Basketball player, LeBron James, who is basically left-handed, has however, come to also master the use of the right, in response to those he considers role models.

In a report by FoxSports, LeBron was said to have “hit three left-handed floaters,” in the course of a game, which his team “won by 21 points to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the series.” The report described the move as noteworthy because “he is normally a right-handed shooter, despite being left-handed in all other aspects of his life.”

Explaining how he mastered his right-handed moves, LeBron stated that “I have no idea how I became a right-handed basketball player. I think maybe it was because of Michael Jordan, Penny Hardaway, guys that I looked up to growing up. Seeing those guys shoot righty, I guess I’ll shoot righty. I’m pretty much a left-hand guy. I don’t take many of those shots, but I’m capable of making those shots. I work on my craft. I work on both hands. I just thought I guess it looked cool – until I got older and I wish I was a lefty, because those shots look a lot better.”

 

The changing perception

Being left-handed is gradually changing in perception in many African countries, probably because it is celebrated in other cultures. According to RFI, a French current affairs radio station, six out of seven past presidents of the United States are left-handed.

Professor of Psychology and Medical Education at the University College London and the author of Right Hand, Left Hand, Chris McManus, who calls for more research on the African nature of left-handedness, states that “Throughout much of Africa, and in the Middle East and so on you get this thing – you eat your food with your right hand, and you cleanse your body and do the unclean parts with your left hand. That’s not an uncommon set of beliefs and social processes throughout Africa. But there are other stories as well. There are places where the left-handed are regarded as magical, better, different, and so on. So you do get this both ways.”

 

Cultists greet, exchange items with the left hand —Elebuibon

Cultural icon, university lecturer, and Ifa priest, Chief Ifayemi Elebuibon corrected the insinuation that the left hand was used in divination. Speaking with Sunday Tribune he said: “Yoruba elders consider it disrespectful when a younger person uses the left hand to gesticulate. This is, however, not that the left hand is bad. For those to whom it comes natural to use the left hand, we eulogise the person thus: a l’osi bi eni l’otun (meaning: he/she uses the left like the right), seeing that the left hand works predominantly for them compared to the right.

“I would think the seeming aversion to the left hand in the elder-younger relationship may not be far to seek from the fact that the use of the left primarily is a little uncommon than expected. Although, sometimes, there are elders who relate with themselves using the left hand, as long as they are peers, but for a younger person, it is considered rude.

“It is also not uncommon for persons in the same egbe imule (cult group) to greet themselves using the left hand. It is a way of identifying members of the group. They also use the left hand when giving.”

Though it may take time for some cultures to come to terms with the reality of being left-handed, gradually and with better awareness they may come to realize that all human being are not the same, just as fingers are not equal.