2020 has been been a year with many faces/phases to various people. With the abrupt halt of normal activities around the world occasioned by the COVID 19 pandemic, a lot changed about the way we knew life, and how people had to survive. In Nigeria, like every other nation, the pandemic affected a lot of things, after which a wave of protests against police brutality swept across the nation, with devastating effects. Amidst the craziness, panic, apprehension and all that the year 2020 brought to us, Nigerians, who remain one of the happiest people on earth still managed to come up with hilarious slangs that have helped to make us all smile and remain in a lighter mood.
ROTIMI IGE, DANIEL ABEL and ADETOLA WAHAB present a compilation of some of the most popular slangs that 2020 blessed us with:
Soro Soke
Arguably the most popular slang of the year, it was started by protesters during the nationwide EndSARS protest calling for an end to police brutality against Nigerian youths in particular. Soro Soke meaning “speak up” trended alongside “Soro Soke Werey” across all social media platforms with people using the term to demand for a better government, among other conversations.
E shock you?
This slang was started by popular social media comedian and content creator Samuel Animashaun Perry, popularly known as Broda Shaggi. Used to expressed shock or when one needs an unraveling effect, ‘E shock you’ got a lot of attention in 2020.
Werey dey disguise!
This was another slang started by the EndSARS protesters during their campaign against police brutality. The which trended across all social media platforms was used to tell people to pick a side (between the government and protesters) and not seat on the fence.
Opor/ Ko Por Ke (KPK)
Mostly attributed to Naira Marley, as the originator this was another slang that got the public attention and was a sensation across all social media platforms. ‘Opor’ was such a great trend in 2020 that it had several songs dedicated to it. Notably, it is mostly used when trying to say something is affluent.
Wahala be like…/ Wahala for who no…
It’s actual origin is not known but this slang quickly caught fire and was used across many social media platforms to refer to anything/everything. It had the ability to be used to portray a positive message and vice-versa.
The ‘Wahala’ trended so much that it’s was not just used amongst millennials but also among the older folks as well.
Omo
Omo is popular because of its versatility! It literally fits into almost every context. It is a single word which actually works as a complete sentence. Nigerians mostly use it when they are in awe or dumbfounded.
On God
When you’re speaking facts, you are likely to get a response from a friend saying ‘On God’. This shows that your statement has been verified by the streets and no lies have been detected.
E be things
E be things, also known as Mr E. B. Things is a slang that is commonly used when things are so crazy, but they do not surprise you anymore because your eyes have seen a lot in this life. This one was ravaging Twitter during the second half of the year.
Spending/Sinzu Money
This is used to hype up our friends and persuade them into spending this money!!! We can all agree that the situation in the country has been tough but that has not stopped some of us from balling hard. It is only right for such people to spread the goodness of God. These slangs’ elder brother is ‘Ko por ke (KPK)’, which gained popularity this December.
Tule!
Most recently popular musician Davido has started a new trend by asking his fans across the globe to recreate his video shouting Tule!. The slang has caught so much fire that thousands of people across many social media platforms are currently sharing video shouting Tule!
Surely, these slangs helped Nigerians cope through difficult times in the year that was and we can only hope for more interesting slangs, memes and stickers to spice up our 2021. Have a prosperous new year filled with happiness and laughter!
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