The “God’s kingdom on earth” post I wrote two days ago, you know there was a point I made mention of one of our SHS teachers. Zuutu Tuuri to be specific.
I dont think that is how is name is spelt but that’s how it sounds.
Let me tell you something small about him.
Zuutu Tuuri was more than the Ras Pinto guy I made mention of in that post.
Complete Rastafarian. He can spend his entire class duration singing Bob Marley songs. I learned he’s stayed in Europe for several years and had travelled about 32 countries as at then and understood several languages.
There was something he once said about Malaysia. I will never forget it. I dont know how true it is though.
That there is a tribe in Malaysia, it is an abomination for them to see blackman first when they wake up. That if they wake up and the first person they see na black, that is a sign of bad luck for the day. The person will get back into the room and come out again, hopping to meet a “white” fellow.
Zuutu Tuuri had a forbidden nickname… That name, if you mention and he hears you paaa, Eiii, you both will wear kaba that has no neck.
That nickname is “Dondolo Ndolo”.
This was how the name came about.
According to confirmed huhu-huhu sources, Zuutu Tuuri helped one musician bi to produce a music. I think that was Bikuraba (if my memory is right).
Legends has it that, he supported Bikuraba but later confussion broke out and they parted ways.
Everyone was on radio granting interviews and blasting the other.
Then Bikuraba go released diss song come diss Zuutu Tuuri.
A chorus in that music rhymes like:
“Den dolo ndoloo, cheli yooo. Din dolo ndolo.”
This roughly translates to: “What is following him is following him ooo. Leave him ooo.. what is following him is following him”.
Bikuraba was literally reiterating a popular story in Tamale then that Zuutu’s family people are doing him and is why he was deported to Ghana and they have made him not realized his potentials. They are doing him basa basa.
So that part of the song was what became his forbidden name.
And here comes the hardest part…. How I got into trouble with Zuutu Tuuri.
But before that, let’s go for a quick commercial break.
Abeg, if you are a delegate reading this, vote give Dr Bawumia wai. He said he go make me Deputy Minister of Digital. If i get that ago settle you.
Welcome back from commercial break.
It was one fine Friday. We went to mosque for the Friday prayer (Jummuah).
As we dey come nor, through conversation, i said the forbidden nickname.
God that doesn’t like bad sentennce (Nyame a onp3 asem bonee), the point i said it was just behind the staff common room. And Zuutu Tuuri was in there.
Guess what!
He heard it.
“Hey, call that foolish boy wearing jallabia for me”.…
Okwaduo me ko!
As fast as my legs could carry me, I galloped away.
Seconds later, the school prefect got there and Zuutu set him into infinite search.
“Make sure you bring that person to me” Zuutu instructed the boy’s perfect.
At the far end was our class. I rushed in there and the first thing I did was to remove the Jallabia and handed it to Gideon, a close friend. He is not a muslim so he didn’t go to mosque. He was in class.
As Ignorant and foolish as he was, he wore the jallabia.
“No, the way this man vex. He can come to this class”- i said to myself and without given Gideon any lead, i left and closed for the day.
Gideon came home later and I asked him if Zuutu no come wana class.
“Why, to do what?”… Gideon asked.
I narrated the issue to Gideon and he too bore.
“So you wanted to put your problem on me that was why you brought me the jallabia?”.. Gideon asked angrily.
I tried calming him down but anko si aga.
Wey me too asheda bore.
“Fa soooho”.. i told him to gallaway there.
Later Gideon told me that the scene was like America searching for an enemy.
And that was not all.
For about a month Dondolo Ndolo was attending every morning assembly trying to fish out the person who used that word.
And occasionally he will randomly enter a class to check.
Observers were worried, but this was norhing to Friction.
Finally, he gave up