‘Pipo tink na juju I dey use, but no be juju, na learn I learn am’ – Emma wonder

BBC

BBC
Emmanuel Odiete start to learn dis skill wen im dey 18 years old

Emmanuel Odiete na one of di Nigerians wey get acrobatic display talent wey im dey use hustle to make ends meet.

Emmanuel wey dey stay for Abuja tell BBC Pidgin say even though some pipo tink say im acrobatic talent na juju, na learn im learn di skill wen im dey 18 years old.

“Wen I start to dey do dis my display, pipo tink say na jazz I dey do, whereby no be jazz na learn I learn am, na one year and some months e take me to dey perfect.

Emmanuel wey dey stay for Abuja, Nigeria capital dey use items like bottles, tray, sticks and oda tins for im acrobatic performance, all im need to do na to make sure say dem balance well.

 “Even for di bottle before I learn how to balance am I break plenti bottles, for dis tim wey I dey do if I no wan mistake, I dey focus, if anytin dey scratch me or sometin dey bite e sef, I no go touch am I go leave am, I go focus, if I lose focus I must surely fail.

 “Dis display wey I dey do so, I fit despatch tray and stick to stand for my head e no go fall, one go dey my mouth , two go dey my hand e no go fall. Im tel BBC Pidgin.

 Im explain say im fit use up to five bottles for im display

“I fit arrange five bottles ontop my forehead. Stick go dey my mouth dey turn like ceiling fan, I fit turn water for Newspaper open am one-by-one but you no go see di water, I go turn di Newspaper upsidendown di water go come out.”

 “I fit chop fire, I go put fire for my mouth leave am for like five minutes e no go burn me, e no go wound me. If fit use fire burn all my body but e no go burn me, all na part of my show.”

“But dem say na charm, but no be charm, na wetin I learn but if I no teach you, you no go fit do am sake of say e get secret.”

‘One day hustle go pay’

BBC

BBC
Emma Wonder dey display im talent wit tray and bottle

Emma Wonder wit all im acrobatic talent and display still dey manage im life as tins no too good for am.

Im tell BBC Pidgin say na for one uncompleted building im dey stay for Abuja, Nigeria capital sake of say im no fit afford di high cost of house rent.

“Na hia I dey stay almost one year for Abuja now, na just uncompleted building, di owner of di house sef know say I dey stay for im compound.

“I dey stay hia sake of say I no get money to rent house and house for hia cost well well.

Emaduel Odiete wey resemble pesin wey dey im mid -fourties don marry wit two children.

Im say im children no dey wit am for Abuja but im dey send money to dem for Delta State, Southern Nigeria from dis acrobatic display. 

“I don marry and I get two children, dem no dey wit me for hia, dem dey Delta State but I dey send dem money evri weekend,

Na from dis my talent acrobatic display I dey get money dey send for dem.

Di trick behind di skill

Im say e no easy to balace all dis tins and do all dis display, and no be evribody fit do am. To display like am, im need to teach you.

Im give BBC Pidgin small insight on how im dey balance im items during display make im no fall im hand.

“For me to balance dis tin, I dey look di weight make di bottle make e no fall or make di tray no go shake, if e shake e go fall, so e must dey straight and balance well.”

Di bottle go lap each oda, even di tray sef, If I dey despatch di tray I go make sure say I put all my attention if not I go disappoint mysef.

Evritin wey I dey face now na as I no get money, but I still dey believe say one day hustle go pay, one day pesin fit cari me go uptown, one day pesin fit cari me go America or far kontri wey be say I go explode or I go blow.