Page 80 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 23

Community
The name Niger means “river of
rivers”.
According to Wikipedia, the
name comes from the Niger
River which flows through the
west of the country. The origin
of the river’s name is uncertain.
Alexandrian geographer
Ptolemy wrote descriptions of
the wadi Gir (in neighbouring
modern Algeria) and the Ni-
Gir (“Lower Gir”) to the south,
possibly referring to the Niger
River. The modern spelling
Niger was first recorded by
Berber scholar Leo Africanus in
1550, possibly derived from the
Tuareg phrase gher-n-gheren
meaning “river of rivers”. There
is broad consensus among
linguists that it does not derive
from the Latin niger (“black”) as
was first erroneously believed.
The standard pronunciation
in English is /niːˈʒɛər/, while
in some Anglophone media /
ˈnaɪdʒər/ is also used.
Also, according to etymonline,
Niger was named for the river
Niger, mentioned by that
name 1520s (Leo Africanus),
probably an alteration (by
influence of Latin niger “black”)
of a local Tuareg name, egereou
n-igereouen, from egereou “big
river, sea” + n-igereouen, plural
80 | we tell the true afrikan story
of that word. Translated in
Arabic as nahr al-anhur “river
of rivers.”
No better name fully expresses
the identity of Africa than the
“river of rivers” which is the
reality of Niger.
The concept of “river of rivers”
clearly indicates a source of all
other sources. And this is true
of Africa, for she is Alkebulan,
which means the mother and
source of humanity on earth. But
why is Africa and, by extension,
Niger in such a deplorable and
weak state, even with all her of the Nigerien military junta to
resources? remove France from Niger by
all means, it was the sound of
The answer to the question liberty that was playing.
of the so-called poverty of
Niger is the same answer to Let the river of rivers now
the so-called poverty of Africa. flow
Niger, just like Africa, is not
poor, deplorable or unable to I pray for you, great people of
govern herself; she is just made Niger. You have taken massive
destitute by the same hands that steps towards ridding your
have kept Africa as their farm. land of the hands that cause
And not to sound like one is desolation and death while
trying to blame others or to sounding the trumpet of liberty
put the responsibility for the for all other nations of Africa.
poverty in Niger on foreigners May you be strengthened
and foreign agendas only, massively to complete what
but just like Africa, Niger is you have started and to create
deliberately kept poor by those a better Niger Republic that
who profit from her poverty or, is worthy of emulation by all
let me say, her wealth. So, when Africans.
you hear of the decisive move