Dere Roshidat Oluwabukola Introduces Traditional Games

The Chonnam Tribune features this section to share the voices of foreign students at Chonnam National University. For this issue, we interviewed three students about traditional games in their countries. This gives readers the opportunity to share the voices of and learn from those who have experienced things that most other readers have not. – Ed.

What games do you typically play in your country?

Nigeria is a diverse country with many cultures. I’m from Offa, and the game we play in our hometown is called ijakadi. It is similar to wrestling, but it is not about fighting. It is more about love, justice, and discipline—symbolic of how we don’t accept injustice. That is what this game truly stands for.

Can you tell us about some traditional games you used to play as a child?

Suwe is one of the games I loved playing while growing up. It is a very common traditional Nigerian children’s game, especially popular among the Yoruba people. It’s usually played on the ground, where we draw a grid and two people play by taking turns jumping through the squares

What makes your country’s traditional games unique compared to others?

I think it is not just about playing games. It is about sharing values, morals, and building relationships. Many Western countries don’t have the same sense of community and relationships that Nigerians share. Winning is about sharing joy, friendly rivalry, and the strength that these games bring to us. I believe people from other countries would find this very interesting. 

By Kim Ye-Ji, Reporter