Zulu Lesson Security Guard

Classic Nigerian film about a gateman, starring Ruth Kadiri and Bolanle Ninalowo.

Gate man. Body guard. Security guard. Secret service. Personal assistant. These are preventers (new word), but they are called security. They are preventers because they prevent the masses from coming close to people with famous jobs: presidents, prime ministers, musicians, actors, NFL, MLB, NBA and YouTube sensations.

Security is called induna in Zulu, a language spoken in KZN province in South Africa. The person at the gate is induna, and they take their job so seriously, they think they are on a first-name-basis with President Joe Biden or Lewis Hamilton, the British Formula 1 racing driver with seven world championships under his belt.

Induna: you say the first part like in, the second like dude and the last like nice.

SECURITY GUARDS ARE POWERFUL

Security guards in countries like South Africa and Ghana usually don’t have college education. That’s why visitors to the house or office building tend to look down upon them. They try and force their way in, with declarations such as: “Do you know who I am?” Induna doesn’t care, he refuses to open the gate.

The man at the gate or reception derives his power from confidential information from the top. His supervisor gives him personal tit-bits about the boss’ mistress (side chick) he no longer wants to see; about the business partner he’s no longer interested in and uncles that are always looking for loans, they never pay back.

 Induna prevents them from entering the premises. In fact, that is what he likes about his job. Visitors look down upon him because he is not educated, his clothes don’t fit, but he knows secrets, that they are stale bread, the man on the top floor no longer wants.

Incidentally, induna also means a pimple.

Nonqaba waka Msimang

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