/ˈboʊlɑː/
Definition:
BOLA is a Nigerian Pidgin word that refers to trash, waste, or refuse. It commonly describes household or street garbage that is disposed of, especially in plastic bags or bins.
- Synonyms: “Rubbish”, “Trash”, “Garbage”, “Junk”
- Antonyms: “Treasure”, “Valuable”, “Useful”, “Important”
Hear how native speakers pronounce BOLA in the video below.
Usage Examples:
- Informal: “Abeg, carry that dirty go throway for BOLA.” (Please discard that dirt to the trash.)
- Formal: “The streets were littered with BOLA after the festival.”
- Idiomatic: “Dem dey treat am like BOLA wey no get value.” (They are treating him like a garbage without value.)
Cultural Context:
Origin:
The exact etymology of “BOLA” in Nigerian Pidgin is not officially documented, but it is widely believed to have evolved from local expressions used in urban areas, particularly Lagos, during the mid-20th century. Some linguists suggest that it may have roots in Yoruba slang or early Creole influences that emerged during Nigeria’s colonial and post-colonial city expansion.
“BOLA” became a street-level shorthand for the black polythene bags used for trash disposal, and by extension, it came to mean anything regarded as worthless, dirty, or rejected. It has since become deeply embedded in Nigerian urban vocabulary and is even used metaphorically in music, films, and everyday banter.
Regional Usage:
“BOLA” is most commonly used in urban areas across Nigeria, especially in cities like Lagos, Ibadan, Benin, Port Harcourt, and Abuja. It is often heard in marketplaces, schools, and neighborhoods when referring to trash, and is widely understood among speakers of Nigerian Pidgin and local dialects.
In some regions, it’s used more loosely to describe not just physical waste but even people or things considered unimportant:
“Dem just dump am like BOLA because him no get money again.”
Which one thing you don ever call BOLA but later realize say e still get value? Drop your thoughts and use the word BOLA to make a sentence in the comments! Let’s gist!