Idan: Meaning of Nigeria’s trending slang

For those who have been pretty active on the Nigerian social media space, one new buzzword that is recently and consistently being used by netizens and folks on the street is ‘Idan‘.

For those who have been curious to have an understanding of this word, its meaning will herein be made explicitly clear.

Origin of the slang

Idan has its root in Yoruba, one of Nigeria’s three most popularly spoken languages, and the word can directly be translated to mean ‘magic’.

Social/Street Interpretation

Like most buzzwords, Idan has socially been used by folks on the streets and on cyberspace to mean “Boss”. Colloquially then, it is used to refer to someone whom a person holds in high esteem and regard. Such individual is seen to possess such attributes as power, wealth, influence, etc. It is then synonyms to such words as strength, influence and power.

Cultural and Social Influence of Idan

The word Idan is now being utilized by individuals to show their respect and admiration for persons they hold in great regard. Netizens are occasionally being spotted utilizing it under comment sections to cheer their idols.