The stuffs in my office
The stuff in my office needs organizing. One day I’ll get to it. One of these days when I have nothing to do.
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JUST BEFORE DAWN
Too many people don taya for dis obodo Naija, I swear.
Our suffer don do!
Kole Omotoso wrote JUST BEFORE DAWN in 1988.
Just before dawn, people say, it gets really dark.
It is now nearly forty years after Omotoso thought the dawn would break on Nigeria, but no, it gets darker every second in Naija .
Last night, I went to get some fruits at the groceries.
Last night, I went to get some fruits at the groceries.
As I returned, there was an unusual line at the intersection with a gas station.
Rather than wait, I cut through the gas station and joined the road to my house.
Immediately, a police car followed me, it’s light flashing like it was Christmas, commanding me to pull over.
I have returned to drinking coffee again.
I have returned to drinking coffee again.
For a long time time, I boycotted coffee.
My entire system just needed a break–coffee, alcohol, and all other vices you could imagine or not imagine–I threw away.
I wasn’t feeling good with myself.
After some six months, things have changed.
ENGLISHMAN IN BENIN CITY, 1981 (Part Eight)
His jaw was clenched as Rufus advanced toward Obaseki. I realized that he was shutting off the reasoning valve and pressing on the throttle of turmoil within the engine of his brain. His sense, judgment, calculation and intelligence was at this point on vacation. The agents of automation were now in control of his anatomy. He was more machine than person, and his entire being was on remote control as Rufus began to press forward.
Homesick.
I will close my eyes and transport myself back home, among my friends, drinking palm wine laced with stout, or whatever. Khaki. Or whatsoever friends gift our ancestors.
Àjò ò dùn bí ilé.
It is Thanksgiving week in the United States when people are giving thanks to their ancestors.
PARABLE OF IJAPA and CHILD
PARABLE OF IJAPA and CHILD
There is an old Yoruba proverb that says “The child insisting that his mother must not sleep will also not get any sleep.” (Ọmọ tó ní ìyá òun ò ní í sùn kò ní fojú ba oorun).
Women who nurse babies know the challenge of getting enough sleep while a baby is still unable to understand the difference between night and day. The baby keeps waking up to feed, cry, poo and pee.
The mother must attend to all the needs of the baby during the night. Typically, for the mother, therefore, it is a long, wearying night.
The poor mother gets up in the morning having caught almost no sleep, exhausted and drained physically and emotionally.
Yet she must face another day of sleeplessness and ceaseless labor until the baby grows up.
Now think of the story of Ijapa.