Muhamadu Buhari, the president of our terminally sick Nigeria, just did what soldiers have been doing since I was ten years old—he kicked out some old soldiers, and replaced them with some old soldiers.
Buhari kicked out Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin;
Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai;
Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas;
and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar.
What is Igbohoism?
1. You need drinking water. You pay taxes to the government. The government refuses to provide you with drinking water, because the politicians would rather steal your money for their own personal purposes.
You dig water wells to provide you with water to drink and use for your household needs.
That is Igbohoism.
RIWO-RIWO-YO-O YO-O
Did you watch those videos!
Seriously, something consequential is transpiring as we speak.
I saw a couple of videos today, and I asked myself, “Doesn’t it look like Yorubaland is under confrontation condition? Hasn’t the west lit it up again?”
THE BAIT
To trap a chicken,
a few grains of corn.
to trap a dog
just a bone
to trap the antelope
okra is enough
To trap a cobra
the egg of a chicken
Life, when lived properly, is like playing in this giant park called Earth.
Find the thing you love to play with, and turn it into your work.
Then you can start playing.
I play with words, to enjoy the miracle of sound.
I play with images, to savor the magnificence of sight.
Playing is the best way to give thanks to the Creator of this giant park, and to fully enjoy the fruits and drinks that the park abundantly supplies.
Read it from the beginning to the end.
And from the end to the beginning.
From front to back and back to front.
The same thing.
It is January 20, 2021.
TWO ROCK STARS
ROCK 1:
I wish I were a rock of salt.
Then I won’t be so insulted.
Here I sit at the bottom of the stream
pelted by water
pecked by fishes
pinched by crabs
unseen, uncelebrated by man
useless to him and his art.
I wish I were a rock of salt
There is an ancient Yoruba poem about Àró, the alien.
Listen, the translation is below the Yoruba original.
Mo gbinlá mi sóko
Mo gbinkàn mi sóko
Ewúrẹ́ Àró fi jẹ;
Àgùtàn Àró fi jẹ
Èmi ò mọ ohun Àró ní mo ṣe.
I planted okra on my farmland
Accept yourself.
Whatever your failing,
regardless of your weaknesses.
Love and cuddle your life
appreciate the little you have.
Cherish what nature handed you
keep it well
this mini that you have.
How could I have missed Obaseki’s car as he followed us from the campus? I prided myself in being careful on the road, paying attention to the vehicles around me, and particularly in making sure that I was aware of my environment.
But as a Yoruba proverb says, one cannot be as clever as the sneak who is observing one’s activities.
The situation was critical. Obaseki was in attack mode and was no longer in full control.
Any careless statement from Gina or me could escalate the delicate matter into a full-blown crisis.
“Obaseki,” I said, “there is a misunderstanding. You are not reading things correctly.”
Is it true that all men are born equal?
No.
We are born with different talents and handicaps.
But we may agree that “All men SHOULD be born equal, but the circumstances of each birth vary.”
Some people are born close to the finishing line, and many are born right at the beginning of the starting point in this race of life.
Others are placed even behind the official starting line, and they must also race with those placed only a few feet from the finishing line where all the goodies of life are stored.
I could not believe my ears.
“You got pregnant from the rape?”
“Yes.”
“How did that happen?” I was making no sense with the question, but the situation was hardly making any sense either.
My throat felt dry. The bottles of palm wine on the table were still unopened.
I had to drink something immediately, I was thinking, or I would suffocate. This Gina was going to kill me.