A picture of Moyo Okediji sitting in front of his artwork

Dede Mabiaku

Dede Mabiaku was an undergraduate studying drama at the University of Benin in 1981 when I was a graduate student there.How did I meet Dede?Late one evening, I packed my Volkswagen car, popularly called Bintu, near the University of Benin theater during a drama rehearsal.I was the stage-design director for the Convocation play in December 1982.

a picture showing moyo okediji poised for the camera

TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE

My friend called me that they scammed her of $750 last Monday.

After listening to the story of how they scammed her, I realized it was the same syndicate that scammed me in 2019 that scammed her last Monday.

As a Nigerian, I consider it a disgrace to be scammed—after all, I belong to a country that is notorious for always winning the Olympic gold medal in the 419 game.

a picture showing moyo okediji poised for the camera

THE DOG WITH TWO EARS

Ijapa (Mr. Tortoise) went and bought Aja (the Dog) in the market.

Ijapa took Aja home.

The following day, Ijapa put Aja on a leash, and told Aja, “Let’s go out.”

Aja was surprised that he was put on a leash.

He had never been put on a leash before.

Aja asked Ijapa, “Where are we going?”

Ijapa answered, “To the market.”

a picture showing moyo okediji poised for the camera covered with his egungun regalia

Sháyó Philosophy

Yesterday we met again to see if they had hot pepper soup at the local African joint.

Logically, when these simple folks enter a pepper soup joint, it is like Ṣẹ̀lẹ́ enter spirit: matters get philosophically historical like magicadabra.

“We are in October again,” I said, just because the bottle of stout looked chilled.

a picture showing a bird flying freely

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!!

We went to celebrate the Independence Day of Nigeria at a local bar where they sell Nigerian food, beer and hot Isi Ewu pepper soup.

We ordered swallow food.

After that we ordered drinks.

Please learn from our mistakes.

Do not drink more than one bottle of beer.

We all laughed and chatted heartily after drinking one bottle of small stout and Isi Ewu pepper soup.