What is it to you?
To me, it is the ants that crawl out after heavy rain,
It is the child that still laughs even though it is in pain.
It is the tangy taste of agbalumo,
It is my grandmother drying crayfish on the floor.
It is the crinkly sound of my mother folding a gélé,
It is the sound of boys playing football – all thinking they are the next Pélé.
It is church songs, sung so sweetly and full of faith,
It is the way, we are always late,
It is the frying of akara on Saturday,
It is the sound of tuwo being pounded on Fridays.
It is the heady smell in the air – a strong mix of
sweat, hope and fear,
It is two school children having to share one chair.
It is the way everyone shouts to make people hear us,
It is the way we all stand together when things are disastrous.
It is the way we all have political opinions,
It is the way we are more layered than any onion.
More than anything, it is home and where I am from. It is not perfect, but it will have to suffice.
Happy Independence day people.
© Kingsley A, 2009
