Abeokuta

the modern Olumo rock where nature’s sound 

still give our rhythms,

I have known anger, I have dined with pain, being a minority is not when your vote is not up to that of your opponent, back home in Abeokuta, we are fun people, follow me to see the mighty Olumo where the nature’s sound gives our rhythm, underneath Olumo, there you will find our shelter when the tyrant comes with their tyranny, the people of Abeokuta are known for their brevity and courage, yet this is what the world holds against us, they say we are violent, they say we are aggressive, they even say we are not peace lovers, oh friendly stranger no man will allow the thing that knocked off his teeth to blind his eyes, Come rejoice with me, my life is fun.

I’m not proud to be black,
I am fortunate to be black

I have a reason to be joyful each morning my neighbor screams E K A A R O ! From his window. friendly stranger, i know you come from a world of haters but bother not, we won’t strangle you, we love strangers. If not for the presence of fools, all discussion will be done in proverbs, 
it doesn't tend to bother us though, for we know that whenever a vulture is absent in a feast of animal carcasses, it must be due to a very important engagement elsewhere, for as long as our eggs continue to break the palm kernel, the stone will continue to feel threatened. Come and see how fun our life is. 

My father gave life to 13 of us, my father is a wise man, the nose doesn’t perceive its own odur you know!, and one doesn’t pick his eyes the way he picks his teeth. 2 are over the seas, hoping to come back with the profits of the seas one day. 1 is a footballer, his ultimate dream is to play in the Super Eagles, he plays so good but often comes back sad, After attending the national team’s selection and blames it on my father, for not knowing so much people from the elite, my father keeps reciting the same lyrics to him “hens don’t attend a marriage where the fox is the master of ceremony” only God knows what it signifies, cos my brother will not give up.

2 are interested in politics and I believe they will make it to the top,already they are becoming celebrities, cos anytime there is a political rally or manifestation, they are mostly in the front roll and we see them on TV while the camera walk-pass them, I’m proud of them ‘cos I also have an ambition. 2 are top shoemakers in Lagos, but they prefer we refer to them as shoe designers, i don't know what the difference is. 1 a hair-dresser, and since she made hair for a popular actress she changed her job to make up artist just like that. 2 are working for the state people, we don’t really get so much along‘cos state people make me uncomfortable after locking up mumsi’s shop, after she had paid to settle those that claimed to come from the state office one week before, and also the state refused to pay popsi’s pension. i have an allergy for the state people and i know that their leopard will not change their spot.

Anyway our life is fun, 2 are still in school, One in the state university and the other still in the local high school, while I just choose to be among those who uses their body for the manifestation of Art and join words to sum up to a meaning. Friendly stranger my father swore to me that if he had had the power, he’d have had more children then he would have been more respected in the society, and meet more people in the elite class that could save our lives today, so that we will be able to touch all works of life. My father really had a dream for Africa, he wanted us all to grow up to be useful for Nigeria, but he knew he may not be able to do it all, so he decided to have more, to build a legacy with which at least good number of us will follow.

I am glad my father had 13 of us, if he hadn’t done that, maybe I will never had had the opportunity of being in this world with you, cos I am the 12th child. As you can see my humble stranger, my father is a successful man ‘cos our life is now fun, apart from those two over the seas, the moment when death begins to take away a person’s age group members, is it not a forewarning for him to get ready for death, anyway we contribute money to send to them monthly, they complain of too much tax, that even to catch fishes in the seas, they pay a tax of crabs and let some of the fishes go back to the seas for reproduction I guess, I wonder how they survive.

Abeokuta my father land.

Then i understood that what the goat has seen and keeps quiet, the dog sees and bark, because my father warned them, If you think that the livelihood of Abeokuta your home Is not comfortable enough because you want to feel like Robin Hood, good, just get an agent, sell your home and move to Hollywood, then you will be done with, when you find out that, even the hoods in the neighborhood of Hollywood are willing to pay any price with all goodwill just to see Olumo rock.