Poets are unique creatures Living in their playful minds They are facets of adventure Hewn to investigate life & why When poets fall in love They soar in their craft They prevail in fantasies Then lets life pace on art They travel to & fro the moon In their art, there is joy & pain […]
Igbo: Oke soro ngwere ma mmiri, mmiri guoro ngwere agagi ako oke English: When a rat swims with a lizard, his hairs won’t dry as the lizards. Origin: This proverb is widely used in Igbo land. The aged use this to instruct young people and children, mostly in folktales. Reptiles are good swimmers and can […]
This night rain flatter my townShe sneaked up our curtainsAnd let her waves wrestle with themThe breeze blew out the candlelightsWhen the thunder howl in his deep voiceEach time the lightning appearsBe sure to wait for some rumblingYet the downpour clapping outsideJust by the dark and slippery balconyTries to let the pata-pata cover all sound […]
The Leopard Spirit 5 When I arrived home that evening, it seemed like the whole world was turned upside down. I felt my head swell as the bee stings and sharp roots hurt. By the side of my bamboo bed, Nene and her dog sat, staring at me. She held my hand and squeezed softly. […]
My life as a poet, Has not been a sweet one, It has been tedious as the sea waves, With slithering moves like a snake, With a lot of punches more than a boxer, It is unpredictable, It can get you lost in wild thoughts. Words without sounds, Voices without people, Minds without hearts, Bones […]
Egypt’s Nile river, life-giver. One fascinating thing about the African continent is its landscape. From the mountains of North Africa through the Sahara dunes, down to the forests and savannah of West, Central and Southern Africa, there are wonderful things to behold. The sunny climate and the glittering water bodies in Africa add extra flavour […]
Igbo: Ngwere nile makpu àfọ n’ala, mana onweghị onye ma nke àfọ n’asa. English: When lizards lay on the ground, no one knows those who have a runny stomach. Origin: This is an Eastern Nigerian proverb. Some fraction of the Igbo nation uses it. The agama lizard just like their reptilian brethren are quadruplets and […]
I hope that mankind will one day understand completely that trees are our life Trees are beautiful. Tree shades are my favorite hiding places. The hot noon sun makes me seek these shades where I find extreme relaxation and comfort. It’s quite a delightful thing sitting under a group of trees, on a sunny day, […]
Fail big! That’s right! – Denzel Washington Stubbornly persist, and you will find that the limits of your stubbornness go well beyond the stubbornness of your limits – Robert Brault I never lose! I either win or learn! – Nelson Mandela When a man sticks to his dreams he will eventually meet with great success. […]
Dear woman, I smile when I recall what you depict, who you are and the peace you represent. Woman, life-giver A grand masterpiece of nature, Life bespoke of elegance, Of glamour, a living golden statue Fear what it could be When life has no she When we assume maybe Woman, lover She brings peace to […]
Kokookoroko kokorokoro A greeting calls from afar, Children ran out excited As if the message was for them But then, who knows? Heads up, let’s listen Kumkum korookom Another beat rings out Pushing the mild hit Into the ears of the heaviest village sleeper ‘Oh how cute, it is the King’s messenger’ ‘A tall and […]
Igbo: Nwata akwô na azú amaghī na ùzó di anya English: A child strapped to the back of the mother does not know the journey is far. Origin: The Igbo people of Southern Nigeria use this adage. In many societies, it’s prevalent to see mothers, young and old, strap their babies behind them, especially when […]
Good evening. Howdy? I love it when it’s evening. Why? Cos that’s when I find time to dream and reflect under the watchful eyes of Mother Nature. One way Providence rewards hard work is through good food and mild evening breezes. Indeed, I have had both and still enjoying one. So I’m going to give […]
Do you want to hear the rain howl in the wind? Then you must come to Africa Here the rainfall is a sport to children And a time to count numerous blessings But if you doubt this, I will make it pour! Come rainfall! Come, dear friend! Send this town scuttling for safety, Let the […]
The open-air safari vehicle rattled along the golden dirt S-28 road, in Kruger National Park. As the wind whistled through the golden grass, I reached out my arm, letting the grass brush against my palm as I passed it by. Even though I was shaded by the canvas roof from the bright African sun, small […]
Igbo: Mmanù arîótara arîóta anaghî ezu ofe English: Borrowed palm oil can never be enough for soup Origin: This proverb originated from Southern Nigeria. It is an Igbo proverb. Palm oil (mmanù akwú in Igbo) is a standard cooking oil used in West Africa. In Nigeria’s Yoruba, Igbo, Ijaw, Bini, and Ibibio land, it’s vital […]
Igbo: Agha adìghï eri nwa ngwōrō English: An informed cripple can never be consumed by war Origin: This is a southern Nigerian proverb from the Igbo ethnic group. Usually, when there’s a state of war, cripples suffer most as they find it difficult to escape the war zone. But when such a person is informed […]
I hear drums echo through the vast wilderness I hear the wild dogs cry out in the early night They cheer the retreating Day in the distance Bright galaxies sweep above to show her a path The drums remind me to play with words, Nature is my song, a rhythm of hope for the world
Sunshine Morning inspiration Farm wake up call Of dreamy fields Outspread under clouds Ripen wheat And golden sunlight Glow upon the dirt
Your love engulfs me As the harmattan overwhelms the heat I will pledge a thousand favours to the wind To courier my voice to your ears Adumaradan, come close to me So you can behold the honour of my presence Since the day I set eyes on you Since the day I had a glimpse […]
A happy family is a sadness killer The English dictionary defined depression as a state of mind producing a severe and long-term lowering of enjoyment of life or inability to visualize a happy future. Many people experience this daily. Depression sucks out the joy and life from an individual even when the person is still […]
Why do I feel like a titan When I come home to you? Oh, motherland, I run to you again Remind me of your love, of hope, I feel a tingling breeze upon my bare flesh The kind wind consoles me in many ways Listening to music from pine trees I shall throw my windows […]
In 2015, Paich, one of the singers, explained that the song Africa is about a man’s love of a continent, rather than just a personal romance. Lyrics of the song “Africa” by Toto I hear the drums echoing tonight But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation She’s coming in twelve-thirty flight Her moonlit […]
You remind me of drifting stars, Of sops ripening in the sunrise, I’ll cling to your arms as a child For you have become my world
My heart drums a familiar beat Each time my pen starts to work All nature gather at my feet, Little crickets swishing for more space, Shadows of ants behind the candlelight, And light-craving moths that crouch on my touch Cold wind makes me restless It flirts with my candlelight, Which dance wildly in a waltz […]
A visionary leader is one who looks beyond present circumstances, someone who dreams and dares.
Black and white That’s just colours Of birds, cliffs or streams Black is a word A cloudy sky or a tuft of hair Both are colours of nature: Black talons of hawks White feathers of swans None of these guys cares Taste the sweet coke Ever awe over why it is coloured Or why skies […]
Twist and turns; the song of life, Walk or run, up or down the cliffs, Vigor may come as a dream or wife
The Igbo Storytelling Tradition Before the coming of the white man, the Igbo cultural society educated themselves through folktales. Storytelling was a revered tradition used to pass the wisdom of ancestors to the younger generation. It is assumed that anyone who can tell a good story is wise. The Igbo people believe in a supernatural […]
Proverb: A chameleon that wants to survive from the burning bush must abandon the majestic walk of its ancestors. Origin: When there’s a fire in the bush, all living things around there fly, crawl, run for dear lives. Even the slowest among them will make a drastic effort to escape the fire. Chameleons are slow-walking […]
The distant twinkling stars are his friends, The sweet, mild breeze his companion, Day may end with sleep full of pleasant dreams
It’s Friday! What better way to spend the sunny weekend but to enjoy the refreshing African magic beer? Observe the excitement on the faces of laborers when they remember home and the waiting beer.
I wrote this poem on January 2, 2017, upon my return from Northern Nigeria. Before this, I have always viewed people from other tribes suspiciously. This is because of the bitterness and rivalry amongst Nigeria’s tribes. But having had experience living in several parts of Nigeria, things took a spin, and I started seeing the […]
My heart dances & lives to laugh, Under this beautiful moonshine, With my troubadour & cheerful strength, This heart remains in my hometown Even as dreams live in another country I follow these dreams far away To return to this heart someday
A new year is like a blank book, and the pen is in our hands. It is a chance to write a beautiful story for ourselves. Happy New Year. It’s midnight West African Time, and January 1st, 2021, is finally here. Let me start by wishing you that is reading a Happy New Year. Amid […]
We can’t replace trees that are thousands of years old. But we can plant new ones; we can instill hope for our future generations. Sad image Sequel to my earlier post on uncontrolled bush burning, which destroys plant and animal habitats, I decided to write further on this sad image I stumbled upon. Man and […]
Masquerades in Umukwu-Amune Today was the Masquerade’s Day in Amune, Ovim. I was on a visit when I came across this masquerade band. In a situation, one comes across the masquerades face to face; it is crucial to ‘acknowledge or plead’ with them by calling out their names; if you desire not to be whipped. […]
