Oke’s Musings: Poetry, People and Places

Category: Africa

  • African Wonders 1: Victoria Falls

    The Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe earns the title of the biggest waterfall in the world. It is 1708 metres across and it drops between 90 and 107 metres into the Zambezi Gorge. An average of 9.2 million litres of water cascades over the edge of the falls every second at peak seasons. Because Victoria Falls…

  • Distract me with love – Poetry

    Tell me an amusing story One that drives sorrows away Laugh at me or with me Sing a song, hum a slow lullaby Pull my ears and call me names Let’s ride on a train to Utopia Grab my hands let’s elope To fields wild as a writer’s mind Call my name, bring me back…

  • The Village

    Once the sun rise, life regains its joy More birds glide up the pretty skies Fast rodents play in the shrub nearby As smoke rise from long chimneys Little children leave for school, Fathers spend the day in farms, Mothers gather materials for food Everyone has got a role to play Squirrels hide in tree…

  • Two Poems: Nature Sings To Me and Once The Little Tiddlers by Peniel Gifted

    1. NATURE SINGS TO ME Nature sings to me In the most melodious tune of joy Tickling happiness into the shattered lonely me. Nature sings to me To make me feel like a king Tune of everlasting peace In my ears, it ring And truly, I know I’m really blessed. Nature sings to me And…

  • Soldier Ants

    No one wants an army of ants patrolling around their front door or garden. But talk of an endless stream of army ants? That doesn’t sound very appealing. I saw a file of soldier ants (ólú-mba in the Igbo language) last night. I never imagined they would mobilize into a larger force. The next morning,…

  • Nostalgia: Hills I Call Home

    I sit outside my granny’s house, clad in blankets and a pillow. It was a rainy day and a very cold one. The cold extended into the evening and early night. The village is surrounded by streams and hills and this must have contributed to the extreme weather. I left town a few hours ago…

  • Happy Independence Day Nigeria!

    On this day 60 year’s ago Nigeria got her independence. Things may not be right at the moment but our hope and faith will prevail. We shall rise above tribalism, intolerance, hatred and indiscipline. Let’s celebrate Nigeria, the giant of Africa with her beautiful images.

  • UNESCO ‘Sheroes’ Nigeria Competition

    The issue of human rights and gender equality is gaining momentum. And this is the best time to get things right. So I submitted this piece below: She’s a lady and more, The mother of life, And heartbeat of nations, Innocent child by the street corner Torn apart by her own society Groomed in love…

  • Morning Sun – Poetry

    Glittering morning sun, Woke to nature’s beauty, Warm scent of caked clay Leftover from night storm, To me life is series of moments; Made up of sounds and sights Cackling peacocks, blue skies, Green fields, huge waterfalls, A female goat calling to her kid, Group of laughing basket weaving girls, Three red headed lizards fighting,…

  • A Shepherd’s Poem

    Sun set slowly above the wood Shadows appear, shepherd dreams; Soft breeze upon evening tide, Smell of sheep dung, Slices of malted bread, Songs from the wine inn, Situated by the river bend, Sober men drink their heart fill, Silent hills, retreating birds, Sally may sing her radio favourite, Something to celebrate our countryside, Scent…

  • Painting by Sthembiso Msibi

    Trust me she’s got amazing talent. See more of her work on IG: @sthekamsibi

  • Quote: No Mountain Too Great

    There’s no mountain too great Hear these words and have faith -Diana Ross

  • African Proverb: Someone who Shouts

    There is nothing to fear from someone who shouts. Meaning: In Igbo land, it’s assumed that people who make a lot of noise are cowards. The principle of more action and less talk is the foundation of this proverb. The English version is the empty drum makes the loudest noise.

  • Night Fall In The Countryside

    Night falls behind the village fence Last traces of day, shadows fade Tree lines turn grey and black While the sky host a million stars Quiet evening, sound of water Heard down the waterfalls, by the streamside And from thickets bullfrogs wade Enjoying the fresh and sweet breeze Tree branches play with the wind Soft…

  • Quote on War

    Whoever likes war is not in his right senses and is a lunatic. We must ensure there is no war again. – Sir Joseph Hammond, Ghanaian World War Two Veteran

  • Hometown by Peniel Gifted

    That magnificent city Built beautifully Its walls painted in great colours Furnished with happy diamonds Its streets with the unceasing glitters. My hometown The city of the two great hills The city where I feel the cool breeze of nativity Beholding the swaying tulips and smiling sun The love of nature, giving me the mild…

  • Musical Africa: Talking Drum

    The Talking Drum is peculiar to the Yoruba people of West Africa. Musical Africa You will agree with me that Africa is a musical continent. It’s full of sounds and songs. Every tribe and nation has a peculiar musical identity. As dressing and languages differ so do musical instruments. I will like to share a…

  • Morning Sun

    I’m glad to see the rising sun It tells by sight stories unspoken And paints my curtain perfect green Divine love woke me to a new start, A new life, something to celebrate When I gather the curtains To glance through tree lines And green field glittering in the sun, The rays catch my breath,…

  • African Proverb: A Young Tree

    A tree is straightened while it is still young – Proverb from Burundi. Meaning: I chose to take this proverb in its literal form because it’s pretty evident that a fully grown tree can’t be transplanted or manipulated in any way. What I mean is that it’s not stressful to try to make a sapling…

  • African Proverb: On A Snake’s Ability

    Igbo Proverb: If a snake fails to show its venom, little kids will use it in tying firewood. Origin: A snake is a dangerous reptile. Snake poison can kill an adult in minutes. In Africa, snake bites contribute to deaths. In Igbo land where this proverb originated from, snakes are not toyed with. In some…

  • This Day, This Year, This Life By Pam Impson

    So much gone, so much wrong So much sorrow in this song Teary in my isolation Weary in my desperation Panting in my desolation Ranting in complete frustration So much yearning to belong So much is gone, so much is wrong This day It rolled me like a cheap cigar Stale inside a crowded bar…

  • Farewell Nkosi, the Black Panther

    Life, like mist, is temporary, but legacies live on and last forever. The Black Panther I get easily bored with movies. It’s hard to see me watching TV anyway. No matter how much I try, I only watch National Geographic Wild and Discovery documentaries. But when a movie truly hooks me, I can watch it…

  • Breathe Again by Njabulo N.

    Breathe again, Like you have just gained yet another chance to live, Life is not promised but experienced and lived. I have grown to be a different person, Different from normal people who do everything like everyone. My life is not the same anymore, I wonder why everyone is worried about it, I no longer…

  • Mary Slessor and The Killing of Twins

    Tradition can be wrong Sometimes tradition can be wrong. This story is a good one because it tells of a good hearted woman who saved innocent babies and it’s a gruesome story because it exposes the wickedness of ancient African tradition. Mary Slessor Mary Slessor, Scottish missionary in Eastern Nigeria, was born in 1848 in…

  • Quote on Courage

    I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. Nelson MandelaAt a time colonial forces and indigenous South Africans fought over land rights and freedoms, a courageous man spoke up for his…

  • Muse: The Happy Wind

    Poem: The Happy Wind Greet the happy wind, Tell him when I waved My fingers got him bursted When morning dew is upon the tree line The sky is sometimes blue and grass is green Far up the blue horizon the sun shine Birds sing from the trees all morning Yet the happy wind: timid…

  • Reflection: Counting the Costs 1

    At times, you need to stop everything you are doing to sit alone and mend your broken wings. Cold evening and a to-do list I sit outside on a cold evening. There’s a community of crickets chirping through the grassland. A gust of wind brushes my face, causing my helpless lamp to sway back and…

  • African Proverb: Be Nice

    Be nice to everyone. You never know who your in-laws are going to be. We won’t know who can be of help tomorrow. Compassion and kindness are great virtues. It can open greater doors! Ponder on this and have a goodnight. 💕

  • Folklore: The Hippo and His Seven Wives

    I heard the Wind tell this story Storyteller: Ifochakpii! Audience: Waa!!! Storyteller: Gather my friends. It’s time to tell a story. It’s time also to hear a tale. Gather by the fireside, warm yourselves. Bring the little ones to the center. Keep them more hospitable for the night, and her cold hands are nigh. Sit…

  • Muse: Look in my eyes

    Look into my eyes See how special you are Feel my heart jump with joy And that is because you are here

  • Night Poem: Stars Glitter

    I watch pretty stars glitter From this fine little window, When night a perfect picture Hung across the wide horizon Fireflies dance around light bulbs Mighty shadows cast upon my paper Distracting a work full of life and art Yet I stare out to behold stars glitter

  • Tender Love by Njabulo N.

    Wasn’t my love enough for you? In my mind I had concluded that you loved only me, I thought you were cut from a different cloth, Like you were not the same like everyone I’ve met. But clearly, I was lying to myself, You loved everybody like a campaigning candidate. I could tell from my…

  • Muse: Nature’s Circus

    1 When you call, your sound rent through the wind Whispers, songs of the wild, emissary of mother Nature You send birds, they ‘caw-caw‘, they fly the blue clouds Making the skies their tuft, and you: their leisure 2 Green trees, red flowers, purple feathers, all in perfect unison You call to your own, you…

  • Tradition: Storytelling

    The African Storytelling Tradition When I, the storyteller, say: Ifochakpii! You, the audience, will reply, Waa!! (Pronounced as ‘War!’) This is the Igbo people’s storytelling tradition. There are different ways of introducing a story to the audience. To the Igbo people, it starts with a chant-like ranting that tries to capture all present attention. So…

  • Igbo Language Alphabet

    This is to respond to your requests for a clearer, easy to read Igbo Alphabet, and we’ve come up with this, which we believe is simplified. It’s important to take your attention to the alphabet structure because it’s the key to unlock your understanding of this beautiful language. Twenty-seven distinct letters are contained in this…

  • Flight to Summer – Poetry

    There’s a symphony of joy, See it roar up bright skies! Emissaries of the aging day Graceful flights over Africa! * It float above the countryside Leaving to fresh, green fields, Above those endless forests Where hope still lived ahead * Each journey is to an unknown promise, Somewhere between joy and pain But fly…

  • Courage

    The breadth of earth lay wet But the sun rise from the east, From vague sights and mists The dark jungles, hot and serene Yet lions stride through the green Fearing neither man or faun A shriek up the skies… Eagles soar high; many miles Hopes high, they seeth thru’ times The wind surfs wild…

  • Reflection: Power in Unity

    Grandma’s Cooking Stove Grandma was a good cook. I always enjoyed her meals when I was a little boy. School holidays were fun for me because I had to travel home to her. She contributed immensely to those happy times. (God rest her soul.) Whenever she made her delicious soup, I usually sat by her…

  • Stars – Poetry

    When I wait under the old mango tree I count the glittering stars far away And laying on soft sandy soil I get a better glimpse of the dark skies The wind is my guest, She rent her cold self to me, She whispers tunes of nature And drag tree leaves to fan me, It’s…

  • To my childhood…

    I like to watch the sun rise, to wait while she cast her beauty on earth, So I wake early to fly my kite, to gather the stray bugs, worms and locust, The fields are my playground, a partner to hides and seek, I watch the sun, her golden smile, and light it brought to…

  • Poetale: The Nomad

    When twilight came I took a walk, for some air And down the roadside I went. There a young man stood Bearded heavily unlike myself Throwing corn seeds into his mouth And grinding them with such relish That his brown teeth showed off He stood a little close to my fence And I decided to…

  • eSwatini, Kingdom of (with images)

    eSwatini: meaningThere’s an African country with a name that sounds similar to Switzerland. Swaziland now eSwatini has its name changed to celebrate its 50 years of independence from Great Britain. eSwatini means land of the Swazis or a place for the Swazi. In April 2018, King Mswati, the third announced the change. eSwatini is sandwiched…

  • African Zebra

    An extraordinary land Africa is a land of diversity and breathtaking beauty. From the rising golden sun to swiftly flowing rivers and peaceful, grazing black wildebeest across the brown and green savannah, you can always catch a glimpse of nature’s beautiful paradise. And nature has a way of healing everything… If you ever get the…

  • Tale of Wild Woods: Summer Arrives

     When summer finally came, a lot had changed The last snow melted and the sad land woke Grasses started growing, covering the outer earth So those who burrow scrambled out from the dust Soft airs and tidings surround the mountainside Sending sweet emissaries around the valley below Vines, myrrh, mistletoes and pines sprout happily…

  • July Wishes

    Dear Friends, I’m grateful that we made it to July 2020. You’ll agree that the year has been a stressful one. I hope you’re well and keeping safe. Don’t be anxious, things will make sense soon and we’ll live to testify. Few hours before new year, I made a wish that I wanted to see…

  • Igbo (African) Proverbs

    Hello there! This is a post on selected Igbo proverbs. I wrote in the Igbo language, translated into English, and then gave its meaning. I did a blog post on sayings used in the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe sometime ago. You can access it here. Have a great day! 1. Igbo: Nwaanyi…

  • Haiku: Home

    Night fall dreams A ride through moonshine Home may tell tales

  • Modern Scramble for Africa

    A Bitter Pill What comes to your mind when you hear about Africa? Savages. Poverty. War ravaged. Disease. Uneducated? Let’s face it, Africa is what it is today because ‘the world’ contributed in keeping it so. We’re only poor by the world’s standard. This is a bitter pill. Another Scramble for Africa? The economic hustle…

  • Path to Harvest – Poem

    Joy is fruit blossomed in the heart of farmers Their smiles are meshed with toil and sweat, Patch of earth print upon their faces And on shoulders they carry huge baskets Marching towards the fields, when it is harvest… Fields are ripe, and trees are heavy with fruit Birds sing from tree tops, monkeys dance…

  • Reflection: The Virus and China

    Not so cuddly thought… As I lay on my bed I had a thought. A thought that actually provoked many questions. Maybe someone can help me understand these issues better if my opinion does not reflect reality. This is the first reflection on racism, the next will be on Africa. NB: I speak for people,…