Oke’s Musings: Poetry, People and Places

Category: Nigeria

  • Òkè

    What’s the story behind your nickname? Òkè is a short version of my name, Okechukwu. Oke in Igbo can mean different things based on the pronunciation. It can mean rat (óké), share (òkè), male (ókē)and boundary (òkè). My full name, Okechukwu, means share from God, where òkè means share and Chukwu means personal god/God.

  • My Friend – Johnny Drille

    This song explains many things about true Friendship. Enjoy the classic piece from Nigeria 🇳🇬

  • Diary of A Village Boy: The Leopard Spirit 7

    Dada said I had to be hale and hearty to attend the Tales by Moonlight night. He also promised I could play and hunt with other children if I got well quickly. So, I took my medication seriously. The moonlight night tales happened once every two weeks; sometimes they were delayed, especially during the rainy…

  • Lagos, Nigeria

    Where ocean waves rise and fall,And shadows full of skyscrapers

  • Come Thunder (1967) by Christopher Okigbo

    Christopher Okigbo Christopher died fighting in the Nigerian – Biafran civil war that raged through the late 1960s. Then Nigerian politics was in grave turmoil, the military was in charge and various parts of the nation harbored umbrage for the Igbo people of southern Nigeria. The Eastern region attempted to break away from the federation…

  • Account Of The Life of Prof. Chinua Achebe by Ezenwa Ohaeto, Ph.D.

    INTRODUCTION               Ladies and gentlemen, greetings.               If it is said that an elephant is not a wild animal, a person will say that it seemed as if something went by in the twinkling of an eye. The one who saw the elephant told what he saw. Very few people in our Igboland have not…

  • A Place In My Mind

    Sometimes it’s hard to stop a rolling stoneBut whenever it may roll, it always seems to find its way back home. Alex Roe Family Influence I’m bringing a piece of me back. This gift, or ability to write started somewhere. I came from a family of disciplinarians, teachers, and soldiers. The women in my life,…

  • Agulu Crocodile Lake

    Thalassophobia Thalassophobia is the fear of water depths and water-dwelling creatures. If you watch National Geographic or any wildlife program on TV, you will agree that a hungry crocodile is brutal. I have had a personal experience myself, watching them display savagery during feeding time, in different zoological gardens. Since then I have made up…

  • Wade

    I wade through this slow current,Touch of loose sand on my feet,And many songs of the wild forestDrop lyrics that get me elate

  • A Grateful African Poem

    Now gather by the fireside While we wait on yams to roast, Drying our hands in the warmth This quiet evening, cold and mild We wait to dream A fluffy pillow beckoning, The day tales also waiting, A joyful evening it seems The sweet fellowship Of Nature’s trick and craft Upon the retreat fell, to…

  • Many Tongues, One People

    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 Hometown

    One wakes to the call of Nature every day, with the sun ushering the day Huhuhu-Lalala-kiki, all sort of songs welcome the sun’s golden streaks Crickets quiz, wasps and bees buzz, snakes hiss away, the clock ticked Familiar sounds echo, strong wind rushing through the high tree lines Underneath the vegetation, silent waters flow, but…

  • Inspiration by Franklin Onuoha

    In this lovely piece from Franklin, my Nigerian friend, I could hear the echo of my voice. Well written poem. The sound of hooting owls The chirping of the crickets at night The calm breeze that massages my skin after a hectic day The acrid smell of harmattan The torrents of rain that make musicals…

  • Video: Pangolin Conservation in Nigeria

    Meet the bold Nigerians who are fighting to protect the worlds most trafficked mammal. Credit: Natgeowild

  • Two Poems: Fly and Babies by Peniel Gifted

    FLY Fly little bird Through this sky of whites I want to watch The green wings, flapping. Fly high, even higher Like the bar-headed goose Your bod- blithe As I kiss the Jasmine Hugging from the sky. BABIES With them I sit- The people of Rainbow raiment. They tune in Jillion tunes Sketching a heart…

  • Opinion: Leadership and Hypocrisy

    No change at all Nothing changes here. Even the nationwide protest that claimed many young lives didn’t lead to substantial change. I wonder what could persuade our leaders if the deaths of protesters haven’t. Every time I travel through this blessed state, I see nothing new; it’s heartbreaking that amidst abundance, we have nothing to…

  • Opinion: A Sitting Time Bomb

  • 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.

  • Opinion: Leadership Woes

    Admitting imperfections are great ways to becoming a better person, people and leaders. City of Talents and Resilient people I was born and raised in Ogbor hill, a suburb of Aba, a city in Southern Nigeria. Aba is known for its industry and export of labour to many Nigerian cities and overseas. The city is…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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,…

  • Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart: Proverbs and Meaning

    Onye aturu ilu kowaa ya, ego eji luo nne ya efuola ohia. Before I start this post permit me to greet Igbo people; those who own the proverbs I’m about to explore; Ndi Igbo kwenu! Ekelem unu o. Ndewonu. •Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe on Igbo traditional Isi-agu attire INTRODUCTION: PROVERBS There are many definitions for proverbs…

  • Yankari National Park

    •Hippo Lake, Kainji National Park, Nigeria West Africa is home to many nature reserves and Nigeria has a fair share. In-between those colourful coastal cities and hot towns of the Sahara, there are protected parks that are worth visiting. Yankari is one of them. Yankari National Park is a large wildlife park located in the…

  • Orie Market Day

    It’s Orie day here. Orie is a big market day in Isuikwuato. Everybody will be heading to the market to trade. People from different places buy and sell here. I walk through the quiet hills to get some fresh air and pick some flowers. Thankfully I have the quiet road to myself. I also have…

  • Atlanta 96: Determination VS Talent (Video)

    There’s an important lesson to learn from the video in this blog post. See how the Nigerian team surprised the world. That’s right, determination and persistence are key to success. Start blogging today.

  • Home: Africa

    High above the hills of Africa, the dark clouds of night still stretched over the village and surrounding valley. Humankind and their domesticated animals slept, but the antelope of the forest and the small, fleet-footed gazelle remained wide awake. In a short span, early morning dew falls from ancient hills. Darkness dances with light. Misty…

  • Amnesty Int’l Letter: Children’s Day 2020

    Dear Okechukwu, I wish a happy Children’s Day to all the children in your life. But as I write to you today, my heart goes out to all the children detained in Northeast Nigeria and caught up in endless violence at the hands of Boko Haram and the Nigerian military. They were taken away from…