Oke’s Musings: Poetry, People and Places

Category: Uncategorized

  • What 2020 Taught Me

    Failure Is Not Final “What did you learn in 2020?” That is the big question for everyone. So I’m going to share a bit of what 2020 taught me and how I have evolved into a resilient individual. Indeed a lot had transpired this year; wars, disasters, locust infestation, Brexit – EU trade issues, MAGA,…

  • Five rules to Success (Video)

    Arnold takes us on five basic rules Successful people follow. VIdeo: Goalcast. Start a stunning WordPress blog here.

  • All about Coronavirus

    Nigeria recorded her first case of Coronavirus 2 days ago. I received this video from a friend in Italy. Please share this video with loved ones.

  • Reflection: Sad Evening

    I sit outside the house alone. It’s hot inside and few hours ago our house was filled with people who came to pay their last respect to my late sister. I’ve been busy, mentally and emotionally that I hardly had time for my physical self. People who knew me observed that I lost weight. Three…

  • Folklore: Old Sultan from project Gutenberg

    A shepherd had a faithful dog, called Sultan, who was grown very old, and had lost all his teeth. And one day when the shepherd and his wife were standing together before the house the shepherd said, “I will shoot old Sultan tomorrow morning, for he is of no use now.” But his wife said,…

  • Happy New Month, December 1 2019

    Ah. It’s December the first again. The Year’s last born month. 😊 Good morning everyone. I wish you all a great month and merry Christmas in advance! 😘

  • Night rains

    Darkened clouds bark with dogs When surging winds sweep through The hamlet and nearby forest Flying rain drops turn deep bass Blowing out the sticky candle light, Wrestling with tree branches, shaking window frames Twisting away, undressing tied curtains As the rain drops play on the glass Ghostly lightning snap across the skies Creating alien…

  • Destiny Community School, Zambia

    Doctors, accountants, lawyers… These are just some of the dreams of the students at Destiny Community School in Zambia. These underprivileged students love going to school. Help them continue their education. As you’ll see, they have bright hopes and dreams for their future. #GivingWay

  • Say it now: for Yemeni children

    Say not your voice has no power, For we listened and heard you speak from radios, And you spoke of many things, that helped not dying souls They say humanity is not defined by guns nor skin But look at kids wallow in great pain for no reason Look not another way while we die…

  • Appreciation

    Good morning from West Africa. It’s Friday and a bright new day. I wish I can throw a poetry (blog) party! I’m very grateful to all my followers. I see your comments, likes and suggestions. Honestly, I’m happy knowing you are out there. It means a lot to me, Imeela! Let’s do more.

  • Shepherd Lore

    Dusk is messenger of sunset, birds fly away, hills sink, Fireflies become touches to guide the Shepherd through hills and valleys; nothing troubles man and sheep more than the thought of warm wool and smell of hay

  • Granny’s Compound by ‘Jindu Iroegbu

    Here’s another painting from ‘Jindu, my little brother. He’s amateur but I see talent. This one is named “Granny’s Compound.” He explains why: “Whenever we were at Granny’s place, we had fun and played under the trees. Granny’s place is small but her heart is big, she accepted everyone.” Granny’s Compound was a melting pot,…

  • Sound of Water

    My poems are like sounds of flowing water, It tells of no serious things in particular; But little of people that wash others’ feet And the wild that call green forests home It talks of fauns that hide in crevices And dreamy waterfalls, happy to fall with currents, Rushing, flowing in streams and rivers, Out…

  • World Cities Day: Gaborone on CGTN Africa

    On World Cities Day, correspondents of CGTN Africa traveled to Gaborone, capital of Bostwana to find out what makes the city special and how governments can make improvements to increase accessibility for persons with disabilities.

  • Health benefits of Tiger Nuts

    January this year, I visited a friend in Abuja, Nigeria and she welcomed me with a juice. This juice was nourishing. I learned that it was Tiger nut milk mixed with coconut milk and crushed dates! It was quite tasty for a traditional drug! Permit me to introduce the Tiger nut AKA Chufa and yellow…

  • Swing by Okoroji Chidiebere Alexander

    Ding-Ding, The heart is new, The heart is free, The heart is keen, What else is left unseen. Knock-Knock, We’ve closed, We took overdose, We didn’t really pose, So we loss, To a better boss. Ping-Ping, My ink is dry, My hair is grey, My mind is heavy, My soul up for prey, I’m a…

  • Why you should visit Africa 3

    From Nature reserves to rivers/lakes and from beautiful valleys to exotic wildlife, Africa has a lot to offer. Welcome to this edition of Why You Should Visit Africa brought to you by Oiroegbu.com 1. Adventure: If you really love nature and adventure, then you should visit Africa. There’s so much to do and participate in.…

  • When there was love

    When there was love, I saw the clouds Clear like the sweet spring water Leaping, joyfully from rocks, Falling, washing pebbles white, And rushing to feed unknown lands

  • Himalayan in pictures by Urvsh

    My friend Urvsh is holidaying in the Himalayan. She shares with us her images and videos. The Himalayan range is located in the Indian subcontinent. Mt Everest, K2 and Kanchenjunga, some of the world’s highest peaks lies in the Himalayan range.

  • Humble Home by ‘Jindu Iroegbu

    I came home to see my little brother’s drawing. He tries his hands on drawing and painting, and the least I can do is to encourage him. His work is littered all around the house, mostly in the living room. As you can see he had included his name in this drawing. 😀 This is…

  • Wild Colors

    Sweet and wonderful are smell of dry air in the breezy and solitary open LIke that of bread soaked in margarine, quasi burned in the oven The taste is remindful of romantic acquaintances hewn to fields of Roses Stretched afar, to where the lands open to other lands of colors and scents The fineness of…

  • Sunset in Ovim

    Yesterday I trekked to the market square. During my lonely trek I met old friends and distant relatives. As noted before, in Africa we place much value on family and friends. My trek was short, because the market was just around the corner. I bought two pieces of dried meat from a vendor, one for…

  • Muse: Homecoming

    Nada o! O nada o! Nada o! I’m back o! Kuje kusanar, go and tell them! Bring my jug, bring me kola, bring a mat, For justice will be done to Mama’s soup pot I must lay under the mango tree tonight To watch the stars glitter and hear the crickets sing Ah… I’m glad!…

  • Don’t Cry

    Now listen dear child, listen attentively To the forested hills, for they are your ancient brothers To the birds, they carry gossip and might have answers Watch the sunrise and sunset from tree branches Search the valleys too, let your eyes behold our land Feel the flowers with your finger tips Smell the caking dust…

  • Muse: Swift Stream

    The blue stream flow swift Three patient toads sit aghast Waiting for the current to pass

  • The Baobab

    This is for you humble castle, beautiful succour and living citadel, You whose roots are soft seats; you who shelter ants, mushrooms and birds, Your leaves are shield from rain, you are a friend to all that may come *** As we read through, let’s remember to play our role in protecting Earth’s vegetation and…

  • Haiku: Smiles

    Smiles are colorful dresses, Bright are the clouds that sail by, Brighter are lips that wear loving smiles *** Image by Botlhale Nyandeni

  • African Proverbs 6

    Every Dog is a Lion in his own gate. -Ghanaian Proverb Explanation: This metaphorical statement translates to every man is King in his own house.

  • African Proverbs 5

    He who shows himself at every place will someday look for a place to hide. Explanation: Anyone who is always available to everyone will find it hard to keep a private life.

  • Haiku: Smile Beautiful Flower

    Smile beautiful flowerLet your tissues and petalsBring warmth to all that see

  • African Proverbs 4

    Here’s an Igbo proverb made popular by Chinua Achebe: When Elephants fight the grass suffers. There’s a Swahili version of it: When two Elephants fight the grass gets hurt. Explanation: For instance, when a child’s parents fight or separate, the child suffers most. Also when there’s war or strife in a country the poor masses…

  • The Frogs and the Well

    Look at this fable and reflect why we should think twice before acting. Two frogs lived together in a marsh. But one hot summer the marsh dried up and they left it to look for another place to live in, for frogs like damp places of they can get them. By and by they came…

  • African Proverbs 2

    Here’s a Guinean Proverb: Knowledge of leadership is not plucked from the air, one is born with it. Explanation: Selflessness, honesty, compassion and every other qualities of Leadership are groomed from good home training, personal decisions to live upright and treat others right.

  • African Proverbs

    Look at this proverb, what do you make of it? Not everyone who chased the Zebra caught it, but he who caught it chased it. – South African Proverb Explanation: Sometimes what we want may not come the way we want it or we may not even achieve that! But then, to attempt to achieve…

  • Self-Control: The Fox and the Crow

    How is everybody today? What are you guys reading for the weekend? I’m compiling a new reading list, anyone willing to share or suggest a book? It’s almost bedtime here, but sleep can wait. I’m trying to study my guide to scholarship application. I have this bedtime tale to drop before I retire for the…

  • Don’t Forget by Okoroji Chidiebere Alexander

    Don’t forget how we started, Don’t forget where we met, The circumstances, How it happened, Don’t forget so soon! I was just like a stranger, The other day, I was a nobody to you, A commoner, An ordinary soul, Flying and searching for love, Searching for hope, In pursuit for happiness, Until the encounter, Don’t…

  • Celebrating Philanthrophy: Lisa Jo Symonds

    Today I came across an amazing person who is working to help improve the lives of rural orphans in East Africa. She supports the Hope For Rural Orphans, an orphanage based in Mbale, Uganda. Permit me to introduce Lisa Jo Symonds, the author of The Hands That Held Me. She is from Adirondack, New York,…

  • Shepherd’s Tale

    Sweet are memories of the fields- Valley greens and blue clouds, The frolicsome rabbits and slow worms, All shades of flowers and singing birds Replay on the shepherd’s mind In the morning, was a light shower The path wet with dew- Heaven’s water But the sheep went happy, through the misty path When evening came,…

  • Thoughts on Africa: oiroegbu.com

    My name is Okechukwu. I’m a Math teacher and I’m the brain behind oiroegbu.com. I’m from Isuikwuato in Nigeria. I enjoy writing. I love watching wildlife and playing Sudoku. Initially, oiroegbu.com was a poetry blog, but was modified to accommodate other thoughts, personal experiences and places I’ve been to. Hopefully, I’ll start traveling more, to…

  • Kindness: The Lion and the Mouse

    Here is one of the oldest and best loved stories of kindness paid and repaid. From it we learn that compassion lies within the power of both the mighty and the meek. Kindness is not a feeble virtue. One day a great lion lay asleep in the sunshine. A little mouse ran across his paw…

  • Muse: Evening Rain

    Listen… Hear the clouds rumble, for it rains again Soft breezes from the quiet evening Come drumming, mildly on the pan, The rooftop has got a companion Up this ancient forested hills The trees dance and twist To songs from the Winds tongues From the pond, the back-up frog choir get set, Waiting for their…

  • Grandmother’s Table

    Good evening everyone. This story was adapted from the Brothers Grimm and I’ll like to share it with you. It may be that the older we get, the more this story will mean to us. But we should learn it while we are young, for the sake of the generation coming before us. We should…

  • Haiku: Searching the Flames

    The unhappy hawk search the burning bush Folk say she was scouting for her old granny, But an escaping rabbit caught her attention instead

  • Poetale after the Days work

    Now we gather by the fireside Waiting for yams to roast Warming our hands in the heat On this evening, cool and mild The dreams we wait to dream The waiting pillow beckoning The tales in hopes of telling And a joyful evening it seems The hot day had gone up those hills Releasing a…

  • Haiku: The Wind surfs

    How happy, the wind surf the sea! Bending double to strong waves, To escape the doom before her

  • The African Palm Tree

    The palm tree is one of the strongest trees in the world. In tropical Africa, this plant grow wild, though it’s now cultivated. In Igbo land, the leaves, barks and roots is used to produce different kinds of medicine. The boiled seeds serve as food and the oil is used for cooking. The wood is…

  • Twist and Turns

    Twist and turns, that’s the song of life and the road But crawl, walk, run towards those brown hills, Dust shall become a dress or a travelling companion

  • Can you spell IF?

    Please can anyone help these guys? 😅😂

  • Nigeria

    In the morning, the sun rises Above the horizons and cliffs And on the smiling faces on the farms Hope rises with the sun, As the children roll out their bicycles To the tanned fields of the hamlet Followed by their pets, puppies and kittens A proud cloud draws a huge smile And on the…

  • Unabhangigkeit Nigeria!

    Today is October 1, 2019, doubling as the beginning of October and Nigeria’s Independence Day. This day in 1960 we became self governing when the Brits left. So †Unabhangigkeit Nigeria! From the coasts of West Africa, I wish a Happy New Month to all my followers and to Nigerians I say Happy Independence Day! As…