**IMMINENT SAPA, INEVITABLE JAPA **
KunleOmope
Thursday 11 August 2022
IMMINENT SAPA, INEVITABLE JAPA
Wednesday 19 January 2022
OSHODI
One morning, 15yrs ago, I looked down from Oshodi bridge,
and I saw a sea of heads.
Over a thousand humans. Some going, some coming.
Traders with wares on the heads. Artisans with their tools
in their hands or slung over their shoulders. Office workers with ties around
their necks.
They were all in a hurry. Sweating faces, impatient smiles.
Different
destinations, one mission- the daily bread.
It occurred to me that every one of them had their own
stories, which we may never get to know.
For some, it is betrayal; hunger; abuse; hope denied; a
cheating spouse; a dying parent; a sick child; a new contract; a mission to
kill; a koboless wallet; a new job; a sack letter waiting;
different faces,
different stories,
different realities.
The train deafens the atmosphere as it rumbles past, causing
the earth to quake slightly.
Men sit on the moving train as they journey to their
respective hustles.
One man chews on an oily puff puff. The oil froths at the
corner of his lips. The wind blows off the oil and spittle right into the
yawning mouth of another hustler who is looking straight ahead, lost in his own
story.
The puff puff eater crumples up the soaked newspaper wrapper,
tosses it away, and then proceeds to wipe his hand clean as he runs it through
his uncombed Afro hair.
From on top of the refuse dump sandwiched bridge, I look
with pity...but the clouds do not.
Thunder claps aloud. Lightning like stretch marks streak
across the skies in the distance.
Rain comes pouring down.
Thousands of humans scamper in search of non-existent
shelters.
Half an hour later, the rain is gone just like it came.
And in their thousands, they all came crawling out of their
corners. Their hearts heavy with their stories. Their eyes, hopeful for a
better tomorrow.
Monday 2 November 2020
STAY ALIVE
Stay alive
to see the flowers bloom
to watch the sun rise
to see the rainbow
after this torturous storm.
Stay alive
to hear the birds sing
and to wince at the roaring markets
to hear your lover whisper
the words, "I love you".
Stay alive
to smell the sea
and the sweet fragrance
of a baby's powdered skin
to inhale the sweet aroma
of freshly cooked stew.
Stay alive
to taste the sour-sweet nectar
of agbalumo come next season.
to relish ofe onugbo, ofe nsala
and obe gbegiri and ewedu
Stay alive
to feel the gentle touch of the wind
the fingers of a friend
upon your cheeks.
to feel the warm embrace of life.
Stay indoors
Wash your hands regularly
Corona will leave soon.
Stay alive, my friends.
We shall overcome!
THEY'LL COME AGAIN
They'll come again
Like death with a sickle
Like a plague with pus
They'll come asking
For a chance to ruin your dreams.
They'll come with sweet words,
Words like candy-coated venom
The Tempters will come in 2023
But when you are about to fall
Remember the fallen of 2020
They'll come again
Like termites with steel mandibles
Like a scorpion with a thousand tails
They'll smile and wink at you
But their lips hide lethal fangs
And their winks are but triggers
That will open fire on your future
The Tempters will come in 2023
Just when you are about to fall
Remember the fallen of 2020
Monday 19 August 2019
A FEMINIST AND HER SON
She was married to the great educator and fiery clergyman, Israel Oludotun Ransome Kuti, and gave birth to some of the greatest men that walked the Nigerian earth. She was the mother of Aunty Dolu, Prof. Olikoye, Fela and Dr. Beko.
She did many great things in her life, most famous of them was being the first woman to look at a car, grab the keys, got in and drove it, paving way for other women to drive cars.
In her early 20’s, she organized literacy classes for market women. That was just the beginning, as she also went ahead to fight for the right of women to vote. In addition, she fought the local Egba authorities and even the colonial masters on behalf of the women folk to stop the arbitrary taxes demanded of them.
When she couldn’t take the high handedness of the Egba Monarch anymore, she led a multitude of women in red-eyed protest to the king’s palace.
Guess what? The Oba japa…he took off! He couldn’t stand the feisty amazon and her horde.
On the international scene, she traveled far and wide, especially to the Eastern bloc, where she rolled with the likes of Chairman Mao Zedung. Consequently, she became a thorn in the flesh of the West.
Just imagine what her home was like because her husband was the famous no-nonsense school principal and preacher. Many a great mind were shaped under his pedagogical guidance and corporal discipline. His cane expelled the haughtiness of a young prince that later became the Ooni of Ife. He was also among other things a great activist and one of the founders of the National Union of Teachers (N.U.T).
Funmilayo founded a nursery school, where her kids and others were first schooled before proceeding to secondary school. She believed and pushed for gender equality, which made her do everything to empower women, educationally, financially and politically.
All her children grew up to become accomplished professionals with enviable ideals.
Of particular interest to this write up was one of her sons, Fela Anikulapo Kuti.
Fela was an enigma. He was larger than life.
Just like his mama, he was also an activist, who used music as a weapon in attacking the despotic government of his days.
Fela also loved women unashamedly…and they loved him too. At a point, he married 27 women in a single ceremony.
His women spoke highly of him as a fantastic lover. They said he treated them well and even extolled his patience with them and also his sexual prowess. Fela was reputed to be a man who had sex with several women, several times a day.
It is worthy to note that Fela first wife whom he married legally never divorced him…never remarried and never spoke ill of him despite his harem. What a man Fela must have been!
Despite being the beloved son of a badass feminist, and lover of many women, Fela voiced his views about the African woman, just like he voiced his views about bad governance and Pan-Africanism. He sure did not believe in total gender equality.
Fela released the popular song “LADY” in 1972.
Here is an excerpt of the lyrics:
"...She go say him equal to man
She go say him get power like man
She go say anything man do himself fit do…
She go want take cigar before anybody
She go want make you open door for am
She go want make man wash plate
For am, for kitchen….
African woman go dance
She go dance the fire dance
African woman go dance
She go dance the fire dance
She know him man na master
She go cook for am
She go do anything he say..."
In 1978, when Fela’s Kalakuta Republic was invaded by “unknown soldiers”, his great mother, Funmilayo was with him and she was thrown out the window. She died months later in a coma resulting from the injuries of the defenestration that she suffered.
This mother loved her son, despite some differences in their views. And Fela mourned his mother in both words and songs until the end of his life.
Question: How will today’s feminists react, were they to have sons like Fela?
Kunle Omope
Monday 27 May 2019
NA DEM, RUN (A POEM)
When you jam dem, run.
Don’t be like the sand
Who lamented about the wave
That while she was sprawled at home,
Basking in the sun,
To get the best tan for him,
He was busy traveling
Through many lands,
Only to rush back home,
To give her a pat on the bum
Leaving her incomplete
And taking a part of her with him.
when dem dey do like wave,
na dem, run!
Run far far. Make you no come back, lai lai.
2.
When you jam dem, run.
Don’t be like the tongue
Who complained about the teeth.
And how they all ganged up against him
And drew his blood
In a quest for survival
For a meal that belonged not to him
Or any of them.
But, he, the tongue would still endure
A gang bang of the ruthless 32,
Yet nestling in their midst
Healing while awaiting
Their next assault
When dem do like teeth,
Na dem, run!
Run far far. Make you no come back, lai lai.
3.
When you jam dem, run.
Don’t be like the tree
Who said of the Wind
“He smashes my head with blows
My leaves take leave of my face,
Then, he bends my neck
With his strong fingers
But I keep coming back to him,
Even though he walks away every time”.
When dem do like Wind,
Na dem, run!
Run far far. Make you no come back, lai lai.
KUNLE OMOPE