“EVEN WHEN EVERYTHING ADVISES OTHERWISE, I BELONG TO MY MOTHER’S HUT”

“EVEN WHEN EVERYTHING ADVISES OTHERWISE, I BELONG
TO MY MOTHER’S HUT”
this man na person wey dey rooted
on top the soils of Africa..

My mother once called me into her hut,
She said; my pikin, my pikin, how many
times wey I call you?
I answered; Mama na two times,
Then she said; You be son of the soil, ayo mi, home na home
no matter wetin dey happen,
No ever forget say na your heritage be this,
You be African Man, you be Naija boy,
You be omo Oduduwa, you be my pikin.

Years don pass, I still dey remember this talk,
I don become man now and I dey fear,
I dey fear say I go soon de-africanize myself,
I dey see all the kata kata
wey dey happen for my back yard,
I dey hear all the wahala
wey my people dey experience,
I dey imagine whether I fit get courage to
tell my son wetin my mama proudly tell me,
Hmm! I don get dark hope,
I dey sad for my land(s).

I tie hope like wrapper so that I fit
Find the light for this my continent,
No matter how life hard, home na home,
No place be like am.

So if them ask me how I feel about Africa,
I go talk say

I dey happy to wear my black face go anywhere,
I dey ready to dress my origin anytime,
I be African man, I no fit abandon my culture,
Even if I disembark, even if I japa,
my soul still dey with my people.

GLOSSARY
ayo mi – my joy
pikin – child
kata kata – troubles
japa – run away
omo – child