That Nigerian Girl

“The Joys of Motherhood” by Buchi Emecheta: A Feminist Review Nnu Ego the daughter of Ona and her lover Agbadi, is born with a mark on her head. The mark is on the same spot where the slave girl to be buried alive with Agbadi’s first wife suffered an injury. Refusing to go down without a fight, she promised Agbadi that she would come back to him as his own. Ona dies and leaves her daughter in Agbadi’s care, making him promise that he would allow her be a free woman, giving her away in marriage only if it was Nnu Ego’s choice. When Nnu Ego does not bear children for her husband, Agbadi receives her back home and returns the bride price paid. Soon after, she is taken to Lagos to meet another man. Nnu Ego is however disappointed with the appearance of her new husband Nnaife, but endures him with hope that he can give her children. Agbadi on his death bed calls for his daughter Nnu Ego, she returns to the village and shows Agbadi that his daughter had become a complete woman and ...

I am unlearning silence Learning how to say no To things that make me uncomfortable To the things that hurt me To the things that me question self-worth To the things that make me subservient I am unlearning grief Learning to let go Of the thoughts that draw me back Of the words that pierced my heart Of the laughter that mocked my spirit Of the promises that ridiculed my choice I am learning laughter Learning to hold on To the things that bring me joy To the things that flood my heart with light To the words that propel me forward To the people who bring me peace I am learning bravery Learning to say yes To the things that make me free To things passion brings my way To the path that lets my voice be heard To the one that lets my heart love To the one that leads my heart to love

I think it is indeed true that when one sits in a dirty environment for too long he or she becomes numb to the dire reality of his or her situation. I was on my way home from work. At a certain stop the taxi driver plied a different route to avoid a ‘hold up’. Whilst we were going past it, passengers in the vehicle could see more clearly the magnitude of the ‘hold up’. If we had plied the normal route, I estimate that we would have spent at least 20 minutes going through. The lady beside me exclaimed “this one na small sef, e no too long”. I’m not sure if I rolled my eyes, I think I should have. I don’t mean to sound impatient or rude. How on earth can you ply a route that takes you 30 minutes and counting to get through, every day, for most days of your life, and the day you spend 20 minutes you rejoice as though a helicopter lifted you and dropped you off at your door step. You deserve to go through seamless traffic! Now, while you might be thinking 15, 20 minutes is not ...

So, I was standing at a particular junction, waiting for a vehicle I could take home. True to the Abuja style, this particular junction was packed with people. The inner agbero in me was already on high alert. In other news, we die here . Do you know or have you heard of the Toyota Coaster Bus? Yes, that ‘long white bus’. Ehn, that one. So, this bus is approaching me and fellow country people, its destination is our destination. As it slows down with its door open, fellow country people started climbing and literally jumping in. No fear, me sef I follow.   * wipes tears, *sniffs, the things naija makes you do. We sha got into the vehicle. Remember how the interior of the Toyota Coaster bus is? Two seats to the left, one seat to the right, and that one low seat in between the left and the right. As population demands, the vehicle is filled up in matter of seconds. Next thing… …driver parks the vehicle and turns off the engine. Driver: na five five for...

Her eyes glistened with tears Her body shook till she tumbled over "never again, never again" The voice in her head speaking to her "never again would you let yourself be this vulnerable" She dragged herself through the doors The tears had began to flow Like water trickling down, more and more it came Until her sobs could be heard "get a hold of yourself" And so she continued dragging herself towards the road "you're almost there, you're almost there" On and on she went until her knees buckled Falling to the ground she let out a sharp cry "I can't, I can't" she cried aloud tugging at her shirt, tapping her chest, begging her heart to ease up She sobbed, trying to catch her breath, she pleaded with the universe to help her. It appeared as though The universe was watching As if, unwilling to answer Her cry grew louder and louder Grief overwhelming her Her tears flowed And furiously she wiped them awa...

I was standing at a bus stop waiting for a vehicle to convey me to my destination. Several vehicles passed me by because I was waiting to pay 50 Naira (the original fare) instead of 100 Naira that the taxi drivers who had passed charged. If you're in a hurry to get home that late you wouldn't mind  paying their stated fare and be on your way home ASAP. Not that I wasn't in a hurry to get home, I just felt it was unfair. And even though I had 100 Naira to pay I held on to the thought that sane taxi drivers would go past the bus stop I was at. Don't worry I'm not a stingy human. Random guy approaches me from my right hand side and asks where I'm headed and I respond, thinking he was an actual taxi driver. However, noticing that he was a little bit frantic, my mind immediately goes to 'one chance'. He then tells me "I can drop you off", when I didn't respond he asked me "are you scared?" I start showing visible irritation, frown...

"What tribe are you?" The man beside me asked, while I was waiting for a vehicle that would convey me to work. I guessed him to be in his late forties. "I am Ijaw" I responded. "What tribe are you Sir?" He responds inaudibly and adds that he is from Kogi State. He went on to say how some Ijaw people are nice, and that his brother was taken to Port-Harcourt and introduced to a man, and now this said brother is a very big man. I thought in my head that that was nice, how strangers could be the gateway to the next big thing. Keep in mind that by brother he probably meant a cousin, distant relative, or an individual from the same tribe, or same state of origin. moments of silence "Are you married?" ah ah, just lai  dat? "No Sir" By this time my countenance had changed. I am tired of random men, randomly proclaiming love/likeness and going ahead to make marriage proposals. "You should get married..." okay  "...the...