By Shiloh Akinyemi
Twice I have seen my father, Bolaji O. Akinyemi weep like a baby, the first was when Arotile was murdered, and now yours. This man and children, particularly the girl child. Bold, courageous and daring in his defense of his girl child. That year I had an accident that affected one of my eyes at Air Force Secondary School, Ikeja, his engagement with the authorities was unbelievable. This man can go to war for his children o. Let’s leave that story for another day.
Bamise’s death has opened us all to wandering from reality to imagination, we are shuttling between two realms, as if wanting to turn the hand of time back.
It had been a long and hetic week.
The compounded stress of work and Lagos traffic.
The daily hustle and bustle trying to make ends meet. This adulting life is hard.
Still a long walk to fulfilment, On some days, the idea of being taken care of by somebody’s son with the Iyawo Oga title plastered to your forehead doesn’t sound so bad, what a privilege it will be to simply hold the home, watch over children and do chores while waiting for hubby who has gone out to win big bread. Life is an interesting circle, I was born, I will also give birth and on and on to fulfill the desire of the creator; “be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth.
Omo, in the light of God’s expectations, I have come to realize that there’s so much more to life, rather than cut corners to make it, this sound footing numbers you away from fools who needlessly are wasting people’s life in search of riches from rituals. You decide to put in the actual work and hope for the best, yet grapple with the state of insecurity in the country. Thank God for Lagos, my Lagos, your Lagos our Lagos. My Lasgidi, a city of the future and the hope of Nigeria.
And oh boy, did I give my best. All week long! I was super excited the weekend was here and my TGIF mood was activated.
Time to head home, unwind and prepare for the coming week.
With the level of insecurity in the country, ladies like myself have learnt to take basic safety precautions like avoiding “danfo” buses. Thanks to the fuel situation, danfo buses weren’t even an option because of the hike in prices.
So like the careful babe I am, I boarded a BRT bus. Lagos State Government would at least make a passenger’s life priority. I’d be home in no time, at least that was the plan.
A couple of minutes into the ride, I sensed a foul play. Something was wrong; call it a premonition. As hard as I tried, I couldn’t shake off this uneasy feeling and in a bid to distract myself, I made a video.
Maybe for safety, or just to give my best friend something to laugh about.
Ore! Could time be split from eternity in such dramatic way, I still see you, hard as I tried to soro soke so you could hear me. All I see is your tears, Bamise said.
Where did i stop before the horror began? Yes! I told you not to tell anyone yet, just Incase nothing happened, so I won’t be laughed at.
Now I would give anything to travel back in time, to tell the world all that happened and how it did. The twist to my story is so heart rending! Anyway, if in life Snow White could be stop from telling her own story by an injunction granted by a woman Magistrate against another woman’s fundamental human right few days to International Women’s day celebration, will you then wonder why the bill seeking gender equality was thrown out of the assembly by men?
Is not “a man’s world” simply a world where we as women have failed to take what is ours out of life? how can the majority population be begging for increase in representation in our National Assembly?
Ore, wipe your tears! I wish I can have you here safe with me, so we can walk this road paved with gold together and laugh over the horror that has turned honour on this other side.
From here, I see a greater Lagos, birthed from the empathy of a mother, a Governor like a mother hen, one who gathers all her children like the hen its chicks. But will the women dare to upset Nigeria starting from Lagos? I learnt the Governor took a detour, against coming to visit my family, he went dancing with Tinubu at TBS.
I keep hearing her voice “Ki won ma fi mi se yeye” but no one’s laughing right now Bami, no one is, our lids are swollen, the tears ceaseless, I am still hoping to be woken from this bad dream.
I will forever wonder how I let this happen. I will forever wonder why I chose to listen to you.
I will forever wonder if things would have turned out differently if only I had done the right thing. I should have gone LIVE with our conversation. I am bitter with myself.
Ore, you needn’t, those Sunday School stories we were told are real, the Bible is true and Jesus is indeed the gate way to eternity. Here heaven’s gate is automated opening to the token JESUS once He is found in the heart of any, without regards for those earthly religious identification. Like a lazer light, the light of Him that dwells in light unapproachable hit your heart and once Christ the light is found, the gate opens. I am glad Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s wishes for automatic entrance into heaven is achievable if Christ dwells in our hearts. Please, keep Him comfortable in yours till eternity you attain.
