THIS SILENCE...

How long do I have to knock, before you open?
How long do I have to tug at your heart, before it splits open?
How long will it take you to realize that your silence, leaves my heart broken,
And that your indifference leaves me constantly broken and sullen,
Baby, please tell me what you really feel,
Please tell me how you really feel,
For I know this love I feel for you is true and real,
Your beauty leaves me dazzled, but your silence leaves me confused,
This silence makes me feel ignored and refused,
So girl, please say something 'cos this silence is really killing me!

How else would I express my love for you?
How else would I reach out to you?
I stood on the rooftop but you ignored me,
I tried rhymes and rhythm but you never listened to me,
I  tried spaces, pages and writing, but you never responded to me,
I even tried calling but you never answered me,
Why have you chosen to put me through this torture?
Why have you chosen to respond with your heart's closure?
Baby please tell me, because this silence is killing me,
This silence is breaking me, and this silence is weakening me...

MAY WE REMEMBER! IV

May we never forget the likes of George Washington,
Who pioneered a revolution known to the world today as America,
May we never forget the likes of Abraham Lincoln,
Who against all odds fought for the freedom of slaves,
May we never forget the likes of Martin Luther king and Malcolm X,
Who through all adversity and pain, gave up their lives,
For the fight of equality and the furtherance of black solidarity,
May their stories and those of them I failed to mention,
Be inculcated into the tablets of our minds,
And engraved into the fibers of our beings,
May their history be imprinted into our souls;
For whatever we are, or ever will be,
Was borne-out of the lives of our heroes and heroines past,
So through it all, May We Remember!

MAY WE REMEMBER! III

Yes we are proud to be called Americans,
Living in a country called America;
A country where we are taught to aim higher and become better,
A country where our children are taught they can be whatever is their passion,
With hardwork, and determination,
A country where anyone can be successful;
You call it privileges and opportunities,
But we call it the American Dream,

But as we celebrate our independence,
As we continually extend our influence,
Let us not loose sight of our imperfection,
May we never forget our vision;
For we are still a work in progress,
A nation with some socio-cultural and political stress,
We are a project of excellence,
In search of the greatest intelligence,
Driving towards a place of all round stability,
And a pedestal of greater ability...

MAY WE REMEMBER! II

Today, we are known as the land of the free, and home of the brave,
We are a country of ourselves, ruled by ourselves and for ourselves,
We stand tall and proud through the annals of history,
And will forever be the world's envy,
As we continually define our own,

We walk down the aisles of the world,
In prestigious strides of intelligence and strength,
Setting the pace as we go,
And defining the blueprint and landmarks as we grow,
We flip through the pages of events,
Making history in every incident,
Beating our chest as the world's insight,
To a better and brighter plight,

But may we never forget,
The lives and courage of those untrained traders and farmers,
Who took the battle to the enemies's face,
Risking their lives with courageous inexperience as they set the pace,
For a free, brave and proud nation,
May we never forget,
The blood that gushed out of that black farmers chest as the enemies bullet went through him,
For that blood help secure our freedom...

MAY WE REMEMBER!

Through the dungeons of slavery,
Out of the bonds of captivity,
And from the clasps of brutality;
Against all odds,
Have we emerged,
A nation founded upon Freedom and Liberty,
Standing upon the pillars of bravery and strength,

But may we never forget the lives of those who fought,
And gave their lives to get us where we are,
May the memories of those who gave us freedom air,
Remain alive on the minds of generations unborn,
May the histories and stories of our nation's heroes and heroines past,
Be sounded continually through the chronicles of time with a blast,
And may we live to always remember!

UNTIL I FIND YOU II

So I will take my affection in my quiver,
Carry my passion in my sheath,
And through the cold will not shiver,
As I comb through the sands of time,
Sail across the seas of the earth,
Until I find you,

For I know you are somewhere out there,
So I'll search with determination,
With you my dear,
As my destination,
Until I find you,

And when I find you,
Unto you will I give my love,
My heart shall I sell to you,
In exchange for your love,

Honey, when I find you,
My heart shall be yours in all its portion,
With ecstasy shall I receive you in all affection,
And our hearts shall bond forever in eternal passion.

UNTIL I FIND YOU!

Though the journey seems unending,
And the situation long standing,
My heart, for you bears long,
And within my soul is a sorrowful song,

So I will take my heart in my hands,
Hold my love in my clasps,
And search through the four corners of the universe, even for eternity,
Forage through the borders of mortality,
Until I find you,

Though the quest seems futile,
And success appears volatile,
I know you are worth the while,
And for you I'm willing to search a long while...

WHEN ALL THERE IS... II

What more is there to do?
When your beauty lingers on my mind,
And our moments together I can't put behind,
Baby, with you there is only one thing to do-cherish you,
'Cos when all there is, is your heart and love,
I'm left with no other choice,
Than to take it in my hands and cherish it!

Life with you is like living on another planet-the planet affection,
And when we unite in a soulful bond of ecstasy,
It feels like tapping into a different universe-the universe of passion,
I still recall our vows at the altar,
They are vows I'm not willing to alter; "till death do us part",
But not even death can tear us apart,
'Cos even in death,
You will remain my breath,
And when you're gone,
If you go before me,
There's just one thing I'll do;
Immortalize you,
'Cos when all there is, is your soul and love,
I'm left with no other choice,
Than to treasure and love you!

WHEN ALL THERE IS...

Our world is full of intricacies,
And our lives sometimes complexities,
So often times we're caught in a maze,
Indecisive about what choices to make,
Unclear about what way to take;
But with you around, the confusion is dissolved,
With your presence in existence, the indecision is resolved,
Therefore I'm now certain of my resolve to- love you!
'Cos when all there is, is you and love,
I'm left with no other choice, than to love you;
Honey before you, my life was on a bumpy ride, on a path, dusty and course,
But you came along and changed my course,
You became my source;
The source of my joy and laughter,
The one who gave me true love on a platter!

YOU WON MY HEART II

There are still many victories to be won,
You're still a star waiting to be born,
And a treasure soon going to be known,
So please honey, put your past behind,
And erase the memories of failures off your mind,
Embrace the present and envision the future,
For in your future lies a bright picture,
Forget your losses and count your gains,
Look into my eyes and kiss my lips, for therein lies healing for your life's pains,
In spite of your sorrows,
Look on the bright side-you won my heart, and I'll be bye you till tommorrow,
For my love is strength and my beauty inspiration,
And together we are headed for a great destination;
Somewhere in a place of bright lights in the glowing heights,
And armed with each other's love and presence, we shall soar to the skies.

YOU WON MY HEART!

Every day I watch you whine and whinge about your losses,
You don't go through each day without complaining about your lost causes,
Your greatest passions were not accomplished,
And your highest visions were unaccomplished,
Baby, I understand...I really do,
I hear the murmurs and gossips; they're all about you,
And what you did and couldn't do,
I hear the perpetual jeers and sneers of your peers,
They're heavy like a bag of coins in my ears,
But baby look on the bright side- you won my heart,
I know we can never be torn apart,
With me by your side, you are destined for the heights,
And together we shall soar to the skies...

I'M A PROUD BLACK GIRL II

Yes, I'll say it again; I'm a proud black girl,
Proud of my ethnicity,
Proud of my beauty;
When I step out, the glow of my ebony skin in the blaze of the sun,
and the brightness of the moon, becomes the object of people's attention,
The sway of my hips, and the ride of my breasts, become their obsession,
And when I start to walk, the confidence in my strides and the certainty in my feet,
become the subect of their discussion,
Empowered by my skin's uniqueness,
And driven by its blackness,
I was the preferred in a gathering of many considered,
And I really don't care what people say about me,
What I'll be, I'll be,
I'm a very proud black girl, and that I'll remain till my dying day!

I'm a proud black girl,
Protective of my sexuality,
Proud of my femininity,
In case you don't know, I'm not a mere object of sex appeal,
Neither an object of gratification to be used and then repealed,
But every man's desire with whom they are appealed,
Empowered by my vision, I shoot for the skies and the stars,
And driven by my mission, I never stop raising the bars,
I'm the prettiest among many beauties,
And I don't care what people say about me,
What I'll be, I'll be,
I'm a proud black girl, and that I'll be till my dying day!

FATHER, IT'S ME AGAIN!

Father, it's me again, standing in the midst of you, by myself,
It's a new day and I'm grateful to you,
But yesterday is still on my mind,
And because I know no one can understand me,
I have come to you,
For my only desire you know, is to live for you; but sometimes I fall,
But lord I can't help coming back to you; you alone is my hope and stay,
For there lies no place in this world for me, except in your presence,
So lord please don't leave me by myself, for if you do, I'll be hopeless,
So, I'm here again, asking for another chance, after thousands already given,
And in the midst of my failures and weaknesses,
I know it's me you still love, and I can still hear you call my name,
So father, it's me again,
Standing in the midst of you, by myself.

I'M A PROUD BLACK GIRL!

I'm a proud black girl,
Proud of my skin,
Proud of my history,
Empowered by my ancestor's story,
And driven by my quest to end my people's misery,
Many were called but the chosen was me,
And I don't care what people say,
What I'll be, I'll be,
I'm a proud black girl, and that I'll remain till my dying day!

I'm a proud black girl,
Proud of my personality,
Proud of my entity,
Empowered by the strength of my soul,
And driven by the resilience of my mind and the essence of my goal,
Many were appointed, but the elected was me,
And I don't care what people say,
What I'll be, I'll be,
I'm a proud black girl, and that I'll remain till my dying day!

I WISH I TOOK MY CHANCES II

And everyday with the break of dawn,
I imagine what it would have been like,
Waking up to a beauty like you by my side,
And opening my eyes to a smile like yours in my face;
And when night falls,
I lie awake on my bed, thinking of you by my side,
And then I imagine what it would have felt like to kiss those luscious lips,
As I held those tender hands,
I imagine what it would have felt like hugging you,
As I press your breast against my chest,
I imagine what it would have felt like starring into those starry eyes,
Under the breathe of your love,
I imagine what the fragrance of your skin smell like,
And how beautiful you look in the nudity of your body and heart,
And in the nakedness of your spirit and soul,
But mere fantasies they'll forever be;
Fleeting images they'll remain,
And so all I do is wish that I'd poured my heart to you,
When I had the chance, in the first instance.

BLOOD IN MY TEARS;TEARS IN MY HEART III

As I write this poem, my palms are wet with the sweat of pain, and I can hardly hold unto my pen,
My paper is damp with the tears of my grief, and my words are drenched in my sorrows,
Sometimes I wonder if you tasted disgust when I kissed you,
I wonder if you felt another when I touched you,
I wonder if you saw yourself in another's arms when I hugged you,
I even wonder if you imagined another when you moaned and yelled in ecstasy,
As I thrust you,
Did you hear another's voice when I called you?
Did you feel another's warmth as our bodies touched?
Please tell me if you felt another's lips when I sucked you,
But with each passing night, I pine,
And long for the nights we spent together;
The moments we shared together,
And the days we lived together,
And even though my heart cries as my soul bleeds,
For the hand you dealt me,
My shattered soul yearns for you,
For you are all my heart still desires;
You alone can make me whole,
For within my heart your absence has left a hole,
And I long for the day our hearts will beat as one,
For as long as you're away, in the arms of another,
I'll keep wondering why;
I'll keep asking why;
And all I'll do is cry,
For with every tear I shed, my soul bleeds,
And I've got blood in my tears, and tears in my heart, because of you!

I WISH I TOOK MY CHANCES...

You know, the first time I set my eyes on you,
I was sure you'll be the start of something new,
And when I first heard your voice,
I was convinced with you, my life would be made a new;
You looked like an angel, so pure and perfected,
Your beauty was unblemished, so true and tested,
You were all I needed,
The reason my sorrows receded,
But I lacked the courage to express myself,
And my fright magnified itself,
And so I never told you,

But now that you're gone,
I wish I had said, "I love you",
When I had the chance,
Now that you belong to another,
I wish I overcame my fright in the first instance,
And told you that we belonged together;
That we were made for each other,
And our love was meant forever,
But now I guess it doesn't matter anymore,
For we're now miles apart,
And can never be together,
And while you lay in the arms of another,
I'll be here, sobbing and crying,
Wishing I took my chances...

THERE'S A PLACE...II

So honey, here, take my hands; arise from your groaning,
Get up from your moaning,
It's time to stop the crying,
It's time to quit the sobbing,
For somewhere out there,
Lies a place for you, my dear;
Where love waits with open arms,
To receive you into its arms,
Wipe away your tears,
And jettison your tares and your fears,
For really sweetie, there's a better place for you.

BLOOD IN MY TEARS; TEARS IN MY HEART II

When I found you,
I thought I had found a friend,
I was certain I knew you,
But until you drifted, and left me adrift in this ocean of love,
I realized I never knew you,
You were a stranger in disguise;
When I kissed you,
I was sure I had kissed an angel,
But until you went away,
I realized you were pretense personified;
When I hugged you,
I felt a sense of safety and protection,
But until you walked out that door,
I realized I was living a fairy tale;
When I drew from your sexuality,
I felt a surge of true bond and affection,
As our warm bodies touched and our souls unite,
I was confident I was your first, as you were mine,
I was positive your womb will carry my babies,
But until you left, I realized I was like your numerous partners;
You were an infidel!
Baby, every time I wonder why,
All I do is cry,
And with every tear I shed, my soul bleeds,
And all I've got is blood in my tears, and tears in my heart...
All because of you!

LETTERS TO A DISTANT QUEEN III- WHEN NIGHT FALLS

So every night with the glow of the moon and the stars,
As each day comes to an end,
I fall into my subconscious,
Into a world I desire has no end,
As upon my bed dreams of you fill my head,
My folks and friends tell me to move ahead,
But they are dreams of us, as we unite in sexual intimacy,
As I hope to subject this body to your affectionate supremacy and majesty,
For all my life have I lived in chastity,
Keeping my virginity,
For your precious personality,
And I know that one day,
Our eyes shall meet,
Our hearts shall bond,
And we shall unite in love beyond mortality.
With love,
From your soulmate.

THANK YOU!-TO ALL MY FANS, SUPPORTERS AND FOLLOWERS!

This goes to all my fans, supporters, and followers of my blog: below is a poem I wrote to express my gratitude to you for always logging on to check out my posts. Thank You!

What more can I say,
How else can I thank you,
For being there for me everyday,
And for helping me go through,
There are so many things I want to say,
And so many I want to write too,
But I just want to take the time today,
To say thank you!

You are the reason I wake up each day to write,
Even when I don't feel like it,
On this journey of writing and composition, you all have been my light,
You are the ones that keep the fires of my creative side constantly lit,
You make my face bright,
Every time you view a blog and comment on it,
You all are the ones who make me strive to keep my posts tight,
And I just want to take the time to say thank you!

Thank you,
For every page you viewed,
Thank you,
for every poem you read,
Thank you,
for every novel you read,
Thank you,
for every comment you left,
Thank you for evey sign up you did,
The best is yet to come,
I still have more interesting and inspiring posts for you,
But for now, I say thank you!

VOICE OF A POET III-THE CONCLUSION

It's the voice of a colonized nation,
That spoke its way out of the shackles of bondage,
It's the voice of the abused child,
That deserves to be heard, and desires to be delivered,
The voice of the young rapper,
Making a statement,
And the voice of the soulful musician,
Sending a message,
Oh, it's the voice of the embattled teenager,
Longing hope and guidance,
And the voice of young America,
Searching for answers and a better future,
Oh, it's the voice we cannot ignore,
A voice that lives forever,
A voice that can never be stifled...
I call it the Voice of a Poet

THERE'S A PLACE... (A better place for you, no Matter What you've been Through!)

Beyond your brokenness,
Ahead of your loneliness,
And far beyond your faint-heartedness,
Lies a place for you;
In the arms of comfort,
Within the hugs of support,
And away from the clasps of hurt;
If you would put the past behind,
Erase the pain from off your mind,
And take my hands,

Baby, I understand that your spirit's been slain,
By the one you love,
And your soul's now in pain,
By the one you thought was from above,
And the purity of your trust's been blemished by love-stains,
So your heart feels like it's got a blain,
But within your future,
I can still see a bright picture,
And in spite of what you've been through,
There lies a place for you;
In the cuddle of affection,
Within the snuggle of compassion,
And away from the enclave of affliction,
If you would let go of your painful plights,
Blot out the memories of your sorrowful nights,
And take my hands...

VOICE OF A POET II- THE POEM THAT GAVE BIRTH TO THE BLOG

From the hearts of the weak,
It resounds,
From the being of the abandoned and less-privileged,
It shouts, calling for love,
From within the soul of the brutalized,
It arises, pleading for justice,
Deep within the existence of the enslaved,
It resonates, begging for freedom,
And from the bowels of the impoverished,
It swells, seeking a better place,
A voice that lives forever,
A voice that can never be stifled...
I call it the Voice of a Poet!

VOICE OF A POET-SEE THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE BLOG

From the genesis of humanity,
It has existed,
From the times of ancient history,
It has lived,
Even in our present age,
It still thrives,
Taking us back and forth the hands of time,
As it constantly gives us a reason,
To reflect on the revolution of our universe,
And the very essence of life itself,
A voice it is present in everyone's heart;
A voice that lives forever;
A voice that can be heard in silence;
A voice that can never be stifled...
I call it the Voice of a Poet!

BLOOD IN MY TEARS; TEARS IN MY HEART

I thought love was sweet;
But until you left me,
I never realized it was also sour;
I thought beauty was a loner;
But until you left me,
I never realized it was also beastly!
I thought fidelity had integrity,
But until you betrayed me,
I never thought it also compromised,
You were my first and only love,
I gave you my heart,
But you kissed it and then crushed it,
Against the walls of heartlessness,
And into the oceans of treason, you threw it,
And departed with another!
Every time I wonder why,
So all I do is cry,
And with every tear I shed, my soul bleeds,
Baby, I've got blood in my tears; and tears in my heart,
And it's all because of you!

THE MOMENTS THAT GREW WINGS II

Sweetie, I want to know... please tell me, why we now loathe each other,
Tell me why we fight ourselves and hurt each other,
Tell me why we can no longer dwell together,
Tell me why the love of my life is gradually slipping away from me, forever,
Please tell me why those joyful moments grew wings and flew away,
'Cos I'm tired of fighting with my destiny, the one with whom I belong together,
So baby, please let us put the past behind, and revive those moments of love and passion everyday,
'Cos it's you I want to be with forever,
And I'm sure besides you, there is none other.

THE MOMENTS THAT GREW WINGS!

The crossing of our paths was destiny,
I was sure our love was meant for eternity,
Because from the first instance our personalities found unity,
My soul found joy in your entity,
I thought our lives was like a spaceship headed for a union of veracity,
Baby, when I kissed you it was in purity,
When I hugged you it was in loyalty,
And when I set gaze on you it was with ecstasy,
Even when our bodies and soul fused, it was in spirituality,

But as I write, with so much pain my heart,
Staring at your beautiful face across the room, wondering how we grew apart,
I can't help but ask what happened to those moments we shared, and why our lives are falling apart,
I can't help but question this silence and distance that now lie between our hearts,
Honey, please tell me, what happened to us? Why do we fight and hurt our love-parts?
Where are those days that beautified our lives, and made it like nature's work of art,
Please tell me, why did those moments grow wings and fly away?

THE SORROWS OF CHILDHOOD, A NOVEL Cont'd

Two

Tragedy

    Oba Ewuare, also known as Ewaure the great was the greatest warrior legend and the most outstanding king in the history of the Benin Empire. The title, ‘Ewuare, or Oworuare’ means ‘it is cool or the trouble has ceased’ and as a result the war is over. A title symbolic of an epoch of reconciliation, reconstruction and the return of peace among the warring factions in Benin kingdom, long before I was born in the 17^th century(around 1435-1440 AD). This oba or king subdued 201 villages in Southern Nigeria, including my ancestral home of Nri, and thus formed the ancient Benin Empire which declined around the period of my childhood, after 1700 AD. The Benin Empire was eliminated in 1897 by the British. However, the tragedy of this period was not in the decline of the Benin Empire, but that of the ancient and peaceful people of Nri, that raised my forefathers.

    As a testimony to their peaceful disposition, the Nri people were against slavery and the slave trade. This jeopardized a long standing relationship that existed between the Benin and the Nri people, for they supported and partook in the slave trade. In the 18^th century, when the slave trade was at its peak, the Benin and Igala slave raiding empires became the main influence in the Nri people’s relationship with the western and northern Igbos, the Nri’s former areas of influence and operation.

    Upper Northwest Cross River Igbo groups like the Aro confederacy and Abiriba peoples, as well as the Awka and Umunoha people used oracular activities and other trading opportunities after Nri’s decline in the 18^th century to become the major influences in Igbo land and all adjacent areas. This included parts of Igala land and places west of the Niger River, indirectly affected by the Benin kingdom. The Arochukwu people of the Aro confederacy even enslaved their own ‘brothers’ by treating them as Osu, or outcasts. Usually, inhabitants disguised themselves as forest spirits, and chased visitors who usually ran into the shrine to ask the deity for help. Once they did this, they were considered Osu, or outcasts, and enslaved. They then served in the shrine, as servants of the chief priest, and ripped of their belongings. They continued in this state, until the chief priest chooses to let them go. However, upon their release, former slaves still bore the stigma of having being Osus, or outcasts.

     Prior to our capture by the Benins, our forebears had heard of slave trade dealings undertaken by the Benin. Some neighboring villages had been victims of the Benin invasion. When our forefathers heard of the intentions of the Benin, they placed armed warriors at the borders of the village, to inform the Igwe, king and villagers of any attempts by the Benins, and ward off the invasion while the villagers escaped. However following countless failed attempts by the Benins to capture the Nri people, they decided to employ different measures that took my people unawares. And with this measure,  preventing an invasion was like building castles in the air, our forefathers explained to our own fathers in the native Igbo proverbs.

       Tragedy finally befell the ever influential and peaceful Nri people, like a dreaded disease, when our ancestors were captured by the Benins, after hundreds of years of resistance to Benin imperialism. As opposed to the earlier plan, the Benin warriors laid secret ambushes around the entire Nri kingdom. So while we ate and drank, we were under the constant watch of the Benins. They even disguised themselves and traded with us, speaking our local dialect, while working as spies for their monarch, oba Ewuare.

      It was the eve of the eke market day and children were gathered by the fire in the cold of the evening listening to folklores from their parents, while the traders sat under the canopy of the odala tree, discussing how sales had gone in the market, when suddenly, Ogidi, the leader of the warriors placed at the entrance of the village ran past our house, raising clouds of white dust, that appeared red in the fires, screaming in the native Igbo dialect,

    ‘Habiawala O, ndi Benin na oba Ewuare. Gba unu osor oo’ he screamed saying;

    ‘They are coming, the Benins and oba Ewuare. Run for your lives!’

   Ogidi was however too late, for before he could get to the market square, half of the village was surrounded by the Benin warriors. Some villagers were taken away from their sumptuous delicacies, some caught in the middle of performing their manly duties in bed to their wives. Some women were even dragged naked from the local raffia and palm leaves constructed bathrooms. It was a moment of severe pains for pregnant women, some of which had miscarriages. Fortunately however, my mother who was pregnant with me at the time, managed to escape a miscarriage. I guess the gods had a date with destiny for me.

      Our Eze, king was ripped of his crown and throne, and the council of elders, the Nze and Ozo title holders, dissolved, and the entire kingdom set ablaze. These were the beginning of sorrows. In a moment, the raid was over, and here our parents were, under captivity. Our glory lost, our pride stolen, and our culture and tradition thrown to the dogs. We thus became part of the ancient Benin Empire. That was a day, descendents of Nri kingdom, will never forget.

GRASS TO GRACE, A NOVEL Cont'd.

CHAPTER THREE

THE CHALLENGE

      It was barely a week to the certificate examinations. The timetable was already out and the studious three had long covered their syllabus and were already prepared for the examinations. They’ve been attending extracurricular classes, lately which Abayomi’s parents arranged for them, and this had gone a long way in aggrandizing their knowledge in the core subjects like Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics. This also gave them the confidence they were going to be recipients of the scholarship award sponsored by the Oxford University.

      However, for the boys, Gbenga, Kole and Eze, things were relatively different and easy going. To them, it was like three months to the exams because they were still playing and lazing about, jumping from one compound to the other causing mischief. For Gbenga he was sure his father was going to pull some strings in ensuring that his son gets whatever he wants in the examinations. But for Kole and Eze, a boy from Igbo, one of the major Nigerian Ethnic groups, that formed the eastern part of the country, they hoped in Gbenga to provide them with materials they would use in cheating, during the examinations.

       Monday, July, 17, was the examination day. For Kunle and Bisi preparations were not very easy coupled with tedious household chores they had to carry out on a daily basis. However, determination they taught brings success. They were thus determined to get what they desired. The day before the examinations, Bisi and Kunle had rounded off their chores in good time and went in to sleep. They got up early the next day and took an hour in going through some possible examination questions. It was really stressful for the serious minded students, but if it is rewarding, then it was worth doing they thought.

        It was time for the examinations and all preparations had been made by the school’s examination board. The paper to be written on the first day was Mathematics and the papers had arrived earlier than expected. Finally, the examinations commenced at about 9 am in the morning. Bisi, Kunle, and Abayomi were brainstorming and providing solutions to the questions being time conscious as well.

       On the contrary, it was hell for Gbenga and the others. Gbenga’s hope was shattered because his parents had embarked on a business trip to Lagos state, a state on the western part of Nigeria, which used to be it’s capital. But the two will always find a way out. The day before the exams Gbenga had copied a number of Mathematical questions into a sheet of paper and mad three copies. They were stealthily copying out the solutions into their answer sheets when the eagle-eyed Mr. Inyang, a supervisor from the examination council spotted them from the front of the class.

                  “Stand up you fool” he shouted.

                  “M-m-mee, do you mean us sir” they stammered and shivered.

                  “Yes! I mean three of you’ he replied looking berserk.

                  “Give me that paper” he said. They handed him the paper with shaking hands.

                  “What? Malpractice, Get out of this hall now and go straight to the principal’s office” Mr. Inyang, a man from Calabar, a south-eastern Nigerian state, took the boys to the principal who became infuriated after hearing their offense. This was because he had previously warned that no student should bring shame to the school’s name by involving in any act of malpractice. But as it turned out, it appeared he was pouring water on a duck’s back by his warning. The boys were immediately expelled since failure to do this will mean cancellation of that subject for the school. Mr. Kwame was not willing to let that happened knowing that so many hopes were tied to this exam.

        For Gbenga it was like nothing had happened. He arrogantly walked out of the principal’s office without scruples over his actions or fear over his parent’s reactions. One would not blame the arrogant child; his parents brought him up that way. Little wonder, the good book says “train up a child in the way he should go. And when he is old he would not depart from it”. For Kole and Eze, it was like the whole world had come crumbling down on them since their parents were not well-to-do. They realized they’ve been misled and had wasted their time and parents little money all along. It had by now dawned on them they had jeopardized their future. Beggig for a secong chance was like building castles in the air, so the two went home sobbing. Just then Gbenga appeared.

                 “Come on boys. This is not the end of the world, we still have hope” Gbenga said trying to encourage them.

                 “Oh spare me that” Kole responded angrily.

                 “You caused it all. You can now go home to your rich parents who would probably send you to another school elsewhere” he finished up.

                 “And never you come close to us again” Eze added.

     The boys departed on different routes. Pitiably enough, they had to learn their lessons the hard way. However, the rest of the exams were successful for those geniuses, Kunle, Abayomi and Bisi. At the end of the examination they envisioned themselves students of the prestigious Oxford University. They were optimistic.

SEPARATED BY TIME

You call me "brother", but you don't bother if I prosper or suffer,
We shared a common history and a common story, but now you've turned indiffernt to my misery, while you prosper,
Our bond you disintegrated, our history ignored and our brotherhood scattered,
You let the hands of time steal your conscience, and allowed the system to define you personality;
So while you're served in a gold-platter, I waste away in the gutter, and you're not bothered!
Remember the days when we battled the hands of oppression and resisted the claws of brutality, together,
Remember those nights when we stuck together through the cold of discrimination and the frigidity of alienation, I thought our brotherhood was forever,
But you let the waters of chronos and the streams of chronology erode our brotherhood,
And now you even seek to use me, cruise at the heights , while I rot in the hood,
You fight for yourself, work for yourself and live for yourself; so while you reign on the throne,
I struggle by myself, wallow in pain all alone, on my own,,
You even fight against me, and point a gun to my face,
You would kill me and let another take my place,
But I ask, Oh brother! Where has the love gone,
And to what land has the bond flown,
Have we been separated by time?
Why do we fight ourselves, and kill ourselves?
Why do we waste our destinies and whisk off our future,
I know this hate that now grows on our inside was not in our nature,
So please let us fuse the separation of time,
And bury the discord that now exists in its prime,
For time will always come and go,
But our people, our history, our story and our race will remain forever!

 

WOULD YOU BE THERE?

Would you be there?
When "all is well," becomes "all is in a well,"
To say "I love you my dear",
I'd like you to take a moment,
And reflect on this,
I'd like you to take some time,
And cogitate on this,
'Cos when I'm cruising on the top;
And crawling at the bottom,
When I'm riding on the mountains;
And rotting in the valleys,
In every whether and condition,
In the midst of my sorrowful plights,
And painful nights,
When the sweet turns sour, and better turns bitter,
Through it all and in it all,
I just want to know if you'll be there,
I just wanna know if you'll be standing by my side,
If yes, here, take my hand and let us unite in a life-long bond,
But if no, there's the door, please leave while you can,
So you don't break my heart and tear me apart!

WOULD YOU BE THERE?

You said you loved me,
And I believed you,
You promised you'd be a friend and a lover,
And I didn't doubt you,
You professed your love for me before many,
And I wasn't embarrassed,
But before we walk down the aisle,
Before I make you my soulmate,
I have a question in my heart for you;
Would you be there?
To comfort me,
When my heart lies bare,
Would you be there?
To console me,
When troubles on all side,
I cannot bear,
Would you be there?
When after the glorious days,
Come the gloomy nights,
And sorrow is all there is to share...

THE WORLD WAS SILENT WHEN WE CALLED!

On the shores of peace, in the land of our fatherland we lay,
Sharing laughter peace and joy everyday,
Then they broke into our land, and our peace they seized,
With thundering marches from within, our rest ceased,
In the twilight of a happy dawn, attacked by those into whose hands, our lives entrusted,
Our joy in the twinkling of an eye, was gone,
In the break of a glorious dawn, wounded by those we trusted,
Our unity broken in two, was no longer one,
The sun wailed for our troubles,
The moon cried for our struggles,
But the world was silent when we called,

When the hands of brutality attacked our mortality,
When the bullets of inhumanity shot us into eternity,
When our daugters were rapped and shattered,
And our sons killed and battered,
In the midst of the genocide,
Within the suicide and regicide,
Our hearts bled,
And our tears turned blood, we shed,
We wailed to those to whom we pledged allegiance,
But they responded with negligence,
We called to those with whom we had a commonwealth,
But they responded with a silence similar to death,
The world was silent when we called!

THE SORROWS OF CHILDHOOD, A Novel

One

Where it All Started

      Nights after nights, as we gathered by the fire, in cages; our hands and feet bound in fetters and shackles, we listened with grief, stories our parents told us of how we got to where we are now- the dungeons of slavery. They were sorrowful folklores of how peaceful we lived in the brotherhood of family and communal life, before we were ripped of our freedom. As I lay on my sick bed, well-stricken with age, my life passing away each day, I remember with mixed feelings, life in this turbulent period in history.

     Our forebears used to live in the ancient Nri kingdom, the oldest kingdom in Nigeria , in the Awka area. It was founded in about 900 AD in North-central Igbo land. The Nsukka-Awka-orlu axis is said to be the oldest area of Igbo settlement and therefore homeland of the Igbo people. This ancient kingdom is still considered the cradle of Igbo culture. The Nri people are children of the historical and mythical divine king, Eri( founder of Aguleri of the Umueri clan in the Anambra river valley). It was a center of spirituality, tradition, learning and commerce.

     Yearly sacrifices, like the Iriji ohuru, new yam festivals, which is also known by other names like Iwa-ji were observed on chosen market days to celebrate Ahiajioku, the god of agricultural increase. These occasions attracted people from the neighboring villages, as well as big cities, and also united the kingdom. They also carried out spiritual rites aimed at cleansing the land of evil spirits, and warding off the invasion of these spirits. Some of these rites were carried out to cleanse those who offended Aja-ana, the earth goddess. The Nri people also believed in reincarnation. They believed dead people could come back to life, as babies, and that some evil spirits existed as newly born babies, trees, streams and rivers. Twin births were therefore regarded as Alu, a taboo, hence such babies are usually sent to the evil forest and left to die, in order to cleanse the land, and prevent the wrath of the gods. They thus believed in gods, goddesses, and deities, like; Ayanwu, the sun god, Igwekaala, god of the sky, Amadioha, and Kamalu, gods of thunder and lightning; others included Ikenga, god of fortune and industry, and Agwunsi, the god of divination and healing. These gods had shrines and laws, headed and interpreted by the Dibia, chief priest of the village. The Nri people also had high moral values; young girls were encouraged to remain virgins until marriage. Virginity was every maidens pride, and breaking it before marriage, an abomination.

        More so, the Nri people were agents of peace and harmony, whose influence stretched beyond the Igbo land. Their influence in neighboring lands was especially in southern Igala land and Benin Kingdom in the 12^th to 15^th centuries. As great travelers, they were also business people involved in long distant Trans- Saharan trade. The development and sophistication of this civilization is evident in the bronze castings found in Igbo Ukwu, an area of Nri influence. The Nri people also engaged in farming, hunting and local craftsmanship. They married and conducted marriages in their typical peaceful state as they enjoyed the vast vegetation and fertility, nature blessed them with. The large acres of land, numerous palm trees, Iroko and mahogamy trees, bread fruits, Ukwa and Ube trees, were evidence of nature’s love for the Nris. The land was also a center of commerce, and other villages came to trade with them. There was also a very peaceful and strong relationship between the Nris and the Benins , until the 15^th century, when the Benin kingdom became a threat to them, under the leadership of a powerful monarch. This period began a historical evolution in the existence of the Nri kingdom. But my memories did not begin as I sat in the cold cages of slavery in the Benin kingdom. They began years later, as I lay sickly on my hospital bed, comparing the present situation of Nigeria , to its situation centuries ago, when I was a child.

 

 

THE SORROWS OF CHILDHOOD, A New Novel Coming Soon!

The story takes a deep plunge into the era, before, during and after the slave trade in Africa, and its inimical effects on the life of a teenage girl. In the book, Nwougo, the first person narrator, tells from her hospital bed, at an old age, a tragic but inspiring story of struggling with life as a slave girl, coupled with the emotional trauma of being sexually abused, and being a mother at a tender age, the pains of being denied her right to education because of discrimination against the girl child, and the tragedy of loosing her parents who could not survive the brutality of slavery.

  At the end of the slave trade, Nwougo goes to stay with her aunt, Adanne in Lagos state, located in Western Nigeria, a visit she thought will change her life for the better, but rather turned out to be one in which she was subjected to all sorts of mistreatment, introduced into prostituition and denied the opportunity of being well-educated. Upon discovering her aunt's intentions to traffic her to Europe, where she would be used as a commercial sex partner, Nwougo fled home, and began her journey of survival.

   Staged in the western part of Africa and Europe, it is a story that addresses the grave effects of slavery, the sexual and physical abuse the African child faces, and the injustices meted out against the girl child and women in general, evidenced in her denial of educational rights for the sake of her sex. It explores the socio-cultural beliefs of the traditional Igbo society, that longed believed women are meant to be chaste housewives and mothers, and therefore should not be allowed to go to school. It is a tale of sorrow, tragedy, a painful life, love and the pleasant rewards of facing life with much grit and  resilience inspite of its unfairness. At the end of the day,  through a twist of fate, Nwougo finds the love of her life in the person of Jide, the son of Mrs. Fumilayo, a lady who picked her up from the street and helped her, and this helped her process of healing and  recovery, as she also learnt to give back to her community and be of inspiration to those affected by the same ordeal. The story uses non-fictional places, and events to tell a fictional story.

 

All righs reserved!

Copyright Lysious

YOU MADE ME BELIEVE IN LOVE!

I was like a babe,
In the world of love,
But you nurtured me,
Till I was mature,
I was a freshman,
In the school of love,
But you tutored me,
Till I was learned,
Girl, you showed me the light,
And made me believe in love,

I was a skeptic,
A non-believer,
Then you came along,
Took me by the hand,
Showed me the pathway,
Bathe me in true love,
Clothe me with great care;
Opened my blind eyes,
Brought to me the future,
And made me believe in love,

You defined passion,
So pure and perfect,
You birth affection,
So true and tested,
That I seek none else,
In my weaknesses,
Loved and cherished me,
Girl in my life-book,
You wrote a new chapter,
And made me believe in love!

LETTERS TO A DISTANT QUEEN II

To what shall I liken this feeling?
It's like the morning of spring,
When the plants know,
And the sun knows as it glows,
That after days of cold wintery nights,
It's time to give up the fights,
As it buds and blossoms,
To what shall I liken this feeling?
It's like a leap in your heart,
As your composure is torn apart,
As your eyes meet the one for whom your heart pants,
And you just know she's the one,


Our universe throbs with delicate creatures, so ravishing,
My heart and mind are befuddled with sights so confusing,
My friends and folks tell me to start choosing and stop searching,
But I know my heart seeks,
Not for apparently beautiful picks,
But for beauty beyond the eyes, inward and true,
Do I soar to the skies,
For love heartfelt and true...

TO BE CONTINUED
Copyright Lysious.

JUST TO BE WITH YOU...III

Sweetie, please come home, for I feel loneliness in my spine,
And like a baby, all I do is pine,
For the comfort of your presence,
For in it, I find my true essence;
And all I want to do is to be with you,

I just want to feel the love-rhythm of your tender heart,
As it pounds through your luscious bosoms,
I just want to lie cuddled up with you,
Feel the warmth of your dark and beautiful skin,
And stare into your sparkling eyes,
As I behold your radiating countenance,
For this is all I desire in this world-to be with you.

JUST TO BE WITH YOU...II : The Persona's Emotions Run Wild as he anticipates the return of his wife.

Oh! I can't wait for your return,
For then my soul shall experience a reborn,
As we shall both unite in a night long of passion,
Ignited by the warmth of our bodies' fusion,
For all I want to do is to be with you,


Angel, it's a cold winter night,
The mattresses feel even colder tonight,
And I just want to feel the sensuousness and fullness of your tender lips,
As it touches my love-sick lips,
And the thrashing of your hips,
As your luscious thighs clasp around my sex-sick hips,
For all I really yearn is to be with you...

TO BE CONTINUED
Copyright Lysious

I'LL HOLD YOU CLOSE III-There's no Parting...Till my dying day!

So I'll hold you close,
Through the darkest of nights,
I'll hold you close,
In the midst of turbulent plights,
I'll hold you close,
Though my sorrows bear long,
I'll hold you close,
For you will be my joy-song,
I'll hold you close,
Beyond the borders of mortality,
I'll hold you close,
Even as I transcend unto eternity,
I'll hold you close!

I'LL HOLD YOU CLOSE II

My love, this is all I wanna do,
This is all I long for,
To forever be with you,
And to know your love is for sure,
So through the coldness of life,
In the midst of my loneliness and sadness,
I'll hold you close,
To feel the comforting-warmth of your tender skin;
The closeness that makes my sorrows lean,
For with you, all my sorrows are turned to joy,

Honey, here is my only want,
Here is all I need,
That you remain to me, a God-sent,
And through it all, remain my heart's lead,
So through the turbulence that confronts us,
In the midst of our troubles, though the world be against us,
I'll hold you close,
To hear you say, "I'm still your own",
And to hear you mutter, "I'll never leave you alone",
'Cos with you by my side, I'll rise to any challenge...

GRASS TO GRACE, A NOVEL Cont'd

CHAPTER THREE

THE CHALLENGE

      It was barely a week to the certificate examinations. The timetable was already out and the studious three had long covered their syllabus and were already prepared for the examinations. They’ve been attending extracurricular classes lately, which Abayomi’s parents arranged for them, and this had gone a long way in aggrandizing their knowledge in the core subjects like Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics. This also gave them the confidence they were going to be recipients of the scholarship award sponsored by the Oxford University.

      However, for the boys, Gbenga, Kole and Eze, things were relatively different and easy going. To them, it was like three months to the exams because they were still playing and lazing about, jumping from one compound to the other causing mischief. For Gbenga he was sure his father was going to pull some strings in ensuring that his son gets whatever he wants in the examinations. But for Kole and Eze, a boy from Igbo, one of the major Nigerian Ethnic groups, that formed the eastern part of the country, they hoped in Gbenga to provide them with materials they would use in cheating, during the examinations.

       Monday, July, 17, was the examination day. For Kunle and Bisi preparations were not very easy coupled with tedious household chores they had to carry out on a daily basis. However, determination they taught brings success. They were thus determined to get what they desired. The day before the examinations, Bisi and Kunle had rounded off their chores in good time and went in to sleep. They got up early the next day and took an hour in going through some possible examination questions. It was really stressful for the serious minded students, but if it is rewarding, then it was worth doing they thought.

        It was time for the examinations and all preparations had been made by the school’s examination board. The paper to be written on the first day was Mathematics and the papers had arrived earlier than expected. Finally, the examinations commenced at about 9 am in the morning. Bisi, Kunle, and Abayomi were brainstorming and providing solutions to the questions being time conscious as well.

       On the contrary, it was hell for Gbenga and the others. Gbenga’s hope was shattered because his parents had embarked on a business trip to Lagos state, a state on the western part of Nigeria, which used to be it’s capital. But the two will always find a way out. The day before the exams Gbenga had copied a number of Mathematical questions into a sheet of paper and mad three copies. They were stealthily copying out the solutions into their answer sheets when the eagle-eyed Mr. Inyang, a supervisor from the examination council spotted them from the front of the class.

                  “Stand up you fool” he shouted.

                  “M-m-mee, do you mean us sir” they stammered and shivered.

                  “Yes! I mean three of you’ he replied looking berserk.

                  “Give me that paper” he said. They handed him the paper with shaking hands.

                  “What? Malpractice, Get out of this hall now and go straight to the principal’s office” Mr. Inyang, a man from Calabar, a south-eastern Nigerian state, took the boys to the principal who became infuriated after hearing their offense. This was because he had previously warned that no student should bring shame to the school’s name by involving in any act of malpractice. But as it turned out, it appeared he was pouring water on a duck’s back by his warning. The boys were immediately expelled since failure to do this will mean cancellation of that subject for the school. Mr. Kwame was not willing to let that happened knowing that so many hopes were tied to this exam.

        For Gbenga it was like nothing had happened. He arrogantly walked out of the principal’s office without scruples over his actions or fear over his parent’s reactions. One would not blame the arrogant child; his parents brought him up that way. Little wonder, the good book says “train up a child in the way he should go. And when he is old he would not depart from it”. For Kole and Eze, it was like the whole world had come crumbling down on them since their parents were not well-to-do. They realized they’ve been misled and had wasted their time and parents little money all along. It had by now dawned on them they had jeopardized their future. Beggig for a secong chance was like building castles in the air, so the two went home sobbing. Just then Gbenga appeared.

                 “Come on boys. This is not the end of the world, we still have hope” Gbenga said trying to encourage them.

                 “Oh spare me that” Kole responded angrily.

                 “You caused it all. You can now go home to your rich parents who would probably send you to another school elsewhere” he finished up.

                 “And never you come close to us again” Eze added.

     The boys departed on different routes. Pitiably enough, they had to learn their lessons the hard way. However, the rest of the exams were successful for those geniuses, Kunle, Abayomi and Bisi. At the end of the examination they envisioned themselves students of the prestigious Oxford University. They were optimistic.

LETTERS TO A DISTANT QUEEN

Everyday with the break of dawn, I forage through this palace of beauty in search of you,
Hoping that one day our paths shall cross, and my heart will no longer lie in two,
My folks and friends tell me I'll never find you,
'Cos you're not out there,
But I know you are, for you are all my heart can bear,
And with you, my love, I desire to share,
For you are a precious jewel, I'll never leave bare,

Everyday as I sojourn this world of mortality and human fallibility,
I'm amazed at the diversity of beauties I see, so deception becomes a possibility,
My friends and folks tell me to pick one and go on,
But I know there's just one my heart seeks,
And you my queen are that one,
So my soul yearns for the day our hearts shall beat as one...

TO BE CONTINUED
Copyright Lysious

JUST TO BE WITH YOU...

My love, you've been gone for so long,
Your absence puts in my heart a sorrowful song,
And all I want to do is to lay my eyes on you again,
For your presence is all that can drown my pain,
Above all honey, I just want to be with you,

It's an eclectic world out there,
With so many ravishing maidens my mind can bear,
And lovers cheating on each other,
After promising fidelity forever,
But above all the beauties of the world,
It's just you I want to be with...

TO BE CONTINUED
Copyright Lysious

I'LL HOLD YOU CLOSE...

This one thing I desire,
This one thing I yearn,
Though the consequences seem dire,
To turn back and leave; I'll never learn,
So through the storms of life,
In the midst of the raging tempest,
I'll hold you close,
To hear the love rhythm of your heart;
The assurance we can never be torn apart,
For together we shall overcome...

TO BE CONTINUED
Copyright Lysious

GRASS TO GRACE, A NOVEL

CHAPTER TWO

BULLY GBENGA

    Going through Ijekun Grammar school was not easy for Bisi and Kunle whose parents had to work from dusk to dawn in order to provide for the family and pay their school fees as well. In fact, Mr. Taiwo had already decided that his children were not going to further their education seeing he could no longer pay their school fees without borrowing. The Ijekun town grammar school was located in the Ijekun town, a few miles from the Ijekun hamlet. It was owned by the government but was poorly maintained; the painting of most buildings had been washed off by the rains, it was now difficult to tell what color they were. The walls had cracks all over it that made it look like it needed a pretty strong wind to collapse it, and the louvers of most windows had gone out, and some broken; leaving an open frame through which the wind blew dust into the classes during classes, and cats and birds get in, in search of food and refuge, leaving behind their droppings on the almost broken, squeaky, cracked, and termite-infested desks and lockers. Even some of the black boards hung loosely from the walls at one end; making writing and viewing difficult for the teachers and students. Only the principal’s office and living quarter looked a little different from the class rooms, staff offices and quarters. The doors were still firm on the frame and all the louver blades were intact and the desks in good condition; perhaps, this was due to the fact that the government some times assigns white and foreign principals to the school. So the principal’s living quarter was occasionally renovated; the door frames changed, the plumbing and lighting system changed and fixed when broken and the furniture replaced when the need arose. However, in spite of these parents still sent their children to the school, because the teachers were not disturbed by the poor standards of the facilities and so taught to the best of their abilities. And when the government owed teachers’ salaries, a strike action was not considered, rather patience was applied- it was this quality that distinguished the Ijekun Town Grammar School from all others in the neighboring communities, where teachers didn’t teach well and were quick to go on a strike for even a two-week delay in salary payment.

    Bisi and Kunle were already in their final year at Ijekun town grammar school and were studiously preparing for their forthcoming certificate examinations and other necessary examinations to enable them gain admission into the higher institution. Mr. Kwamw, the Ghanian principal of Kunle’s school had informed them of a scholarship award to be given to the student or students who attain alpha grades in all their courses. This, he said was sponsored by the Oxford university of Britain.

     The two children of Mr. and Mrs. Taiwo were prepared to stop at nothing to get this award, through diligence,considering the squalor and impoverishment in which they lived. And so was their friend Abayomi.The two siblings would always visit the school’s library to study and prepare vigorously for their forthcoming exams, while their mates jeered and scorned them,calling them names like wise Olodo, Village headmaster and mistress, and book worms.

       Bisi,Kunle, Abayomi their friend were the most intelligent in class and always the first to attempy every question asked in class. As a result they were always at the top of the class in every test and internal exam. This caused some jealous class mates to raise eyebrows at them. One of such lazy classmates of theirs who turned out to be a bully and a torn in their flesh was Gbenga Adenuga, whose parents were the wealthiest in town. Gbenga, a tall, fat, dark-skinned boy, had become so puffed up by his parents’ wealth that he no longer takes his studies serious and has gradually turned the dullest in class.

       In an Economics class one day, the teacher Mr. Baden Powell asked Gbenga to state the law of Diminishing Returns. Gbenga stood up with so much pride in his eyes and with a swagger walked to the front of the class. The class was held in suspense itching to hear him. But the fool stood for about ten minutes unable to open his mouth. In fact, he was standing like a lifeless tree whose interior had been devored by termites. Mr. Powell was so angry that he asked the class to hoot at him, which they did with joy. Irate, Gbenga walked out of the class ignoring Mr. Powell’s calls.

        Kunle was later asked to answer the question. In response, he said;

                      “The law of Diminishing Returns states that if two or more variable factors of production are constantly been added to a fixed factor such as land, production will rise to a point when further additions would result in a gradual fall in output. Thank you” he added. Pleased by this, Mr. Powell asked the class to give Kunle a standing ovation. Gbenga was at this point infuriated as he observed from the window. He then connived with his two friends, Kole and Eze to beat up Kunle after school.

       On their way home, Bisi commended Kunle for his intelligent answer, and just as Abayomi was about to do same, the trio waljed out from a bush by the road side.

                        “So you think you are the only one who can give intelligent answers, right?” Gbenga asked angrily.

                        “Don’t mind the fool” Eze added.

“Olod…” “Enough of that” Kunle interrupted Kole just as he was about abusing him.

                “What is it? Is it now a crime to answer questions in class?” Kunle asked angrily.

                “Gbush!” Gbenga had just smacked Kunle hardly on the cheek.

                “yeeeh” Kunle cried out in pain.

                “Boom!” was a blow from Kole before Kunle could recover from the first. The three began beating the helpless kid whose sister and friend had gone to report the latest development to the principal. Kunle however managed to escape the trio after being badly bruised and injured.

                “We’ll get him another day” Gbenga said as they ran off a slope by the side.

       The next morning, Mr. Kwame instructed that Gbenga and the others be whipped before the entire school and given the grass to cut. The latter was as a result of Mr. Powell’s account of the incident which had occurred earlier the previous day. Gbenga and his friends had to learn their lessons the hard way and decided to refrain from bullying seeing they had been reduced to nothing and their reputations dented. The miscreants soon became the talk of the school and being the leader of the clique Gbenga gained the nick name “bully Gbenga”.

LOVE BIRDS, A NOVEL: THE FINAL TALE-BEYOND THE FLESH

CHAPTER ELEVEN

BEYOND THE FLESH

FRIDAY, OCTOBER, 30, 16: 00 hrs

    The news of Naomi’s death spread like wild fire, and for the next three months Henry received a host of sympathizers and letters of condolences from friends and associates. Mrs. Graham fainted when she heard of her daughter’s death, and was hospitalized for days. At the hospital, she kept seeing her daughter’s phantom in her sleep. She wept each time she saw her, stretching her hands as if receiving a baby whose voice she could only hear, but not see. Naomi, had died an untimely death, and her spirit longed to carry her child. However, with each passing day Naomi’s mum got over the torment.  Meanwhile Mrs. Philips, Henry’s mum, took care of little Henry junior, still mourning. Henry’s father and Mr. Graham were the first to visit Henry, telling him to be a man. At the funeral which attracted people from all works of life, especially alumni of Johns Hopkins University, who couldn’t control their tears as the white gold designed coffin was been lowered six feet below, the reverend Mark Jones asked God to grant the bereaved family the fortitude to bear the loss, as he urged the congregation to start making their ways straight, because they never knew when death would knock on the doors of their lives. At that point the former school mates of late Mrs. Henry had the fact of their own mortality stare them in the face, seeing one with whom they attended classes, wrote exams, and even quarreled with being covered in earth.

             For Henry, one didn’t need to go into his heart to feel his grieve, for months after Naomi’s death, while other members of the family had gotten over it, including Rooney his kid brother who was in his final year at the George Washington University where he was studying Law, he still grieved. Nights, after nights Henry wept, seeing very real images of his late wife. Those wedding pictures that hung on the white painted walls of Henry’s residence worsened the situation. Henry couldn’t remove it, seeing that as a way of honoring his wife, but he still couldn’t help weeping and breaking down at the mere sight of the pictures, even on his happiest days, which were becoming rarer with each passing day. Life was meaningless for Mr. Henry without his lovely wife, and sometimes he acted like her spirit even touched him sometimes, at night, while he slept, for he usually mentioned her name in his sleep while he rubbed his hand. His whole world was crumbling and he was fast loosing concentration at work. The worst however happened when he mistakenly connected a brain nerve to an optical artery, thus resulting in partial paralysis, and mental confusion in the patient who almost passed away, if not for the intervention of other doctors at the Harvard Medical center. The operation was traced to Johns Hopkins University hospital, and a panel set up to investigate the case. After months of argumentative deliberations, Doctor Henry was placed off the hook, with the panel saying he needed a mere psychological attention, and that his loss of concentration was due to his wife’s untimely death. He was thus given a suspension, during which he was meant to seek the services of a psychologist. At the psychologist’s office, a conversation ensued between Doctor Henry and Dr. Fred Jakes, a bald headed, plump man in his late fifties, from Columbia University.

           “You see Mr. Henry” Dr. Jakes started.

          “The solution to your problem lies in your palms. You have to shift your attention from what you have lost to what you have. Think about your little boy, your kid brother, your parents, in-laws, and colleagues. Think about your career, and that way you would be able to gain you concentration back” Dr. Jakes continued.

          “Doctor, I have tried all that, but it doesn’t seem to be working” Dr. Henry complained.

         “May be you should consider dating someone, who could possibly fill the vacuum, your late wife’s death had created in your heart” Dr. Jakes said smiling to ease the pressure that was beginning to build on Henry.

        “Alright doctor. You have been of great help. Thanks” he said shaking the psychologist’s hands, before leaving the office.

    Months later, Henry ran into Sophia who had visited Washington DC on a vacation. They had not seen each other for years, and she had blossomed into an adorable woman. It was a happy reunion for both of them, and they soon began getting on well. She seemed to be a duplicate of Naomi and Henry loved her as much as he loved his first love. Henry finally began dating again, and his performance at work began improving remarkably.

         “I’m really sorry for the death of your wife. Please accept my condolence” Sophia said pitifully.

          “Oh thanks, may her gentle soul rest in peace. I love her even in death” Henry said tears in his eyes.

          “But with you Sophia, I can move on excellently. You and Naomi kind of have a lot in common; beauty, love, foresight, care, loyalty and integrity. Please help me have a better love life without Naomi” Henry pleaded.

         “I’ll try, considering the fact that it’s not easy being another” she said,

         “Nooo, I’m not asking you to be Naomi. In fact I love you the way you are” Henry said trying to make her more comfortable.

         “It was Saturday evening, and Sophia visited. Her presence was most pleasing to Henry’s parents as it has helped their son have life again.

         “Thank you my daughter for being there for our son. God bless you” Henry’s mother said. Henry’s dad had being to his house on a short visit, but his mum had been with him, taking care of Henry’s son, her grandson, since the death of his mother.

        “The pleasure is mine Mrs. Philips” she responded with a smile.

    That evening Sophia wore a v- neck blouse which revealed her cleavage, and from her neck hung a gold necklace.

         “Where did you get that from?” Henry asked pointing at the necklace.

         “Oh this, I bought it from a jewelry shop in New York. Why do you ask?” Sophia responded.

         “It looks just like the one I bought for Naomi, the night before she went into a coma which lasted for months, It was a symbol of our love” he said emotionally.

         “Oh, I’m sorry if it brought back painful memories. I’ll stop wearing it if that will make you feel better’ Sophia said trying to console him.  

        “It is okay, it makes me feel better when you wear it. I love it. Just keep wearing it, and even if I didn’t buy it for you, I’ll like it to serve as a symbol of our love” Henry said as he kissed Sophia.

      Monday morning is always busy for Henry as he’s got lots of appointments to keep. This was after his suspension was called off, and with Sophia’s presence, he soon gained full concentration, most of his life restored. He was running up the stairs to catch-up with a surgical appointment, with a couple of surgeons who had been waiting for close to an hour to begin a brain tumor operation, when wind blew dust into his nose. He immediately had an attack for he was Asthmatic. He had also forgotten his inhaler in haste, and had reported late for traffic jam. Eyewitnesses took him into the hospital, where he was said to be suffering an acute case of the disease. Further diagnosis also revealed the need for a Kidney Transplant.

           “What’s all this. Just when I was beginning to fall in love with him, his life has been placed on the edge of a precipice” Sophia thought to herself, as she sat by his hospital bed.

          ‘Don’t worry baby, you are going to be alright’ she said kissing him on his forehead and gently wiped his forehead with her index finger. This woke him up.

          ‘Sophie’ he said adjusting to a sitting position as he continued.

          ‘You know there are some people we get to meet in life at some point in our journey through this world, we only get to know them for so long before they are separated from us. No matter what happens, Sophie, I want you to know you are one of the best gifts life gave to me. I will always love, cherish and appreciate you. I love you’

          ‘It’s okay sweetie, save your energy. The doctor said you need all the rest you can get. I love you too baby, and we will have all the time together when you get out of here’ Sophia said to Henry who at this point appeared to be gradually passing away. He had lost his appetite for food and drive for life.  He could hardly breathe with his constricted airwaves and his weakened kidney was doing very little in eliminating liquid waste from his body, and as a result lots of toxins were being stored up in his system. The dialysis machine he was placed on was not working effectively with his body to get rid-off as much waste as was needed, especially because he was simultaneously  placed on a lot of medications to help alleviate his asthma.  

   The Kidneys of Henry’s parents were not compatible with his, and so was Sophia’s. The doctor said that by genetic analysis, since his mum’s genes were dominant over his father’s, someone in her lineage with a similar genetic composition was needed. This was Henry’s late grandmother.

          “Three months later, Henry died, leaving Sophia in sorrow. His family mourned him for months. His kid brother, Rooney missed him the most. Immediately after his death, his spirit left his body, and in a white cloud Naomi’s spirit appeared and beckoned on it. They both kissed passionately before disappearing into the clouds to continue their love in the great beyond. Death was no parting for them.