TRAVELOGUE 'LAGOS IN OGUN'

I bought a bottle of fanta

but I needed sugar before drinking it.

Dressed in my specially embroidered green gown,

for the party after an old man dies in Ogun.

Few miles after Idi Iroko, after Owode,

what !

Thick buses covering uncompleted houses of respected chiefs,

I forgot to tell you about the kleptomaniac Okada men,

who saw me and called Idi Iroko to Tube 1500 Naira…

Lagos in Ogun indeed,

Lagos bikes shall stand on their thefty toes

but these ones were fed with my Toll gated eyes

and I paid 800 Naira.

Let me tell you, all these happened today,

in fact the journey was an excursion,

the village shops were rented 1000 Naira per month?

Where in Lagos? Still Lagosians rush multiple shops,

they were countable and empty

but too much to be counted,

trees everywhere just like sand and soil,

huts were more than roofs,

every party gathered at most 40 chairs,

most beautiful churches used benches,

I must confess there wasn't an ounce of network

to chat my loved ones in Lagos.

Fate forced me to confess

their cherry, agbalumo was far sweeter than Lagos' own,

the meal at the party was tasty 

from the rich epo pupa,

the only one that surprised me 

was the celebrant renting Alfas from Lagos,

haba... Do Alfas exist no more in Ogun.

I saw no mad woman or mad man,

I witnessed lack of security,

as banished glories walked into the party 

with dada on their skull

like cleaning foams in my kitchen,

maybe yours rag is better than their hair

but mine is just as their brown and black dada.

One called me Nofisat and I gave him 100 Naira,

why would one claim to be mad in Lagos?

Except Internet Monsters sent him,

or else Sanwo Olu will capture him,

these ones in Ogun were lucky beggars,

they could work and think but refused to.

AJAKAYE RASHIDAT OLAMIDAYO

STRIDA _Striking Ideas.

7th of February, 2021.

The bard writes about her travel to Ogun from Lagos and she mentions the different features that surprises her.