This morning, I wake in Damaturu, Yobe State. Exgee and I share the same bed. I couldn’t sleep until 3am, held by worries. Exgee tells me many things that get me worried. Last night, when we had to stop at the Yobe Line Terminus because it was late and unsafe to go on to Maiduguri, […]
Maiduguri III
We stop at Potiskum for one of the passengers to alight. Is this driver moving fast? Jash asks me. I nod. The most dangerous part on this road is Damaturu-Maiduguri, she says. A long drive through some very thick bushes. You watch it, when the driver gets there, he will move much more faster. That’s […]
Maiduguri II
Greetings from Bauchi. We are laying-over; to eat, pray and stretch legs. Dem no get beans and dodo for this restaurant. I took jolof rice, garnished with fresh vegetables. It was nice. And oh, that’s our darling Jash, checking out the bananas, probably for us. *wink And then, my new friend, Ibraheem, helping to […]
Maiduguri I
I am heading, from Abuja, to Maiduguri. By road. I am short of cash to get me fly. At the Mararaba Park, my brother, Adesina Mayowa, drops me. With these loads for the IDPs. The Park boys rush at my loads, and move them to the bus poised for Maiduguri. They are over charging me, […]
Maiduguri
Over the course of the last week I was shocked from my inactivity. To be honest, I had practically forgotten about Boko Haram. I think there’s something about hearing so much bad news that it doesn’t touch you anymore. Boko Haram keeps killing people everyday and it’s just become a matter of numbers. We’re quickly […]
Stacey
Summer 2015 Intense. That’s the way it felt to breathe the same air with Stacy. Church had closed. I’d led worship that day and I took my guitar and amp to church. i didn’t feel too happy because for some reason the mixer wouldn’t pick the guitar signal. And my church folks really aren’t used […]
Reader’s Block
Is this a joke? Nope, really, I have reader’s block. I simply can’t read. It doesn’t matter how amazing the book is, all of a sudden i’ve noticed that I’ve come to dread words on paper. I have this amazing book by Haruki Murakami…now wait, I said Amazing because Michael Ogah and Onyeka Nwelue say he […]
Ramiya
Summer, 2015. I woke up from sleep with a chill and a headache. I dressed up, popped an icebreaker into my mouth, pulled on my old sweater. I was going to have exams the next day so I went to the library to study (my room gets too comfortable sometimes, haha) .As I walked out […]
Salem
Summer, 2015. 3 months after the spring meltdown. 3 months after the kevlar that guarded people’s personalities fell off. 3 months after the bikinis and shorts popped out; and the boys showed off their summer bodies (bodies ripped so impossibly perfect that I would need to sleep in the gym for 3 years to look […]
Dear Ivy
Dear Ivy, I am under serious pressure as I write you this. Pressure from my skull trying to cave in on itself, pressure from the need to not explode. Pressure from the heightened beatings of my heart, pressure from my fingers running faster than my hands. I have known you for about 3 […]