As i dragged my luggage into the belly of the empty room, I began to envisage life in a midst of deep green bush, cluttered sounds from disembodied creatures and interaction with these scarce souls. “Good morning sir, welcome to our house ooo. We don dey pray for neighbours to pack come this “domot” since.” … Continue reading ” A conversation with mama Ubele” #Minority Contest
Ethnic group: Ogoni State: Rivers Lesi grew up, with four brothers and no sister, under a roof which often resonated with: ‘Don’t you know you’re a girl?’ At first she did not like being reminded she was a girl. She knew and needed no one to remind her. And because she was essentially a girl, … Continue reading Girls Are Special
Benin people of Edo State Uyioghosa stood feet from her in awe. She was lovely! She sat under a tree. Hmm what kind of female at UNIBEN would sit on grass under a tree. None of the fake Ajebor Aproko females he knew would ever try it. She was reading . He now had reason to speak with her. … Continue reading A Naija Love Story
Aboh, Delta State. “Omeni-ke okere jini mgbube gbu ose”. Odjowei grinned , remembering the proverb at last. That was how the elders would describe the Ndiom-Atuya troupe, as they sat cross-legged at the edge of the Aboh market square, beside his grandfathers mud-tatched brick palace, adorning their old rafia girdles with glistening beads, in preparation … Continue reading ABANDY CHRISTIANA, Aboh Delta State
TIV, BENUE When I heard the soft tentative “Kpom Kpom” at the door, I sprang to my feet and pushed open the raffia at the entrance and in time bent down to avoid connecting my head with the low door frame. Dooshima stood at the threshold holding her wrapper in her hand. The moonlight shone … Continue reading A different story
Anwangabasi could not wait to show her new self to the whole world. Her hands and legs which were decorated with golden Ekpa ku kwa gears, her waist-length braids which were covered with over-the-top hair pins, and her colourful Ofong Ukod Anwang knee-length gown which accentuated her new round waist-line, were just the physical … Continue reading A School For Women Who Will be Good Wives
Igeda, Benue State, Nigeria. Beads swayed with her paw-paw shaped hips as she walked down the forest path. Newly painted spirals of Ochre paint made Akum’s coal skin glisten red. Striding quickly, she rounded the bend to the stream. Green leaves littered the path with colours only Ohe, the creator, could paint. She slowed down where … Continue reading Red Ochre
Oro nation, Akwa Ibom State We waited by the beach for the sea monster. She, in red robes, tied to a rock, adorned with fruit and incense. I, in a tiger skin tunic, crouched in the shadows, bearing gifts. I had been polishing my weapons when her ailing father burst in weeping, begging me to … Continue reading Gifts For Isantim
Seni stared at her brother in disbelief. The way her eyes grew wide after his words landed on her ears, he might as well have had a banana tree growing from his head. Only a boy … No. Only a man would believe such a cleverly concocted tale.
“I am taking another wife” her husband nervously announced during a private dinner between the two of them that he specifically requested for. The children were eating in the kitchen with the house-help just for tonight. It was better that way, they wouldn’t understand. Ekpen gave no reaction. She seemed to be in … Continue reading Ekpens Miracle
CHAPTER NINE The rest of the week went swiftly. Nothing really interesting happened. No more looking from afar and smacking my lips like a lion skemping a gazelle. All I did was read the text that jasmine sent over and over again, each time biting my lower lip harder and smacking my spirit man for … Continue reading Life At The Georges’ Chapter 9
It’d been weeks Julia met her mysterious Marvelous and they had tried to maintain communication. She had tried talking to her first caller who seemed to have had a bad impression of her. She thought she had to do some damage control but he didn’t seem interested. It was like his mind was made up … Continue reading Caricature Of A Lonely Heart 9
Today is Easter Sunday. The church world over is celebrating the death and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Easter is the greatest feast for all Christians (not Christmas). On this day we are all delivered from the powers of darkness by the death of Jesus on the cross, and chains of sin … Continue reading Diary of a Rogue Priest: Ought’a Change
Calabar, Cross River State. “Abasi mi” gasped Ekaette , as she walked into the kitchen and saw the spilled mass of Mfi Ikpok, broken from their shells and the trampled Afang leaves; their green-coloured juices, splattered everywhere. She then looked to the disheveled frames of Etete and Eteka, who had stopped brawling upon her entry. … Continue reading EkaEka’s Remedy
Benue state-tivi The warning sound of the kakaki coupled with the screams woke me up. We are being attacked was the first thought on my mind as I jumped off my mud bed and ran to my mother’s hut to wake her up. The horrible smell of smoke spurred me on. “Mama wake up we … Continue reading Dads Beads