Blackgirl

This piece is dear to my heart because it was inspired by someone close to my heart. This is me saying “ YOU WILL BE FINE”  and “ YOU WILL COME OUT ON TOP”  Stay strong. Left alone, No home No place where the heart belongs Foundation's in two separate places Each trying to form a new root Now you’re stuck in the center With no firm balance Swaying left and right Struggling for nutrients No one looks back To see if you made it Barely holding on But yet thriving and striving Looking out for the sun To help you up So you can look back And sigh in relief and joyfulness With your now firm root and strong foundation That’s all yours

Hiiii, so I have a confession,  I AM A FEMINIST , how stupid does that sound, that in this day and time that has to be a declaration but sadly it is, given the comments and shocked looks I get when they find out I am. Just like a while back I was with a friend and we were discussing marriage I think and then I said I don’t think it’s compulsory to get married and then she was like  “Ah, I hope you have not joined those feminism people’’, I was shocked but I still said “ err , I am a feminist’’. Then she went into a talk, the whole time she was speaking you’d  think I joined a cult or a militant group.  In a way I can’t blame her as a lot of people still think a whole  lot of things when they hear feminism; ·         They think we hate men ·         They think we are against marriages ·         They think it’s about who cooks or does chores.  But no, feminism isn’t man hating and much more than chores, from what I have learnt feminism is about women being equal to me

This piece is inspired by the kids I see on a regular in major markets in Accra. A lot of them  female, barely speaking English and not in school.     At the break of light Up, work starts Assembling, collecting Cleaning tools of service Vessels of steel, made for lifting Constant carrying, constant movement All to make dime for daily bread Scorching sun and rainy days  Never derails our helping hands Little bodies, heavy load Dark skin, sweat beads, flowy skirts Up and down Making business Night comes, loads go We clear our vessels Make beds at roadsides Our makeshift homes For tomorrow comes, When we shall again rise Hurdling and gathering at selling stops To use our vessels to lift others burdens

OK the moment we’ve all being waiting for (basically me) *drumroll*  MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!. So I rang in the day with Beauty and the Beast, with the closing credits ending two  minutes before 12:00 am, prayed into the new year and had a pretty chill day.  I’m really excited, not just because it’s my birthday but also because it’s a major milestone in my life for a lot of reasons. This  past year has been amazing, like really and I am grateful for the things I’ve learnt and i'm proud of myself.  This year I achieved some pretty badass things; ·          Watched a late night movie(almost midnight) ·          Snuck Suya/Kebab (whatever you call it) into the cinema hall ·           Officially launched and became serious with this blog ·          Started writing again( halleluiah) and read some amazing books ·          Put myself first, uncluttered mentally, let go of a lot of bad vibes and energy ·          Passed ‘WEIRDNESS ACCEPTANCE’ and unlocked ‘ I-DON’T-CARE-ISM’ .

This week should have been great but it is not, I have a lot of work to do, my skin is messing up. I mean it's my birthday week, the least I deserve is a clear face but no, I have the worst acne I have ever had. Well, life is just a pot of beans but we move.  The fear, the regrets, the loving Losses, angst, despair All fuel our inner desires Of wanting, of being , of having Living everyday wary Of pointing fingers and shaking heads Not living our self Not going all the way Living out our wildest dreams Exploring our fantasies Toeing the line Communing as a pedantic Failing to live in today So we do not have to live tomorrow Dreams drenched in regrets And a life of sorry sighs

A lot of times, you'll see posts from people about how much they love their moms because of all the things she has done for them, how much she has sacrificed, how much she has suffered. A lot of them have this illusion that for you to be a very good woman you have to suffer or give the whole of yourself to your family.  Let me put it this way, from their 'appreciation' of mothers, it shows that majority of them won't love their mom if she didn't sacrifice for them because of course they have they no other reason to. Because of course motherly love = suffering. It’s this kind of mentality that keeps women bound in unhealthy, abusive, emotionally and physically draining relationships because they want to be seen as good mothers.  As young girls we are taught to kowtow and bend to the wills of men, so as not to inconvenience them. We are told to live our lives to please men, made to see men as the prize. ''Oh is this how you'll behave in your husband h

This piece was heavily motivated by something that happened to me, when I went back  to Nigeria. I was so pissed all I could do was write. so here it is  Sneaky as they come Smiling on the way Dressed in sincerity Cloud of lies surround you Hiding your true self Your sneaky self Goodwill never can cover who you pretend to be Swiping and stealing when eyes are moved Tiptoes and hidden stashes Digging holes of mistrust among brethren Each a suspect to the other But there you are in their midst Grinning and shaking hands Just to empty purses where eyes are not

These days books are my retreat, when I read them I see a lot of possibilities, I feel inspired. I create my own reality, books take me away from my present reality of impossibility. A world filled with no’s. Books take me away to the wild west of flourishing fields where everything is possible , where all my dreams can come to fruition. Where fear is removed, where my blood is fueled to move on and do magical things.  Books give me the inspiration needed to do more, to believe in the little I do, to keep showing up, to keep hope alive. It gives me a respite of thinking logically of the minute possibility of getting out. It re-iterates the sense of purpose and beats the drum of direction in my heart.  Closing books looking at my environment, bleakness of possibility comes in, logic, fear, apprehension and all forms of doubt steps in, so rather than be filled with the venom of these emotions why not live constantly in the world full of hope, where dreams are not mashed by the w

This piece was written from a prompt from Afrobloggers on twitter He comes to steal your heart With sweet words and good looks All prim and proper A  ploy to distract you Never loyal, never staying  Just waiting on the right moment To  knock you off your feet Get you dreamy and falling Only to leave with your heart's pieces Not caring for your hurt It's just another game to him PS; Of course i'd choose a picture of Kofi Siriboe

So thinking back on a conversation I had earlier with a friend of mine, I chuckle. I’d never really thought how weird or messed up my life seemed to others. So it started off with a simple question, “how often do you have friends over and go out” Answering the question made everything crystal. I HAD NO SOCIAL LIFE. I mean I go out (not including school, church) like on the average once a month or 3 weeks if I’m lucky. I barely have friends over (there’s an excuse for that though) not going to bore you with it. So now thinking what do I do with my time you say? Well, not so much dreams and fantasies of taking over the world ( cue Pinky and the Brain music) , binge watch movies mostly Black-ish and Fresh Prince of Bel-air, cook and eat a lot, write, read and sleep in.  My life is really amazing *NOT* let’s just say my life is like a middle aged single woman who lives with her cat.  But of course you’d think a Uni student should be having fun every other day but no such luck

It’s been a long while I lasted posted, even if I  said I would post regularly. I know that paints me as quite unserious. However it is also important to note that blogging is an expensive hobby   plus the whole shiznit that   has happened the past weeks; laptop ruined, travelling ,bad phone.  Regardless,I didn’t stop writing  during the hiatus, so I’m back and I hope for good so we move.  I have this short piece I wrote a while back, surprisingly in church Oh dysfunction so sweet Messed up patterns ecstasy Misplaced priorities the order of the day Toeing steep lanes of chaos Basking in the joys of disorder Continuous cycle of madness Funneled from generation to generation Embraced as the standard Now we all crazy Exhibiting shades of confusion

We love But our love isn’t like Romeo and Juliet It isn’t like fatal attraction either Our love is something else Something compelling Something revealing We stand,  our hearts naked before each other Feelings of vulnerability Flaws and flairs exposed Our bond doesn't weaken but rather it merges us Our souls and spirit a whole Suddenly we speak one voice of unfated communion  and heartfelt affirmations Our love transcends It’s evergreen, ever present like the wind All enveloping, sweeping Our love Like oxygen, constant Filling, giving, freeing, never demanding

Happy new month guys, I am particularly happy this month because I just get to sleep, write and do all the things I like. NO SCHOOL!!! (dabs) So recently I tried to find out if there’s a pattern to my inspiration or creative juices, but there was absolutely none. It just comes like a door is suddenly opened, you just get  suddenly aware and alive.While just laying around, eating, at midnight, early mornings, in the market, in a bus just at any time or place.  Sometimes as I write, I just feel my body swirl like I’m suddenly swaying to the music of my writing or beats of drums unknown. Sometimes ideas come to me like a flash and some other times it just builds up or just get ideas from previous ideas, books, movies or events happening to me. A lot of times, when I’m out and a lot of things are happening and people are doing their thing, I’m basically  just there staring, soaking it up sometimes even unintentionally and days later it becomes a topic for writing.  Some people some

Heart shattered  moons no longer bright lights now dim joyless emotion faded smiles  dry laughter shattered pieces  no fairy tales Constantly staring into space fantasies erased  no strength left no stories remain bidding my feeble limbs to walk move on from the dark past let's find future somewhere else

Hi  guys it has been a while, exactly a month. Well I've not been slacking off on purpose, just that life, exams and a whole lot has been going on. This past weeks has just been a whirlwind, messed up sleep patterns, I basically looked like a homeless person but it was all worth it (I hope). But the most important reason i couldn't write all the while was the fact that I couldn't feel, I was basically numb amidst all the stress but now exams are over and i'm free, too free in fact. The sad thing however is that the long hiatus has made me rusty so bear with me, It's basically a conversation between me and myself if that makes any sense, It came to me while I was in a bus. A lot of times I see my self slipping into dreams and fantasies of amazing places and living lifestyles I've only seen in movies I force myself to snap out it  because of course they might never come true but again what's the harm in imagining a life you'll never live

No longer will I observe from the world's sideline but I will partake of its bread for there is motion all around me but I remain the constant afraid of eating of the main but biting and nibbling of the crust and crumbs the wind blows my way Afraid of stepping beyond the threshold Unsure if I'll ever find home Shackles of people's words bind me fear sealing my mouth no walking, no moving, no talking just watch Earth beckons to me come have a bite she says I move forward but step back in fear the chains are too tight arms and  feet bound Free me, I scream no one replies for they do not hold the key but me then I discovered the binds are but mine to remove One step at a time I'm freeing myself I take a chunk of earth's cake amazingly, I'm transformed still me, better, brighter free, full I choose to live this life now this new universe hand in hand with earth my new friend

A lot of people say negatives against the internet and start going on about how the internet has ruined this generation. However the one thing I've gotten from the internet is knowledge, lots of it, good knowledge "bad knowledge" anyway no knowledge is useless. I've learnt a lot in the past year than the rest of my life combined. It has really opened my eyes to see  a lot of things in a whole new light. It has given me views and corrected my notion about a lot of things. It's given me the opportunity to be able to follow and see the lives and learn from a number of amazing people. Even though i'm always in the shadows and  haven't warmed up to the idea of being open yt, I'm happy there are a lot of people constantly saying the things i'm too afraid to say on social media and reinforcing the words,thought,fears and ideas  I was made to believe were not valid. What I'm most grateful for is the fact that it has raised my black consciousness. It

I wrote this piece during a period when I was not loving me, when I didn't feel beautiful. Then   I looked at my body and the words began to flow. Loving myself My body, my stretchmarks My hair, my broad nose, my thick mass of hair Full enchanting lips I love the way I speak I'm accepting all of me My body is without flaw, everything is perfect Scars make me beautiful, gives me my identity I am who I am I live I love I laugh in this body I rejoice I live I cry but I tread on  Everything beautiful is who I am I embrace my state of being I look in the mirror and see heaven Magnificent being Made from the darkest of coals Sweetest of honey I reflect sweetness and fierceness With this body I am changing the narratives I am redefining the word "BLACK" I am moving it to a state of divinity The state of being heavenly, extraterrestrial I am beyond acceptance, I am in love

Actress Diana Yekini of Jenifa's Diary(Gene Give-me) said since she came to Nigeria she has been more aware of her skin colour and she was once advised by people in the industry to bleach her. It is worth noting that she has lived in the UK where there are people of many races and obviously a lot of white people which should make you aware of your dark skin, but surprisingly that the one place where basically everybody is black is where dark skinned people are being discriminated against. Like a nation of blacks where some are regraded as too black, what an irony. You might say "discrimination" is over reaching but when as a dark skinned person, every single second comments are being made against your color,not so subtle and sometimes overt prejudice in your face then it should be regarded as discrimination.  Do we want to talk about movies, billboards, music videos where light-skinned actresses, models and vixens are poster children for beauty. OR where a lot of peopl

Finally I can exhale, thoughts of  more than 24 hours of observing unadulterated misogyny from both Man and Woman. It took all I had not to scream but I put all that  negative energy into writing. Also inspired by James Baldwin's I am not your negro. I am not your baby maker I am not just your sex mate I am not here just to take care of you  I was not made as your servant I was not made to kneel at your feet I am made from the same bones as you I breathe the same air you do I too have dreams You are not more superior to me Yet you treat me like a slave You oppress me, But I know you are afraid of me. You fear how much more there is to me Afraid of my potential Afraid of my freedom Your fear of me pushes you to act out and try to subdue me You know how much greater I can be  You insecure little boy You are afraid of not having your ego greased But man I say,  Shackles bind me no longer I am woman, I will be free I am wo

Something about me is that i'm very critical of my self, I tend to over analyse everything and judge my motives for doing things. Sometimes when I do someone a  favour or i'm being nice to a person, I try to examine myself to know if i'm being nice because I want something in return or gratitude or just pure selflessness. This attribute can be a blessing and a curse, bad in the sense that in everything I perceive to have  done or said wrong I always beat my self up even if sometimes i'm not in the wrong , so before people have the opportunity to criticize me in that instance, I have done that a million times. It also makes me overthink and worry about things other people might consider minute This self flagellation also helps me keeps my motivation right, eradicates negative impulses and behavior and helps me think things through to the outcomes of whatever choice i'm about to make so that i don't regret them later on. Being self aware is so freeing at times y

My love where art thou thoughts of you, keep me awake images of memories to be shared fill my head our minds intertwined with thoughts of each other eons and eons spent talking to one another professing affections shared sleeping and waking to the sound of each other's voice Days and months pass, no longer do we smile  nothing more to see old flames now quenched, We just stare, nothing more to share feelings long gone,affections  no more every passing conversation now ends in nothingness nothing more to be said, nothing more to behold Maybe we never once loved maybe we only had a spark which never did become fire now its dark, hands outstretched but never touching the flames now quenched, time to go find home  My love, be safe

 I remember going through a devotional a while back with the topic 2am Friends, who are generally  just friends that you talk to or call at dire times and situations in your life. I think it's really important as individuals to have friends that are always there for you,that you call at 2am in the morning saying 'I really need someone to talk to' OR 'I really need your help' in times of trouble  when you might just want to talk, vent to or even just pray with and also to share good news with and know that they'll will be genuinely happy for you. These types of friends can constantly be honest with you and tell you straight facts without bias even when you might not be willing to listen. They call you out on your shortcomings, but mind you their purpose of advising is not to belittle or constantly nag but because they're genuinely concerned about you,your welfare and progress. These kinds of friends are genuinely happy when things go well for you and are d

This was inspired by what I go through almost everyday as a female, walking through crowded spaces, street corners and even on the broad street to school ,where men feel like your body is public property.  I walk past as I usually do And as usual, you stretch out your hands towards my bosom I try to swipe your hands off But again, you reach out your grease filled phalanges Towards my waist Today is not every other day I have taken too much of this Don't you dare touch me You disgusting creature Today unlike every other day Blood will flow And bones will be broken Keep your hands to your self groping monster For  my body is not your property It is mine alone

On this journey of self-discovery, I've found out a whole bunch of things and met a whole lot of people. Most times i'm confused, not knowing if i'm making the right or wrong choices, taking decisions all on my own is scary but I know at the end of the day I learn from it, both good and bad lessons. Trying to be me is difficult because a lot of people have opinions on who you should be or what to do but I've found that I'm truly the only one who knows what's best for me, what the limit is and what is good for me. This journey can get lonely but its worth it, I'm in my hiding place, my desert as Rev. Ocran puts it, but I'm working on me. Finding yourself is something personal, deep and scary but that's what makes it worth it , because at the end you find yourself, you know yourself, you embrace yourself in your wholeness and entirety. Sometimes I'm lazy and procrastinate but I'll get it surely. Sometimes it feels too much to handle but that

So for some time I've been thinking about this issue,and I thought why not write something on it and here we are. For those who don't know IJGB means I Just Got Back.This is a colloquialism used to describe people just arriving from "the abroad", such as the US, UK, maybe Canada but Ghana  and Benin republic does not count sorry. Well what's my problem with it you say? Well this phenomenon has been a deciding factor for a lot of things lately, like being able to speak with  a foreign accent now determines how people measure your intelligence or level of exposure. The thing is we have always regarded imported things/items better than our own be it language, food and way of life, so when there’s an influx of people with whom we believe have experiences of the other world we consider them superior to our homegrown. I’ve heard stories of people going for interviews only to be turned down for the IJGB with probably less experience or qualification. I probably won’t

These days my days seem to go by in a blur round and round it goes. The images of yesterday coming by again Tis early I rise and continue the motions Fed Soon it seems I'll be lost in this universe For now it seems a bother, but in due time I'll get to embrace it My imagination keeps me going With images of happy places and people Who I've never once seen Fills me with bliss and leads me further into the abyss of a whole nother world.