Nigeria Nostalgia
Moringa trees of the greenest complexion
Leaves of the bitterest taste
Swoon over school children, now free
Rambunctious, uncontainable
Unbothered by the speckled dirt on their uniforms
Singing English hymns of which they don’t quite understand
They trek through the nuzzling traffic of Kekes as
Yellow as freshly brined cashew juice and
Hold the hands of the youngest to keep them from
Falling into gutters or being struck by
Sprightly taxi drivers
Market women with immodestly worn geles and waist wrappings
Call out “umuaka! Bia, come now”
And they come—to receive the offerings of
Leftover “puff puff” and “Okpa”
And they eat
To taste the sweetness and the richness of the
Leftover “puff puff” and “Okpa”
“I’meela!” rang off their lips in unison
Like the gratitude their parents use to praise their Lord
Like the gratitude my parents use to praise our Lord
My father asks do you remember when you were that young
And as pure nostalgia interlaces with this moment I tell him,
“N’ezie” of course,
Written by Antonio Igbokidi
Heis a MS4 at TCU & UNTHSC School of Medicine|Class of 2024.
He is National Chairperson for @SNMA
He is an Aspiring Psychiatrist and a Poet