THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE OF THE BELOVED COUNTRY

By Richard Oti “I love you, daddy! Come back home safe,” his 3-year-old daughter says, wrapping her little arms around him. He takes a look at her and realizes that it might be the last time he stares at her beautiful chiseled face and lovely hazel eyes. Eyes that held all that was innocent and […]

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

All I saw was a glimpse of you, One my eyes caught in the night A night when the moon would not reflect the sun And the stars wouldn’t shine bright. It was cold and the street was deserted, And then I saw you. But then I blinked, And you were gone. You disappeared into […]

LIANNA AND JONES (DADDY’s LITTLE GIRL)

Every relationship has many facets: the obvious, the non-obvious and the never to be obvious. Confused? Take a deep breath, grab a bite (preferably; a Dagwood sandwich), and then enjoy the story of Daddy’s Little Girl. Well, they say girls are hard to understand. It’s like studying Applied Physics, Industrial Chemistry & Pharmacy, all at […]

CUPID AND SAM INC. Part 4

It was very early on Saturday. Chief was awake, “it’s a brown new day,” he sang like a chirping bird, walking around his room aimlessly, whistling and smiling sheepishly. It’s amazing how love revamps a person. Ever wonder how happy people become once they fall in love? Yes, that’s because they actually lose common sense […]

CUPID AND SAM INC. Part 3

Chief had a delicious sleep for the first time in many months. Technically, sleep should not be qualified with such a term because It is not Nigerian jollof-rice. I know there is a war still ongoing between Ghanaians and Nigerians as to which country holds the bragging rights for the best jollof-rice in Africa. Where […]

CUPID AND SAM INC. Part 2

Chief was non-malleable this day. Just like he had been most of his life.  Eyes squinted, and his face ruffled. Even the new millennium haircut did not look so nice on him any longer. A frown makes one ugly. Very true. How does Chief get himself to say those words, or refer to his wife as – babe?  It […]

CUPID AND SAM INC. part 1

  His lovely slim tie was placed neatly beside his well-starched and ironed white cotton shirt. It wasn’t one of those white shirts that were on the borderline, closer to brown than white. It was pristine, slim fit and expensive too. On the bed, he neatly arranged his black suit and red linen pocket square. […]

A DAY WITH CARLA CARLSON

01 A Day With Carla Carlson The little girl sat just a few feet away from me. A crease on her face, her eyes swollen; looking like she had deprived them of sleep for many days. I could see pain living in her deep moans, for she was unable to cry again. I wondered how […]

MEMOIRS OF A BROKEN HEART 8

Akin had great pleasure breaking the news to me as we sat in the car headed back to central Abuja city. It felt like an ice-box had replaced my heart. I was cold, and in shock, a little more shock would have been all that was needed for a heart attack. It wasn’t that Chyoma […]

MEMOIRS OF A BROKEN HEART 7

Akin was stunned. It was hard to believe the gravity of his mistake. Never had he been that careless, not in many years of scheming. “It’s Fred’s fault,” he said out loud, hitting the steering wheel in annoyance. Things couldn’t go south now, not after he had done so much work to get to this […]

MEMOIRS OF A BROKEN HEART 6

Ndidi looked exceptional this afternoon. She was dressed in a black Tom Ford sleeveless jumpsuit. A cream shawl hung around her shoulders, flowing down towards her sides. Her braids were styled in a box bun. Her eyelashes were full, and her lips coated in light red. I looked down at her legs, she had on […]

MEMOIRS OF A BROKEN HEART 5

“Daddy, its past 6 am. Wake up. Wake up.” Turning slowly away from the edge of the bed, I pulled the duvet over my head. “Do you have to go to school today?” I asked Shawn, not really interested in his answer, though. I know it’s very silly when your five-year-old son wakes you up […]

MEMOIRS OF A BROKEN HEART 4

“Would you say a prayer before we eat?” Chyoma urged Akin, who was sitting opposite her. The time was 6:00 pm, their meeting was later than they had scheduled because Arik Air had delayed Chyoma’s flight to Abuja by over two hours. Sheraton never looked so good like it did to Akin this night. “Sure […]

MEMOIRS OF A BROKEN HEART 3

Sunday mornings were always exciting for me. I liked church a lot, and as was my custom, I tried to always be in the building at least 10 minutes before service began. I didn’t review poems on Sunday. The kids were up by past 6 and were already turning the house upside down. “What are […]

MEMOIRS OF A BROKEN HEART 2

It was time to leave Grand square, we all got into Chioma’s Bentley (flying Spur, 2014 model). It had tinted glasses, and the interior was custom-made in Italy. It was simply a car made for beauty and glory. Mehn! Everyone, everything and everywhere looked beautiful when seen through the rare view of a Bentley – […]

MEMOIRS OF A BROKEN HEART 1

It had been 4 years since they had been separated as little kids, but on reuniting, they were up to their usual shenanigans. In comparison to their mother, I was broke; so I took them to Mr. Biggs for lunch. It was easy to interpret the look on the red faces of both lads. There was […]

MR & MRS

Sometimes, walking away seems easier than staying back and getting hurt. “But hurt me all you can, I’ll stay with you because I love you”. I heard love is patient and kind… So, I won’t shout at you when you bad mouth ‘the Blues’ and Mourinho. I’d like to give you a lecture on what it […]

FRANCES

FRANCES “Sweetheart, you will find a man who is worthy of you. I didn’t invest this much in you, to give you off to some riffraff. You deserve more”. I think that was the eighteenth thousandth time I was listening to my dada repeat these same words since I turned eighteen. My name is Frances […]

THE DANCE

All you wanted was a rose So I scampered all over the earth I wouldn’t let Kilimanjaro’s height scare me Neither the length of Thames   My feet hurts from the scorching sands of the Sahara My palms, thorns stung But I found you a rose, and it’s red Because I want us to be […]

AURORA

If we held hands Would there be chemistry? Would I understand why Oxygen needs two molecules of Hydrogen to become water? Or why Sodium reacts with Chloride to liven up my pot of soup? If I asked Einstein Could he help me understand why there’s a force field that keeps me revolving around you? That […]

JOHN HAY, WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

It was her turn to take the vow, she slid her hand forward and took his. Looking into his eyes, she recited the lovely vow she had written for him: “I’ll love you forever, I’ll keep your heart safe. I’ll hang a mistletoe everywhere around the house, so you would never cease to kiss me […]

DORIS

Love used to live on hope street, But she moved away. Now the days are long And the nights even longer. So, I moved into her house on hope street, Just to remember her once more. The memories were lucid, I knew they would last forever. So, while she was away, I slept in her […]

TALES FROM GRANDMA

“I would tell you both a bedtime story, only if you both promise to be good,” Granny said, having a lightning of affection flash in her eyes. Ada and Obinna, just cuddled themselves up underneath the duvet, waiting to hear another exciting moonlight tale from Grandma. It was hard to believe that that was the […]

TIME

Days Hours Minutes Seconds I’ve loved you since it was a quarter past 6,  That would be five years ago on July, the 6th.  Like time, which cannot be seen,  In my eyes you look the same as when you were sixteen.  But time is never patient, Just like you;  It’s been running away, Just […]

CITY OF LIGHTS

city of lights Come with me to the city of lights It’s inhabitants would love to meet you If they see me coming with you. Let’s dance by the river of life The fishes would love to greet you If they see me dancing with you. Let’s live forever in Eden The roses would stay […]