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Abẹ́òkúta Ìlú Ẹ̀gbá Ìlú Líṣàbí Agbòǹgbò-Àkàlà I green taxis rocky views sparse roads a boy is a desert, yearning for rain, for home. my heart melts into the wheels of this bus, then my legs & body, teach me how to tame this pace. Ìlú Lámọ̀dí, ojúlówó Balógun Ìlú orí òkè òun pẹ̀tẹ́lẹ̀ II nothing wears cracks here except old houses and unbroken hearts. i taste the dust on these roads & a weird mix of pain and nostalgia latch on to my tongue. this city moulded me too, in ways too many to mention. Ìlú Ajíbóyèdé tó fọmọ rẹ̀ túńlẹ̀ ṣe Ìlú Ṣódẹkẹ́, ọmọ Ẹfúwọ̀, akọni àtàtà III look at this skin, can you see the different places I house? Mother once told me home is where some memories come to roost and others find wings. journey into me, this body holds more than untarred roads. Ìlú A-rò-bí-ológbò-ẹgàn, ojúlówó ọdẹ Ìlú àwọn àgbà-ọ̀jẹ̀ nínú iṣẹ́ ìdájọ́ IV i want to drown myself in Ebenezer Obey's songs, in the damp smell of rich earth after a rainfall, in the sour taste of tamarind and almonds. bring back those moments, times worries didn't nest on my palms. Ìlú tẸ̀gbàá Aké tí n ṣán nà ìlọsíwájú Ìlú tẸ̀gbàá Òwu tí ń sáré ìgbéga V my mother's hands still smell like cocoa butter, like unbroken prayers, noisy markets, quenched qualms, her eyes settle on mine and once again, i'm reminded of this city. how in it, many of my firsts float. Ibi tẸ̀gbàá Àgùrá tí ń fọn rere ìdàgbàsókè Bẹ́ẹ̀ lẸ̀gbàá Òkè-Ọ̀nà ò yéé polongo ìtẹ̀síwájú VI tell me not to see myself in this river. i cross the bridge at Láfenwá and my legs still wobble at its sight, as if to say it’s a mirror and this body, a mass of elements, endless, thick, flowing, brown. Ẹ̀gbá Ìbarà ò sì dẹkùn aáyán ìtúǹlùúṣe Ìlú tí gbogbo Ẹ̀gbá tí ń fìfẹ́lò Ìlú abẹ́ òkúta, abẹ́ Olúmọ à-bẹ̀-lọ̀rọ̀ VII graves sleep here, and cadavers i never got to name. poems that never found their bearings, far places in familiar faces, windows that are also doors & songs my lips never learned to carry all flow in this city, all are this city. Abẹ́òkúta Ìlú Ẹ̀gbá Ìlú Líṣàbí Agbòǹgbò-Àkàlà Ìlú Lámọ̀dí, ojúlówó Balógun Ìlú orí òkè òun pẹ̀tẹ́lẹ̀ Ìlú Ajíbóyèdé tó fọmọ rẹ̀ túńlẹ̀ ṣe Ìlú Ṣódẹkẹ́, ọmọ Ẹfúwọ̀, akọni àtàtà Ìlú A-rò-bí-ológbò-ẹgàn, ojúlówó ọdẹ Ìlú àwọn àgbà-ọ̀jẹ̀ nínú iṣẹ́ ìdájọ́ Ìlú tẸ̀gbàá Aké tí n ṣán nà ìlọsíwájú Ìlú tẸ̀gbàá Òwu tí ń sáré ìgbéga Ibi tẸ̀gbàá Àgùrá tí ń fọn rere ìdàgbàsókè Bẹ́ẹ̀ lẸ̀gbàá Òkè-Ọ̀nà ò yéé polongo ìtẹ̀síwájú Ẹ̀gbá Ìbarà ò sì dẹkùn aáyán ìtúǹlùúṣe Ìlú tí gbogbo Ẹ̀gbá tí ń fìfẹ́lò Ìlú abẹ́ òkúta, abẹ́ Olúmọ à-bẹ̀-lọ̀rọ̀ The Yorùbá eulogy for the city of Abẹ́òkúta. Ebenezer Obey: – A popular gospel musician in Nigeria
TAIWO HASSAN ODEMAKIN is a Nigerian writer.
