“You will not believe what happened to me today” Jaki sidled up to mama “Ah child, you returned so early. What happened to your face?”  Papa asked as he noticed the welt across his face” “I hurried back as I could not get across town”.  Little Jaki replied in an angry quivering voice “What happened?” “They chased and tried beating me up so I ran away as fast as I could” “who?” “the townspeople at the marketplace” “who would dare treat my son that way?”  Papa bellowed indignantly “the painful thing was that the same people who praised me last week

“does he even hear?” I muttered petulantly as I envisaged myself walking away with a resigned look.  “you know he does” “does he really care?” “do you think he doesn’t?” “flipping answer the question and stop throwing it back at me.  I ask the questions here!” I screamed out in my head at the 6am dawn “why are you digging for answers you already have” my head berated “I am not even doing this with you.  Why am I engaging you when I have direct access?” “you really are enjoying this game, right?”  I threw a defiant

I always wondered why lions sneak up from the covers instead of up front.   They spook the unsuspecting herd, cause them to run amok then lie in wait for that one caught behind.  From a helpless flock of sheep through ala dazzle of zebras or even a tower of giraffes right to an intimidating parade of elephants the pride does not change its modus operandi – stealth. The younger me had presumed a lion was this strong and fast runner which could run for Africa. ** [a slang us Nigerians coined for exaggeration.  In this case connoting a lion as having the

Dear Reader, There was this prince who was forced to relocate from his country.     As in he was given no option but to practically abandon all and move to some foreign land.   It was no fun period for him as he was married with no child yet.    Imagine what his new wife must have felt.  Separation from her father's house into a new family and right before settling in, her crazy husband comes with this story of jettisoning all that was familiar for some uncertain future.     It was probably more painful because she had married into a comfortable