IYE

Author: Josiah Omokanyani

This day started with the dust. Fine molecules of granulated earth were raised into the thick, dense air, dancing. Drivers in large, black and yellow Lagos buses blared their deafening horns at passengers ceremonially dragging their feet, shouting in the common Yoruba tongue, 

"E gbese now!, E shá wolè pelu change oo!".

Seemingly weary of the area boys, the"Agbéros". Always in a rush, never in a hurry.

It steadily continued as the Danfos offloaded it's passengers at its ever unruly garage. Where sales, hussle and chaos was the tune of each day.

Right beside the rotten garage gutters flowing with sewage, black slime, probably debris of dead scavenge rodents, and urine, sat the woman. The melancholic woman, chanting;

"Iye know Im pikin,

Pikin know Iye.

But who know the person wey put kata kata for Iyè head?.

Who know the person wey shook Iye for back? "Then with a battlecry, she shouted.

"Me I don see am oooooo!,

Im kuru kere Waka don leave line for ground! With a blown smile, she continued.

"Make una sidon see,

See as the Obeche go make door for the Raven king,

see as the Raven go arrange road go tribunal, 

see as the ash trees cease their morn, their king don land . 

see as the briars weave it's thorns to seats, 

see as the clouds gather, they too one hear judgment.

The Hawthorne talk say Im go make am answer any questions 

The wind say Im go commot water for the children eye,

My people see as judgment don fall.

The Raven king has spoken, 

He has heard from the heart of evil

And he has pronounced it guilty as charged .

Rejoice!, Rejoice!, Rejoice!, Oh blood of men rejoice! 

Though shaped in iniquity,

It now stands in still waters sand despise it dampness."

This chanting woman then gathered fine earth in her hands, throwing them sky wards, waving her hands haphazardly as if dancing with the thrown dust.

She chanted these words all over again .

"Iye know Im pikin,

 Pikin know iye.

 

Iye know Im pikin, 

Pikin know iye..."

Still, not even the transfixed onlookers noticed the sun vanish or the clouds gather.

💭💦💭