EKO

with the hustling, the bustling and the shuffling people

LAGOS screams at me
with the blaring of trailer horns, the honking of okada rider's horns and the lousy yells of early risen conductors
with the heat of the sun, the smells that emanate from the hot sand beneath our feet and potholes of tepid water

LAGOS seeks attention
....with the long queues for BRT buses, the longer queues for an early morning road side breakfast and the longest queues....cars bumping and grinding as people rush off to work, trying to beat the early morning traffic- that is already there!!

the smell of frustration fills the air
the loud radios from mallams as they hurry to open their stalls, just before their competition does

LAGOS makes herself known
...with the weather beaten look of every manual labourer
lethargy in the eyes of early morning cleaners
their hissing, their complaints, their nagging
the street men that argue football in the day, argue money in the afternoon and argue beer at evetide.

LAGOS likes to hustle
LAGOS likes to work
LAGOS likes to settle

..........five o'clock rush out of the office, rush hour traffic, the stale sweat
......the opening road side bars and the begining of large sales of stout and star lager beer
......the weary sighs
..... the tired smiles
and the ginger for the bubbling to start.

LAGOS is filled
LAGOS is fulfilled
LAGOS will cry
LAGOS will laugh
LAGOS will then shout

"EKO O NI BAJE O"