Mama! Na Boy O!

 

I was thinking this morning... It was a normal day at work as I walked with some friends towards the staff canteen. As we approached, another colleague walking out of the canteen saw me and said loudly, "Mama! Na boy o." I immediately responded, "Na boy o." He followed up saying, "The boys don become men o." The friends I was with looked at us, wondering what our coded language meant. As I walked along smiling, I recalled how it all began.

It was a cool Saturday morning on the island of Bonny. We started our day like any other day and were preparing for the day when my young wife went into labour. I immediately drove her to the hospital in the residential area where we lived. As the nurses wheeled her into the delivery room, I found out two other colleagues had also brought their wives for delivery. As the medical personnel did their thing, the three would-be fathers held their breath while waiting by the corridor.

After about 30 minutes (one of the longest in my life), the door to the delivery room opened and a nurse walked out and announced to me that my young wife had given birth to a baby boy. Overwhelmed with joy and with my co-expectant fathers congratulating me, I picked up my phone to announce the good news to my parents in Warri. As my mum picked up at the first ring, I announced with glee, "Mama! Na boy o."

My colleagues with me laughed at my chosen mode of announcement. This was because "Mama! Na boy o" was a popular 2003 MTN advert at the time. It happened that the wives of my other colleagues also gave birth to boys the same day. That day was exactly 20 years ago last Wednesday. Twenty years after, we still greet each other with "Mama! Na boy o."

"Mama! Na boy o!" is not just a playful greeting between two fathers; rather, it's a reminder of the faithfulness of God. It's a reminder that it doesn't matter how long the night is, joy comes in the morning (Psalms 30:5). It's a reminder that if you stay the course, all things will fall into place. Though the boys of yesterday have become men today, the event of October 22, 2005, will always remind me of "Mama! Na boy o."

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey

BREAKING 27 BONES

 

I was thinking this morning..... Last Friday, I attended the funeral mass in honour of the mother of a colleague. When I saw the crowd that came from all over the world to honour this great woman, I was pleased because I learnt long ago that the labour pain women experience during child birth is equivalent to breaking 27 bones in the human body at the same time. Yes! 27 bones. How is that possible? I couldn't argue with it because I have never and will never be delivered of a baby. How can anyone survive that threshold of pain?

But wait o, if the pain of childbirth is equivalent to breaking 27 bones, what will make a woman be willing to experience the pain of breaking 270 bones (10 children)? I was trying to imagine the pain, but then I remembered the saying that Pikin wey think say he fit use his tongue count his teeth na headache go kill am, and I gave up.

Breaking 27 bones was on my mind when I recalled an event that occurred while I was living with my aunt on campus years ago. She had driven out for shopping that day and unfortunately had an incident with another vehicle. Apparently, the man driving the other vehicle physically assaulted her. She came home that day in tears. I had never seen her cry before. While her husband raged and paced, wanting to rush to town to kill the man that dared to slap his wife, I sat quietly wondering why a sane man would raise his hand to hit a woman. A woman who had endured the pain of breaking 27 bones.

Incidences of domestic violence on women seem to be increasing, with the latest being the celebrity actor accusing her billionaire husband of beating her. Some women have even lost their lives from this. I still don't understand why some men disrespect or worse, beat their wives. Meanwhile, these same men will never do the same against their fellow men. Like we say in Warri, 'If spirit no dey fear, why dem dey waka for night?' As a man, if you are tempted to assault a woman, first step back and consider if you can endure the pain of breaking 27 bones.

I can not imagine disrespecting my young wife, who has endured the pain of breaking a total of 81 bones. 1st Peter 3:7 says, 'Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife.' I kowtow for all mothers around the world and encourage all men to honour their wives.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey

A NIGHT OF INSPIRATION

 

I was thinking this morning.... On Friday night, we were all gathered at the Eko Hotel Convention Centre for the 2025 NLNG Grand Award Night, where the winners of the Nigeria Prize for Science and Nigeria Prize for Literature were to be unveiled. This year's event was themed 'Inspire' from the NLNG tagline 'Inspiring a sustainable future.' It was truly a night of inspiration.

As I walked into the passageway to the Convention Centre, I was immediately wowed by the tropical forest themed decors. The passageway was completely transformed. The lush green designs adorned with fresh plants, green carpet, sculptures of birds and hippo and the enclosure infused with sounds of animals in a forest, gave an immersive 4D experience akin to being in the thick of the rainforest and could inspire you to wish you lived in the forest as a Park ranger or as a minimum, you will inspired to embrace nature afresh.

It was truly a night of glitz and glam as everyone showed up dressed in white. The white pure, no be small. The belief by some women that 'men go stain your white' was debunked as the white of all the women in the room were spotless. White suit, white kaftan, and white traditional outfits, all blended with the neon lights in a way that will inspire you to want to be an angel. At least, if to be angel, no hungry you, at least you for hungry to be a member of Celestial church. Las las we all were more like angels with swagger.

The highlight of the night was the announcement of the book Sanya by Oyin Olugbile as the winner of the 2025 edition of The Nigeria Prize for Literature, clinching one of Africa’s most prestigious literary honour valued at $100,000. Omo! The amount did not hit home until I converted it to naira. Then it sunk. She has just won a whooping N150 million in one night. At this point, I was inspired to be a writer. At least if I can not write novels, I can write sermons. After all, na village wey native doctor know, e dey disappear.

I left the venue that night fully inspired and believing I was a superman. Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Don't settle for less. Be inspired.

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey

THE STREETS THAT RAISED ME: OLD WARRI REVISITED

 

I was thinking this morning..... Yesterday, I was in Warri for a wedding and decided to visit the neighbourhood I grew up. Beginning from Mission road, I walked past First Baptist Church, where I first experienced what it meant to serve God. I recalled how, as Royal Ambassadors, we did our parade in the open field between the old and new church buildings. It was a nostalgic feeling.

On Okere Road, I took a detour through Nelson Williams Street. Coming out at Ogboru Street, I connected Father Healy Street and stopped over at 6 Ogboru Street where I was born. Standing in front of the compound, I reminisced on how we played in the open spaces of 6 Ogboru and 15a and 15b Father Healy streets. It was pure joy.

I continued my tour, entering Okandeji Street, where most of the buildings, though still standing after 50 years, are now a shadow of themselves. There is a complete absence of urban renewal effort in the neighbourhood, making it look like the relic of a ghetto. I shuddered as I saw waste water and sewage in open drains flow across streets and compounds. Yet, with the danger lurking around, I observed a number of kids, full of life, running around with unbridled joy, confirming the saying that "Rat wey die on top bag of rice no be hunger kill am, na over excitement."

Next, I branched into Ometan Street and walked towards Bazunu Road. When I got to Chief Edewor's compound, I was held captive. The building has been excellently maintained and looked exactly like I knew it over 45 years ago. The statue of the man carrying a bunch of palm fruit (banga) on his head still stands strong on the first floor verandah of the white storey building. It reminded me of the years I walked through that road to the Igbudu market.

On my return, I passed through Ginuwa Road connecting Omatsola Crescent. Walking through Torufa Primary school reminded me of my primary school days when we used to eat jolojolo. I connected back to Okere Road, joined Robert Road, and ended at my beloved Mowoe Primary school. All the joy I felt quickly disappeared when I saw that Mowoe Primary School is now an abandoned grassland.

With tears in my eyes, I recalled the sweet and sour memories I have of my days at Mowoe. I recalled how 'catching abaka' (grasshoppers) behind my class gave me a deep cut that left a large scar on my left foot till today. If there is a lesson from my tour, it is the reinforcement of the pidgin English proverb that says, "Table no dey turn, na who get sense dey change chair." I am grateful for the streets that raised me, but despite changing chairs, I pray those streets remain fertile (Psalms 85:12).

Stay hopeful. God's got our back.

Happy Sunday!

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey