IRINKERINDO 3-12-2021

 IRINKERINDO

( óyínbó sú óná, ó bó'ná jé )

- Shogo Oloshunde

I spoke with my maternal grandmother a few minutes ago,

Though in her 90's, Mama is still very active, strong and have a memory

She is 'anticipatory' about her departure while telling me what to do when that time comes,

I always remind her she has some unfinished business with me in particular, and she always assure me she will wait for 'them' ( as if me and her control her life duration 😁😂😀 )

If you have such Grandma, you can't just but look forward to calling her, of course, she renders my óríkí translated as ( praise poetry ) personally I have refused to accept some translation like cassava flakes as Garri, beans cake as ákárá etc if bread is bread and we have accepted it as such, pizza is pizza and we have accepted it such, we shouldn't be looking for 'English' name for gbégírí, éwédú, éfó ríró, ofe owerri, afang, atama, fisherman soup etc. They are some parts of my óríkí I enjoy and read along as she chant it and she said to me on this particular day, ó tí mó óríkî árá é ( You know your self eulogy ) I smiled and reminded her after years of reading it to me regularly, I should know some part of it, if not all.

But there's a particular part she got to,

I used to laugh each time the eulogy get there in the past, but it makes more meaning on this day to me because it sums up what Africa is 'suffering' from on covid-19, especially this new Omicron strain

Ómó óyínbó sú óná, ó bó'ná jé.

That part, ask your Yoruba friend for interpretation.

It's just display weak leadership across board on the continent, our Leaders only find voice during globe trotting and when to go to seek for aids/grants/loan

As a continent, We need to chart a new course.

IRINKERINDO 2-12-2021

 IRINKERINDO

- Shogo Oloshunde

OMICRON

The news of new covid-19 strain came with mixed reactions, expectedly, the discussion on the virus and it's fatalities has become like a myth especially in our part of the globe.

After a 'scare' last January, I decided to get the vaccine as soon as it was made available, it almost turn to a battle as I was 'denied' taking the vaccine initially even when people weren't turning up and fear of conspiracy theories, eventually I got the Jab and I'm fully vaccinated since June.

When the Omicron news broke,

I had a discussion with a friend in which I told him as soon as Nigeria is mentioned anywhere with Omicron, there will be a confirmation that we have the strain here 😁😂 my 'prophethood' has been confirmed many times and the latest is just an addition.

As usual,  I tried to reach out to a few friends and relatives to be more careful and take necessary precautions, My Aunt that sells at Idumota gave a super duper response, and if you know how busy Idumota market is, you will understand her position

There are People who haven't use nose mask once since the covid-19 menace started, they have been going in and out, no mask, not vaccinated and people aren't dropping on the streets, we have heavily crowded areas like Mushin, Ajegunle, Orile-iganmu, Badia etc and they haven't been a corresponding outbreak of the virus there.

However it's worthy to note,

Apart from my personal experience,

I know people who have died from covid-19 and I equally know people who recovered from it

Whichever side of the divide you have chosen, whatever you have decided to believe or yank off, whatever choices you have made on the virus,

The lies, the half-truths and full truths,

Do whatever it is to stay alive and healthy

Remember,

E ni ba ma royin ógún, ki ba ógún lo ( The person that will tell story of a battle, will not die in the battle )