This dialogue poem by Bolutife Oluwadele is coloured in Pidgin and Yoruba language.
“Igí sún mọ́ gi, lọ̀bọ fí ńṣakọ
Igí sún mọ́ gi, lọ̀bọ fí ńṣakọ
Tí gi bá jìnnà sí ra wọn
Ọ̀bọ kò ní skill
Igí sún mọ́ gi, lọ̀bọ fí ńṣakọ”
Bobo Lactogen Abasido Olorin
Dokinta troubleshooter of abroad
Which kind yeye greeting be dis wan
Which taim I yarn you say I be Fuji musician
Nor be you just sing nau nau
And then?
No vex Aroole Omo Rapala of Lasgidi
Aswear down
Say wetin hapin again o
Somtin must dey do you?
Nothing dey do me o
Kontinuu you hia
Shey nor be wetin I dey tink sha o
Wetin you bin dey tink o, Masta thinker
Well nor be mouth you hia dat wan
Hia wetin o
Say Baale wife get winch
If e come get nko
Na winch kasha go announce dat wan
If dem send you to announce nko
Tufiaka, God forbid bad somtin
Henniwey na Lagos landlord wahala o
Dem gee you quit notice
Dem nor fit comot for my own bunker nau
Beht you nor be Lagosian nau
Who sai?
Ya papa nor come from Lasgidi
Na hia dem born and lactogen me o
You still nor be Ọmọ onílẹ̀
Forget dat wan
Okay, wetin hapin ganan ganan?
Na so laif suppose be
How e take be nau
Nor let me swear for you fah!
Wetin I do you?
Wetin you no do me
Say I hola you as you dey sing
I go vex for you fah
Okay, yarn me wetin dey vex you
Chai, you sabi pretend wella
I nor dey pretend hennitin o
Okay o, if you yarn so
But I am really now confused
That you don’t know the economic situation
If you have only be forthcoming
Do I have to speak from both mouths?
Tru to God, e get as e be
Wia ya head go before before
E still dey mai neck fah
I tink you borrow persin before
Come to think of it
Can a successful village Headmaster
Succeed as a College Principal
In a completely different setting
It will depend on certain factors
What might those be?
That though a part is similar to the whole
But may not exactly be the same
Though we keep hope alive
Hopefully, we are not delusional
Hoping against hope
Until our hope is renewed
Or else….
Make yawa no go come gas!
– Bolutife Oluwadele
©TheVillageBoy.
