Ikenna Paschal Okpaleke “Amaka! Amaka!” It sounded like she was still in a dream. But with the slight pain that came from the slap on her thighs, Amaka knew it was time to finally open her eyes. Her mother has a way of waking her up whenever she oversleeps. Each ‘Amaka!’ came with a slap on the thigh. And so, Amaka has learnt how to keep it to the minimum. Twice is enough! When Amaka finally opened her eyes that Monday morning, her mind immediately went back to the harrowing experience of the other day. During the family morning prayer, Pastor … Continue reading Dosage of Trauma II

Ikenna Paschal Okpaleke On that fateful Sunday morning, under the embers of the sleepy sunlight, Amaka had thrown herself out of bed. She remembered how she had promised to honour Favour’s invitation to church. As a member of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, she had had some mixed feelings about not attending her normal Sunday worship at her local parish in a bid to appease Favour. “Anyway, I’m still going to worship the same God. Afterall, Favour had honoured my invitations severally in the past,” she rationalizes, having shrugged off her earlier rejection of the offer. However, she still kept … Continue reading Dosage of Trauma

Kelechi Ejikeme So many friends, yet no friend So many people I know, yet nobody I am all alone in my own big world Nobody cares after all. They should have sent messages and called They should have checked on me and visited How can they all be happy? How can they all smile? When I’m not happy, when I can’t smile Nobody cares after all. I do not want to open my eyes this morning I do not want to leave my bed today I do not want to eat and go out I just want to drift to … Continue reading Sound of silence

Ikenna Paschal Okpaleke Once upon a time, Kevin decided to try his luck with a girl in the neighbourhood. Felicia is her name. After persistent begging, Felicia decides to lower her guards a bit by giving Kevin the rare opportunity of taking her out on a date. In those days, this meant going to a fast food restaurant and having a bite of meat-pie and soft drink. Interestingly, Felicia did what most girls considered fashionable then: She only had a half bite of the meat-pie and also took half of her Fanta, pretending to be satisfied. Kevin, the poor dude, … Continue reading Musarachi – Some quick take-aways

Ikenna Paschal Okpaleke Last Friday, 22nd June 2018, the day Nigeria’s Super Eagles won the match against Iceland, was perhaps the happiest day for the greatest number of Nigerians ever, at least for more than 4 years now. Indeed, the walls of division seem to have collapsed that day. Unity among all peoples and denominations and religions appeared to have been very evident and very concrete. National unity became normal without further preconditions. As usual, my interest was to listen to the voices at the fringes; the voices of unity. I heard people highlighting how Musa has within 90 minutes brought … Continue reading Musarachi

@ Ikenna Paschal Okpaleke  We shall go up into God’s house With shouts of jo-y We shall go into the house of the Lord Sang the choir in unison with the well-dressed crowd of worshippers. Then, bells out Aunty Maureen, the nightingale of St. Cecilia’s choir, in scintillating solo: For the peace of Jerusalem pray Peace be to your homes May peace reign in your walls In your palaces peace That was the fourth stanza. It was at this point that Okechukwu entered the church. It was his first time in a Catholic Mass. His curiosity led him into deciding … Continue reading Wakanda Signage