Eko-A City Sandwished by Two Waters

Eko-A City Sandwiched by Two Great Waters.

Eko-

ebullient city of

two great

waters-

in her front is Lagoon,

tossed daily by trillion ripples

from waves running from

Ebute-Ero through

Ikorodu to Epe;

behind her is

boisterous Atlantic Ocean,

whose roars and greatness

date to many millennial.

 

Eko-from the

small beginning

many centuries ago-

Olofin Ogunfunminire-

unlocked and gave you life;

our Bini brothers

gave you the name-

EKO.

Portuguese visited you,

changed your name to-

Lagodikuramo-

calm water;

however,

British, French, and

Italian that came later

abused your warm

welcoming spirit.

Eko-your open-hand

and large heart-

they repaid with

ignoble 300-hundred-year-

immoral-and-criminally-run-

trade in human

from Africa to Americas,

and Europe.

Regardless-

Eko-

you have come

a long way;

Eko-many were your

cries and trials-

but you triumphed,

many were your

weeping and tribulations-

you came out victorious.

 

From pain-to-gain,

from lack to plenty,

from cry to laughter,

from yesterday’s little

to settlement to most

populous African city,

from prison-to-palace.

Eko-we wouldn’t for

Kosoko-Dosunmu-

intransigent-

British turned to

gain;

Eko-we remember

arm twisting-consular-

annexation story-

to crown colony

of 1861.

Eko-should we forget

the land grab,

by Royal Niger Company,

which dispossessed

natives of their inheritance?

Never should we forget

arbitrary geographical

demarcation of Southern

Nigeria Protectorate

hand delivered to

foreign economic class

at a give-away price.

Eko-still-

many were

the blessings you

brought upon mankind,

many were the

benedictions you

caused natives and foreigners

living within your gates.

 

Should we forget

the revolutionary

spirit in your bosom,

or the activism within

your gates;

Eko-thanks to torch-of-

freedom,

elite in you lit.

Kudos to waves of

freedom marches,

which heralded

give-us-freedom,

sermons by our ancestors;

thanks to resistance

African trained professionals

spearheaded in 19^th and 20^th

centuries.

Thanks to individuals,

groups, associations, and

interest groups that changed

Lagos dynamics; and

later Nigeria landscape.

Thanks to champions of

yesterday’s fighters-

Herbert Macaulay,

Moses Da Rocha,

Hezekiah O. Davis,

Bode Thomas, Obafemi

Awolowo, Adeyemo Alakija, Kitoye Ajasa.

Thanks to early newspapers,

pamphlets, magazines,

even religious books that

served as vehicle for

information,

means of communication.

Their roles were unique,

their place in history

remain eternal;

Eko-thanks to social and

economic changes-

you

brought to Nigeria.

Thanks to Eko-

being the center of

excellence in sports

and

finance and commerce

headquarters of Nigeria

and beyond.

Thanks to all trades you

facilitated,

all

diplomacy you anchored,

for decades-you were and

still,

culture and entertainment

ambassador,

Nigeria’s

window to the world.

Merci beaucoup-

for eighty years

of being

federal capital

and

centuries of being

homes to everyone

without discrimination;

thanks to those

innovations in you

that changed Nigeria

for life.

But

apologies to

yesterday’s sad

memories-violent

change of government,

all

assassinations,

some not to be

proud of social vices.

Eko-your place in

history is guaranteed,

with words about you,

writings on your past,

books on your activities,

humans you have endowed,

mankind-you have made rich,

society-you keep remaking-

and tomorrow you have made

certain.

Eko-we say-

thank you,

o seun, a dupe,

na gode,

daalu,

avo,

uwese,

obolu,

obe,

anya.

Eko-Akete-ile Ogbon,

Aromi

sa legbe legbe,

Eko aro sese maja.

Eko-Akinsemoyin,

Eko-Ologun Kutere,

Eko-Erelu Kuti,

Eko-Adele,

Eko-Adamo Orisha,

Eko-Akete,

Eko-Igbehin.