Sorry

Dear Roots, I may be departing the motherland but I’m not leaving you …

Why should I?

Roots?

Roots?

Roots?

Answer me please ,

Why should I leave you?

Oh Roots, you are part of me , we are stuck for life . I will make you proud wherever I go.

Yes, Proud. Have you ever seen a rooster with teeth? No. 

A Rooster doesn’t need teeth but I need you Roots.

Have you ever seen a tree without its roots?. No.

Can a tree survive without its roots? No.

How do you expect me to survive without you?

How can you even think about me forgetting you?.

Oh, I’m hurt Roots , you just hurt my feelings thinking that  I will be leaving you.

An African Proverb once said “When the root is deep…There is no reason to fear the wind “

Roots ?

Roots?

Roots?

Answer me please? How many times did I call you? 3 long times, 3 deep times.

Do you know how deep our relationship is ? No. That’s why you’re saying such a thing.

Guess what Roots? Mamma also thought I would be leaving you.

Mamma said “ Don’t you forget whose daughter you are”. How can she say such a thing!

Forgetting  mamma is impossible. Forgetting Mamma is part of me forgetting you Roots!

Can I ever forget about Mamma? No. So you know I can never forget about my mamma. Why would you think I will forget about you?

Roots?

Roots?

Roots?

Have you ever heard the Malagasy  proverb that said “The child of a rat is a rat.”, similar to the Japanese idiom, “The child of a frog is a frog.”

I will always be the daughter or my mother and you will always be a part of me Roots.

Have you ever heard the nigerian proverb  that said “ When the roots of a tree begin to decay, it spreads death to the branches”.Can you keep me just like how the roots of a tree keep them in one place?

Yes, you can Root! Yes you can !

Our bond  is that strong!

What causes the roots of a tree to  decay ?

Roots

Roots

Roots?

Trust me our relationship will not reach that level where the branches  die.

I will water , nourish our relationship Roots.

I will make you proud everywhere I go.

I will say my last name proudly with a Goun Accent.

I will say my Yoruba middle names with pride.

I will say my first name in an Arabic Accent.

I will proudly say I’m african .

I will proudly say I’m an Immigrant.

I will proudly eat Fufu with Egusi soup with my hands.

I will proudly wear my  ankara with gele.

I will proudly say Dahomey is my home.

I will proudly say Oyo state is mamma’s home.

I will speak French with a Beninese accent.

I will wear my nappy hair like a Dahomean  Queen.

I will celebrate Eid Al Fitr and AL ADha every year.

I will sing L’aube Nouvelle every first of August.

I will speak Yoruba continuously to make Mama Proud.

I will value and use my education as the most powerful weapon to save the world like Nelson Mandela said.

Oh Roots , I will make you proud .

Don’t you ever forget that. I will make you proud.

Oh Roots, I can never leave you. You make me who I am today, without you , I’m lost.

I already feel abandoned by  mamma who left me for the angels.

Without you , who am I ?

Oh Roots you are my past, my present , my future.

I will never forget about you  Roots!