February 2018

 Godwin Henry Osaigbovo (Pa Shakespeare)🔔
Here’s a soul that has the capacity to feel everything so deeply, cutting through the crust of words unspoken. A being that understands even the language of silence and hears when the eyes speak.
Pa Shakespeare stands as one of the rising voices in Africa, setting free words left as slaves caged in the heads of many…
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here’s a piece titled Adaora (an orphan’s tale) by Pa Shakespeare

Nwayi obi

You think she’s s utterly evil!

So there can not be any good in her,

Why?

Because you saw her drinking a bottle of Palmi

And smoking several sticks of cigar.

You then assume she’s a either a bad person

Or a has committed arson.

ọ bụghị otú ahụ?

ọ dị mma

When you knew about the abortion

You were quick to label her wayward

And promiscuous.

Oh!!!

The insults you rained on Her,

You even wish Amadioha would take her life.

 Cheta

When she wanted to tell you

What had happened to her.

Ekwunife -do not say a thing yet- you

Yelled at her. For you were not yet done with her.

 njedebe nke ndụ

Life, She exclaim!!!

While she took a last look at the knotted rope

Dangling down the branch of an ebelebo tree.

She cried, screamed, wailed, for life has been

Unfair to her,

Who would believe that she smoked and drank

Just to rid herself of the thought of

Committing suicide.

That the aborted child was implanted in her

By ichie Okonta; her late Father’s brother.

Your husband, who consistently raped her;

Threatening to evict her and her three younger

Brothers from his house if she told anyone.

 ndụ

She had wanted to speak out

But everybody was too busy to give

A listening ear, so she takes her own life.

chukwu m

You blamed her ill fate on her Chi.

And you still condemned her

For commiting an abomination.

‘Adaora may you know no peace, you sighed’.

 chee okwu m

But remember the tree that gives the palm wine

Tapper his daily meals will one day take his life.

And no evil act goes unpunished.

O bụrụ na ị na-eme ihe ọma, ezi omume ga-eso gị,

O bụrụ na i mee ihe ọjọọ, ihe ọjọọ ga-ad.

 na gburugburu na-aga n’ihu

‘Nye m mmiri’

To wash my hands off this curse that has killed

Your father, mother and sister.

She shouted at Obinna;

Her immediate younger brother.

gaa n’ihu.

Godwin Henry Osaigbovo (Pa Shakespeare)

PS :kill em with kindness.