The Things They Never Say About Ibadan

I think they just find it convenient to throw their dirty excesses at Ibadan; the spit, faeces and urine. What is interesting is how that they are the ones whom Ibadan was gracious towards; the ones shaped and molded by the same “dirt and mud” of the city. They are the same ones who litter the beautiful city with wraps of sweet and biscuits, bottles of soda and gin and they are bold enough to say “this is just small in the scheme of things for a dirty city”. How dare you?

They say Ibadan is the city of brown-rusted roofs—their best line—what they don’t know is how the city keeps giving to the rest of the world relentlessly, paying little attention to itself. It has worn from years of your use and disuse but it keeps standing.
Ibadan, they say you are crude and unpolished. I wonder if they forget that you are the sandpaper upon which their shining prides. Trust me, what they say no longer matter, dear city of many hills. You are the ancient town, pride of the past; the glory of the living.

The serenity you give is all that matters in life, for what is wealth without peace of mind? But you boast of wealth too, they are just too blinded to see. Shall I speak of the many billionaires that find solace in your comforting warmth or the silent life-achievers that you abode? Truly, you harbor both the visitors and their hosts, the hardworking and the lazy…isn’t variety said to be the spice of life?

Those who still think your children are not smart and woke must be deaf and dumb, no apologies. I wonder if they haven’t heard about your many sons and daughters transforming the face of the state and the world around them, putting every pillar in place and fixing broken ruins. From Ogunmola till date, the exploits are boundless!

Oh! About those comedians who feel their best and funniest materials come from shading the city that believed in them when the world saw nothing , give them no serious thoughts. They are as insignificant as the words they utter. They are the proverbial river that forgot its source, it dried up in no time.
The same ones who emptied your daughters of their real essence now find something primitive about the way they say “shursh” instead of “church” and “shicken” instead of chicken. They are the shameless ones who live with fake identities; the bastard that points at his father’s compound with the left arm.
I am glad at how you have opened up your arms to industrialization and modernization. They come with their cons but yours is the tale of appropriating the pros. We no longer have to always run to your body-shaming neighbors who have no understanding of your uniqueness. You are not slow, you are simply a perfectionist who likes to go steady, even if it means taking more time!
I hope they see you for the seat of peace that you are. And if they don’t, their loss!

Written by Temitope Olabisi