Les portes du souvenir


I know you all know about my fascination with Koko Mansion, I watched it incessantly for three week, the chick I wanted to win, Shona, did not win. I was disappointed but the show got me through the boredom that threatened to swallow me whole. I mentioned KM because I am amazed at how conservative Nigeria still is. It is a thing of permanent frustration to me that a lot of Naija people, mine included, do not seem to understand that humans do not roll off an assembly line with the same thoughts, desires, likes and dislikes. I think I liked Shona because she struck me as defiant, her dread locks, her tom boyishness, I found it all endearing (*) but it also made me sad, I knew she could never win such a show. The (seemingly) docile woman is still held up as ideal for all Nigerians to aspire to, ah!

I am still evolving as a thinking and feeling being and one of the greatest joys of my life is being exposed to different people from all over the world, I was a child when it occurred to me that I hated sweet things, I mentioned it to someone and they thought I was abnormal. My mouth has propelled me into a lot of sticky situations, I cannot tell you how many frog jumps and 'close your eyes and raise your hands' hours I had to endure because of my big mouth.. As if the big mouth was not enough, I was afflicted with some sorta blind courage....

When I was eight, I was accused of being a witch, it was a funny experience for me because I orchestrated the whole thing. I was in boarding school, we had Saturday service and the youth group leader advised us that anyone who had dreams about meat, raw or cooked, should step forward. Now, I must confess I had no such dreams but I am that cat, so I stepped forward, just me! Imagine, the entire YG were wimps, anyway, she took me to me to the head mistress, I cannot remembered exactly what was discussed but I was informed that I, the star pupil in bible study, was a witch, I wanted to laugh, instead I cried and walked of to my room. I had this affliction as a child to speak when I knew it would have been better to be quiet, anyways, as a result of all this rubbish, I was given a letter asking me to not come back to school. My uncle came, threatened to sue the school and the matter was dropped. I finished school a year later and I do not recall anyone else being accused of being a witch. Maybe I did something good, I do not know, it could have been terrible for me, but I had that foolish courage as a child...

I do not know what opened these doors of memory but it was one of the most poignant events of a rather eventful girlhood and I am thankful I do still remember.

Right now, I am enjoying the beautiful sounds of Les Nubians, their first album, Princesses Nubiennes, would be one of my five dessert island discs. This video is of my favourite song on the album.


11 comments:

Rene said...

lol @ u being a witch...but u v more than blind courage.

BSNC said...

hahaha that was funny, i imagine how you might have felt at that age. Hope you are good :)

Young Grumbler said...

Lol...gosh you were quite the rebel!
Now about Shona Merenu, I love that girl, she's the total package - can cook, can hold stimulating convos, can flow with both sexes, VERY creative (hair, clothes, e.t.c), pretty, in short IDEAL - just not for Nigeria, well not yet. Think about it, all her good atributes read like WonderWoman's C.V...our patriarchal society in Nigeria are not ready for an independent strong African woman, no matter what THEY say, hiss. Now, Bolanle who I also love is more their ideal woman, but unlike Shona, she kept her eyes on the bigger picture - play the game well and you walk home with the prize. Frankly I was dissapointed that Shona did not realise that...phew! Epistle, lol

Sisem E. Naidem said...

I didn't really watch KM, just a few highlights and honestly, if those highlights were as dull as that, I wondered how the rest of the show must have been.

I agree with your views concerning Shona and the perception of a Nigerian woman. Somehow, I'm hoping women like you can turn such notions on their head. It won't come easy though...

Lastly, concerning the YG incident, the "born-again" school my little niece went to also pulled such a stunt and "uncovered" several "witches". The scandal bust wide open when it turned out several of the kids' confessions contained scenes of their parents' nighttime frolickings!

Admin said...

hey first time here,just stopping bye,nice work

Buttercup said...

Wow..poor you! My mum loves Les Nubians..

L-VII said...

@Rene, sometimes I wish I still had the kinda courage.

@BSNC, I missed your gist, glad you're back..

@AJ, I have a huge fascination with Naija chicks like that, I am glad I am not the only one that saw that 'thing' in her. You are right though, she ought to have realised it was game and played it better

@Naughty Eyes, it is not nice for children to have to go through the trauma of being accused of that but I hope there are some people willing to stand up to the accusers.

@Muyiwa, thank you

@Buttercup, it has been a while huh? Thanks for stopping by hun.


Thanks for reading all.... :-)

Anonymous said...

shona did not lose becos of her looks and i agree she is talented but she lost becos of her xter. she is bossy, imposing and arrogant. she was my 1st choice but reality struck me, i cant be under the same roof with shona 4 long...

Trybes said...

Talk about memories...Lovely post..

Myne said...

Lovely post, I like LN, I didn't watch KM, but heard it was passable. I never connected with any of the girls. Rita was a turnoff. Ad for the rest of your post, hmmm.

Original Mgbeke said...

I haven't caught up with the recent Koko mansion episodes but yes ooo, I heard someone else won. Like you, Shona was my fave! Loved her hair and her attitude...ah well, let her continue to do her. One day someone will take notice and know the drill.
LOL @ the witchy episode. HILAR!