Take Me Back To Makurdi
Take me back to Makurdi
To the calm mornings when school children hurried off to school happy and carefree
Where the ubiquitous white painted buses glided from Wadata to Wurukum laden with families who didn’t see others as Christians or Muslims
When a late-night hangout wasn’t a rape attack or death sentence!
Take me back to the Makurdi
Where we played street football without worrying about street gangs or cultists
Where it was okay to take a walk on Naka Street at any time of the day or night without looking behind your back
Where we ate akpukpa and bier without arguing and stabbing each other because of BetNaija or Nairabet
When it didn’t matter whether we supported APC or PDP, Jime or Ortom, Suswam or Gemade, Jev or Akume!
Take me back to the Makurdi
Where we looked up to Kilometre 5 and Farm Jam every Yuletide
Where Muslims shared their Sallah ram with Christians and Christians gave Muslims Christmas rice without a care
Where Igbos living on Kaduna Street didn’t need to fear
And Hausas living behind Methodist Church, Ankpa Ward were relaxed
Take me back to the Makurdi
Where we ran off to River Benue to swim away from the heat; not minding if we were Idoma, Igede, Tiv, Hausa, or Igbo
Take me back to the lazy Sundays when we trooped to Swange Cinema to swoon over Indian films whose songs we didn’t understand
Oh, during the humid months of February and March, when it is too hot indoors, I want to lie outside, on my veranda on Kastina-Ala Street till dawn.
I want to drink fura da nono without feeling guilty
I want to buy beef without thinking that I am arming some marauding herdsmen
Makurdi, you might only be this way in my reminisce and dreams
But I will toil to see my kids experience you as I did
In your innocence and splendour!