MY HOOD MY ROOT - BY SAVIOUR USHIE

 I was raised in Kirikiri town aka K-town, Apapa, Lagos State. I attended Joy of Knowledge Christian School (JOCKS), situated at Magbesa at the time, relocated to Tariah, now at Amuda lane, Kirikiri town but my Secondary School was outside Kirikiri town. I am very proud of my humble beginning.

My time, growing up was a time when everyone treated each other like family, we went outside to play in the streets, built sand houses and estates with our legs. Water wasn't a big deal in the hood, almost every compound had a good well, for drinkable water, we purchased from Water tankers or Lazimba and later Jem-Jem, so we never had to go in search for water like treasure hunters.

We usually played football in our compounds, streets or better still Medium Barrack (though now a shadow of itself, with mechanic workshop ocuppying the grounds and weed growing on what use to be our Highbury, Old trafford and Nou Camp), Prison Training Field, Water side (sand field, now a depot) and San Siro (water side). My guy, come and see great talents; dribbles and skills, the shagalos (bicycle kick), hard tackles, saves etc. There were sections in these fields, were kids would display gymnastics, that would make one scream, yeeaaah! back in days. We would see arts like somersaults, semi, steady, back flint, danger etc.

I didn't eat fast food, though there were outlets for such like MAN MUST WACK at Otun street and MAY-TEA, adjacent St. Joseph. We had people we sold cooked, fried and roasted foods like, ODE( The woman who hawked with a wheel barrow, shouting, "ode ooh!"), IYA ELEWA (agonyi beans) at Johnson, MAMA SHABAN at Cardoso, AKARA SPOTS at the junctions of Agunbiade, opposite each other and the spot at Magbesa, PUFF PUFF and AKARA at Ajanlekoko, were we would queue for our turns, AKARA SPOT at the front of a mosque at Agunbiade, roasted yam, potato, plantain and fish at Agunbiade junction too etc. We ate Groundnuts, Kuli-kuli, Kokoro, Puff Puff, Buns, Moi-moi,biscuits (Okin, Cabin, Peanut, Speedy etc). We also ate dankwa, babadudu, sisi pelebe, Balewa sweets and other home made food and we got ice cream from the ice-cream man called Goody-Goody.

Those who were of age would cool off in the evening/night at spots like, Nkwobi Joint, Wunmi's Joint, Madam Social spot, all at Agunbiade, Live and Lets Live at Magbesa, Oga Benji's Pepper soup Joint, his pepper soup, I suppose use be MVP (Most Valuable Pepper soup) etc. For those who desire to cool off beyond this state, they'll go a cathouse, if you know what I mean, adjacent Agunbiade or Juliana.

We played ten-ten, Suwe, hide and seek , my name sweet o, tinkotinko, obi chikolobi, pito, bojuboju, open kolo, mama n papa, in and out,police and thief etc and I enjoyed visiting our neighbors, families and friends. There was no bottled water, so we drank water from the tap or bought Ice-water. If we had a drink, we would share the same bottle of that drink after giving it a wipe with our mucky sleeves.

We had a TV, only to be switched on at 4pm on weekdays and 10am on weekends. We had the pleasure of watching cartoons like Votron, Bird man, Magic School bus, Penguin Jumbo, Biker mice, Fantastic 4, Muppet babies etc. We watched shows like Tales by moonlight, Story land, Things fall Apart, Village Head master, The Masquerade, Crow at dawn, Beyond the Dream, Papa Ajasco, Super force, Sledge Hammer, Robin Hood, Rentaghost, Mr Spencer...lol, The Rich also cry, Santa Barbara, Secret of the sand (Ruth and Rachel), Maria delos Angelos, Cadbury Breakfast show etc.

We rode bicycles or played in the rain for hours. There was no such thing as a mobile phone or any other electronic device for us. We weren't afraid of anything (except for the Nurse, teachers in school and our parents ).

Those days in K-town, we had very few schools, Nursery, Primary and Secondary. Nursery and Primary schools on ground were, Blessed Trinity, Joy of Knowledge (JOCKS),Tender Crowns, Rock of Ages (Pastor lesson), L.A School and Central Primary School (Barracks), before the emergence of Divine Victory, Neo-Life, Leaders and Co. While the only Secondary school was Dr. Lucas Memorial High School. Kids back then had great fear and respect for four teachers in K-town, they were Mr Olaleye of L.A School, Mr Edema of Blessed Trinity, Mr Timi of Joy of Knowledge and Pastor himself (can't recall his name, the man who goes about with cane in his cloth) of Rock of Ages, God bless his soul. These men were wizards in flogging ooh....lol.

Saviour Ushie takes a selfie

Birthday parties in K-town way back were splufic and funny too. You don't need a Dj or his gadgets, just bring out your radio set, insert your cassette and kids would dance gracefully. Kids would dance to Rossy by Blackky, Happy birthday by Edna Ogoli, Celebration by Daddy Showkey, Majek Fashek, Raskimono, Mike Okri, 2pac, then came the era of Awilo and Co. We enjoyed eating our rice and stew, no jollof or fried rice then ooh. Birthday cakes were in two forms, the western cake with fancy, little candles on it and the local cakes, a mountain of rice and stew with a big candle inserted into the rice....Lol

Back then, every kid came on the street to watch Egunu (masquarade), every K-town born knew about this. We would stand on the street and await a chase from egunu, if they seem reluctant to chase, I remember kids chanting loudly, "Kole sare" or "Shalo" severally and before you knew it, egunu would start the chase and kids would happily be on their heels.....lol. I recall how we would put our slippers on our hands and walk around barefooted for easily acceleration. Kids loved to be chased by rugged looking egunu called Latugbodon, the short and swift egunu called Short eteh and later on, the one called Akogun....Lol, I dunno how these names came to be ooh but we could tell their names the moment we saw them....Lol

If someone had a fight, that's what it was, a fist fight for adults and gidigbo or olotu (wrestling) for kids, no one had to go into a brawl with knives or bottles at the time. You could easily tell whom the Victor is and Vanquished too. The vanquished is always fed with Ijebu garri (sand), while the Victor stands upright and poses like Hulk Hogan as he/she pants continuously....Lol. If you had a serious rivalry, you'll be referred to Land of no Mercy, somewhere in Maximum barrack, to fight to your satisfaction, it was like a WWE, I quit match....Lol. Na die you dey ooh

Until your Mom shouts out your name from the window or balcony you would play until you get exhausted. School was mandatory. The days of going to school in groups, we will walk, gist and buy dankwa, GoodyGoody and condense milk, babadudu with our pocket money. Ultimate power (agbara nla), Ayamatanga and Willie Willie were our horror movies and NTA 2 channel 5 no dey fall hand. Tales of kidnappers (gbomogbomo) were everywhere and mom would warn us not to collect sweet from a stranger if u don't want to turn to a tuber of yam or bundles of rubber band....Lol.

We would NOT disrespect our elders because we knew we'd get an ass whooping, with the belt, shoe or wooden spoon not forgetting the koboko invisibly hidden in every corner of the house. Inter-house suwe was superb during our time. How can I forget playing dobos and sweeping with rubber band, riding tyre and wheel etc on the streets of K-town, it was fun all the way back then.

Every young guy back then was an employee at Dicon Salt, one time or the other before the emergence of Sarafoam.

K-town wasn't short of lunatics, there were persons like a tall, lanky and black man people called ogoja, Anya, Action lady, Anyawu (the refuse man) and Amebo aka happy man and Padey (the tall, dark guy whom was said plays basketball). Then came this funny man and singer, not a lunatic, called Miliky (now late) aka shan-shan Miliky.

I recall the days of total blackout in K-town that lasted for 6 months. I also recall this superstitious belief whenever transformer goes, Gbbuuaah! It would be said that a particular woman, from a particular tribe, in a particular street had just farted (mess).....Lol. So, whenever the transformer releases a loud bang, everyone would shout angrily, she don mess now ooo....Lol. I do recall the good old days, when barracks was very accessible, you go in at will and come out at will. We would climb trees and pluck different fruits but if you desire to venture on Maximum barracks, you'll need to be swift enough to sprint because of some fearful dogs.

There are numerous things to write about growing up in K-TOWN but strength will fail me to go on. Growing up in K-TOWN was fun and K-TOWN has made us strong, dogged, smart etc

I AM PROUD OF MY HOOD.....some say K-TOWN is/was a ghetto but the ghetto didn't live inside of us, we lived and still living beyond ghetto's mentality, mindset and limitations. Even though say I go leave K-TOWN someday, I still know where I come from, I no fit forget my Hood, my Root, where lies my Genesis......I am a proud K-TOWN BORN (born, bred and even buttered) and I REP K-TOWN

GOD BLESS K-TOWN

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