"Agba"

Tap into your agba self and utilize it

Photo by Jeff Siepman on Unsplash

Back story

"Daddy I want to make a recipe"

When I was little I loved cooking and it was mainly because I loved food then. But that was not all. In the cookery books there were lots of strange names of meals I wished to taste. Pizza, Mac and cheese and other foreign meals.

I was tired of rice. This brings me to the question what are you guys eating as a Nigerian? We often complain that we do not have food but ki lan je?

Back on track.

I burnt many pots, many meals, over salted and over cooked. That kitchen suffered and so did my parents and the pots. Pizza, bread, puff puff name it. I tried it all on my own. Thing is those were the best moments of my life- exploring and experimenting with ingredients of different taste and aroma and that was when I knew I loved cooking.

I made half of the recipes of my sister's catering and craft textbook thanks to my dad who sponsored them though he hardly enjoyed the meals he ate. But it has taught me that that is what love is. Loving regardless not because.

I invited my neighbor friends over to taste my meals when I grew up a little and they did come despite my dad's scrutiny filled questions about Christianity.

However, fast forward to today, an incident just made me want to look deep within me. To know who I once was and tap into it again. Sort of like an identification with who I am again because it feels like I've lost touch. I've lost touch with my agba chef self.

The koko(why am I telling you story of my life)

If Lagos has a theme, it is hustle- the striving and trying. The working class does the impossible to scrap a living. The middle class has a side hustle. The bankers sew clothes, the telecommunication analyst sells nappies. The school teacher organizes private home lessons. Commerce rules.

Chimamanda Adichie- Still becoming.

I know I quote her alot but no vex, she gave life to my writing skills. I won't be able to craft words as I do now if I didn't bury myself in her works.

Now as a Nigerian, you've got to be versatile. Be a writer but not just a writer, be a copywriter, script writer song writer and any other thing writer. However don't just stop there. You never know wetin go make you blow.

Be a chef, be a singer, be a model, be an art director aka graphics designer. Be who you want to be. Bottomline, explore like a child. Be a child again abeg. Life is hard as it is but don't be hard on yourself too. Hard + Hard = broken.

Someone once told me this " Your writing has really improved, I hope you get alot from this gift"

It felt like a farewell-more like a send off. Fast forward to two months and someone asks me about my blog and from the deepest corner of my memory - like ransacking a pile of dirty clothes for a clean one you thought you left in the pile, I remembered I had a blog.

Plans emerged and here we are in another space but we haven't changed, we never can. We've only simply evolved.

I used to write when I felt like, when inspiration drops however if you do that now eh you go wait tire. There are so many things to do and worse Sapa and his guys are here. (I believe he's a he)

In CLA 303(Advertising message development) class today, someone said you have to bring that light at the end of the tunnel.

These days I've been propelled to be more intentional about it. Life is not smiling and evey skill must be utilized.

I've come to realize that it's always an article, an attempt, a trial not exactly top notch as you think that will bring you out or let you shine. Such is that article I'm hoping to write one day but I can't do it by myself. I need you guys.

Your turn

I'd like to know what resonates with you most. Issues that sort of make you tick. I'd like to hear them because I'm not here for myself. I'm here because of you.

Respond in the comment section below.