Back in the Days

Becky Oludayo Peleowo
@beckyoludayoadenuga426965
7 days ago

Little hands covered in fine sands
Interlocked, joyfully swung back and forth
Shoe-less feet deep in the soft earth
Brown glossy cheeks lifted in bright smiles
The playmates reply to Adanna's cry
It's playtime "Who is in the garden?"

A little fine girl, Sulia, draws the lines
Shallow trenches bordering six boxes
A flat stone she throws, it falls in a box
Lifts a little feet high, jumps and sweats
Hops on one foot, the playmates watch
It's playtime, who's out for a game of Suwe?

Bose, bring out the tins for cooking
Ade, bring out the things for cooking
Let's make moulds of Sand Amala in tins
And vegetables prepped from wayside weeds
Food prepared, we eats with our chins
Who is in to play Daddy and Mummy?


I am an African child born in the days
I play, I dance, I sweat and learn from play
I skip, I sing, I clap, stay fit in those days
Panpangolo, Tenten, Adandele-Ona titi*
Daytime of games, moon-nights of stories
Who's as fit as an African Child back in the days?

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* Panpangolo, Tenten, Adandele-Ona titi are Nigerian childhood games played by children back in the days and even now.

*My Inspiration is drawn from the memories of all my childhood playmates who made our childhood exciting. Those were refreshing moments that I would love to experience over again. The thoughts of Boju Boju (Hide and Seek), Ẹkùn Meran (The Tiger and the Goat), Ọmọ Ọba Fausa, Oba ni ẹ dá wo jo, After round one, Police and Thief, Sakiti Bobo and much more fills me with awe at how much we learnt outside the walls of a school.

The excitement I see on the faces of my students now whenever I introduce any of the local childhood games reminds me of how lucky we were to be born back in the days. The eagerness and excitement with which they try to learn folk songs and moonlight games intrigue me. I believe we will do well to allow these children enjoy the memories we now relinquish as beautiful moments.

It's a moment of #Bringbackourchildhood for me.

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