IYA ALAGBADO (…the corn seller)

Buy Corn, Buy Corn, Sweet Corn, Buy Corn…I was passing by her shop when I heard her voice. It was very hot in the afternoon; she was frying fish at one side of her shop and cooking corn at the other side. If you’re like me, you’ll wonder what relationship exists between fried fish and cooked corn.

I remember the first time I met her: I bought smoked fish from her, she went to get change for me and the next minute, she came straight into the toilet to give me my change (can you imagine the shock?). I remember when she told me she makes the best Jollof rice in the world, and asked me to patronize her for my parties. I remember her telling me why she did a lot of things at the same time; She said in yourba “Awon omo mi ti o je student bii tie naa ni mo fi n to”..meaning I cater for the needs of my children who are students like you. She went on to explain how she gathers all her profits and uses the money to send her children to school.

Why am I writing about her? 

She represents the African Woman…She represents my Mum…She represents my late Grandmum (mama Ijebu) who always told us in Ijebu, her native language: "Iwe run n mo yen, e bam fun ya je" (meaning, that book I can’t read, help me read it till it gets torn from consistent reading)…She represents the woman who stays in the sun selling N20 locust beans so her children can afford school. She represents her…yes, I mean that woman on your mind…and yes, that man too as the case may be.

It’s no easy thing deciding to give your children a better quality of life; one that surpasses the one you had. Sometimes, it takes more than sweat out of them, it could take blood sometimes.

So I pray to God to help me and I work hard at whatever I do. I may only buy ‘mama Ijebu’ a beautiful flower and put it on her grave; but she deserves a smile in heaven; a smile because Similoluwa kept her promise; a smile because she didn’t stay up in Ogunpa market all day selling ‘Panla fish’ in vain.

And I hope you’ve made up your mind; just like I have done, to defy the Ordinary; Go the extra mile; Stay up for that additional hour; Push one more time… and ensure that the ‘labour of our heroes past shall never be in vain’.

Plenty Love!

Similolu.