I was flogged mercilessly for not dotting my “i”s in my English essay
53 undotted “I”s, 53 strokes of the cane
Teacher Maryjane spoke through her nose like those people in the talking box
She urged us to try speaking that way too
Obinna told her, we need not to because we are not like them
Teacher Maryjane said what is worth doing is what doing well, I think I believe her
I told the others that maybe there is something noble in speaking that way
Maybe it would make us better, above others, we would walk with that air of superiority like Teacher Maryjane
We would travel around and be called to dialogue with the white people on behalf of the locals
I dream of farmers bringing their harvest to my hut just like they did for Teacher Maryjane
Little Children would fight to fill my water drum for a small piece of Chocolate bar and a book they could not even read
The Chiefs would seek my opinion in the way they did with Teacher Maryjane,
“What would a white man have done in this case?” they would ask
I told the others of my dream and they loved it except for my little sister, Temi
She spat on the ground “Tueh!!! what nonsense if you can bleach your skin to look like them then I will twist my tongue to sound like theirs, where is your pride, your identity?”
What do you think?