I Could Be My Shoe

I COULD BE MY SHOE (The Shoe Psychology)

It is important that we clothe our feet. When humans came to understand this need, I’m pretty sure they had no idea a much deeper need will stir up within them as a result of this discovery. We no longer just clothe our feet these days, but say who we are, what we do, what we like and even get others to know how our feet are shaped by the kind of foot wears we rock.

Foot wears can tell what weather it is, the story of our culture, where we’re going, if there’s an emergency, the kind of job we do, what festival it is and even how much we’re worth. A person’s shoe can tell you a whole lot about them and even go a little further to tell us a bit of what they think. Ok, I know I might have gone too far with my hype and talk about “the shoe psychology” but if you take an honest look at my statements above you would agree that I tell no lie.

Many Nigerians are fashionable fashion lovers who could give their last penny to come out right. Although some might choose to disagree, an average Nigerian would surely be dressed sweetly to church, a wedding or any other occasion. We all have our unique styles and though not all of us attend church, those that do grace the church with their presence. You’d have women in fancy slip-ons, sandals, shoes and slippers with a clutch bag, purse or hand bag to match or fit. Ladies in flat ballerina shoes, wedge heel sandals or shoes, stiletto heels, gladiator sandals or bootie shoes will have you stretching your neck to catch a glimpse. Guys on the other hand grace their feet with palm slippers, converses, chocks, high tops or any other kind of snickers laced with different colours of ropes to jazz up their appearance.

People wear different kinds of foot wears and tend to express their selves in them. Some women like me who have big flat feet (many Nigerian women do) prefer to walk in flat shoes like ballerina shoes, matted sandals or any simple cover shoe that would hold each foot together and allow us experience comfort in them. The story is however different for the hot chicks. They prefer to follow fashion trends and would wear nice chic flat sandals or slippers for casual outings, stiletto or wedge heeled shoes/sandals to work, weddings or parties. A few other women would wear anything (even a guy’s palm slippers or shoe) as long as they feel comfortable in them and can walk as haphazardly as they want to. They last category of females love fashion and want to look stylish but don’t know how to so they most times find themselves breeching one fashion code or another.

Nigeria is a place wear people like to get creative a lot and dare fashion. Boots hardly sell well here because the weather wouldn’t make you look sane wearing them. Ballerina shoes aren’t a crazy here either because unless its worn with a pair of socks (which many ladies feel odd wearing by the way,) no one really likes to see their toes stick out of their shoe. Besides although ballet is popular amongst us, we hardly really get the time, reason or opportunity to dance it anyways.

High heeled shoes and sandals work okay here but many ladies still find it hard to walk in them because of the topography of stony, bumpy, pot holed and generally bad roads. Those that rock heels against the odds remember to carry an extra pair of flat shoes or slippers in their hand bag or car as insurance.

Pink Chocloate

I had my first baby when i was 16 years old and lost her a year later to pneumonia. I wished i had aborted her nineteen months earlier when my parents asked me to.

Loosing her tore my life apart cos i dropped out of school to have her and i couldn't go back after wards because i contacted an infection during child birth that crippled my legs. The doctors said i would walk again after three months (or less) of treatment, but a year passed and my butt was still slave to the wheels.

Four private teachers were employed and i was home-schooled for nine months so i could take part in the General certificate exams (o-level GCE) later that year, october precisely. My teachers did their best to take me through the syllabus for that session and i did good learning fast.

The trauma of loosing my baby and my legs creapt in once in a while, almost making me go nuts, but my brave spirit always rose above it and built its wall.

Two years passed after i had my baby, i had completed my lessons, written my GCE and was waiting for my result. He came to my house to collect his salary. Dad had told him over the phone that he'd be back home in less than 30 minutes so he had to wait for my dad. We were home alone that afternoon, waiting for my dad to return.

...TO BE CONTINUED...

Stretched Mark...

Say it again.
Don't just say it.
Say it and mean it.
Like it was in the begining.

The days of our love's youth,
when we had so much to talk about,
so much to laugh about.
So much to enjoy each other's company for.

I fear what we are now.
I hate what we've become.
And the worst is, you have no idea.

You cringe when i hold you.
Back out when i kiss you.
Avoid my eyes when we i seek you.




Do i bore you?
What's wrong?
Tell me.
I want my wife back.

Bring her back.
..............................................
I see now, i know too
I know i treated you bad before
I'm different now.
Don't pay me back.
I look back now and i see it.

I see how insensitive i was.
I see how selfish i was.
I didn't see the woman in this human.

A woman with needs.
A human with emotions.
A partner in need of love and care.
A woman who gave me all she gave no one else.

I know all that now.
I understand your anger.
Don't play me back.
Lets settle this.

NOT IN MY PLACE

Okay, this is the first poem i've written in a while. I promised my self i wont do any writing in while but is guess my head will never stop writing lines by itself. I'm having a great vacation with my family so i thought i'd share a few lines with you my friends. Yeah go on and read it now.


Not in my place.
I'm in this place,
Some place,
an easily lovable place.

There's no reason at all,
To not fall in love with here,
No reason to hate,
Cos here reeks of peace.

I'm not in my place,
I'm a fresher here.
Everything is new and i care not.

Here in this place,
Reality lives,
People survive,
Life is made.

I'm new here
with familiar people.
Getting old here
around unfamiliar people.

I might not be in my place now,
But i'm glad i got missing
To be around the sweetest people.
Family.

An Evening with Wille.

The evening was warm and quiet as the sun’s heat had reduced in intensity. Classrooms were virtually cleared as many students who were done with their lectures for that day sought after other activities to take up what was left of their day.
I sat in Chitis restaurant that evening with a note book open on the table in front of me, my mobile phone lying beside the note book, a pen in my hand and the straw with which I sucked the content of my coke bottle between my lips. I was waiting for my date to arrive and I prayed he did so on time.

At exactly 5:06pm, my date walked into the restaurant wearing a red striped shirt which was tucked into his jeans, a black leather belt on his waist and a pair of black snickers on his feet. His majestic strides were very well coordinated and the handsome smile on his face made my heart drop as he walked up to my table.

It was my first up close experience with Williams Uchembah an undergraduate student of the department of History and International Relations, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN). The three time best kid actor awardee (in 2002 for “Oh My Son”, 2003 for “Beyond Belief” and 2005 for “Dorothy My Love”) whose career in Nollywood started when he was 11years old has not let his fine achievements in the industry prevent him from living a responsible normal life or pursuing his education to the highest level. Haven gotten most of his high school education from Federal Government College Enugu state (FGC), Williams preceded to Jimgrams Secondary School for the remainder of his high school education then to UNN afterwards, for his Professional degree.

Though in his 2nd year of study at the University, Williams is one of the few young men his age who have a clear vision of what they want out of life and are working hard to get it. Education and career aside, Wille (as he is called by his friends) is also a devote Christian and active member of New Covenant Family Fellowship, Nsukka (Dominion City Church). He believes that, “people should act in accordance with their purpose and discover the real reason they want to get involved in anything”. He also says good morals should be brought into movies because what people see in movies have a way of affecting their approach to certain issues in life.

Added to his enthusiasm for education and dedication to God, Williams has a burning desire to enlighten and empower young people of this generation to engage in aggressive self development. With an experience of 11 years and 76 movies to his name, Williams is convinced that anyone can do what they set their hearts to as academics can be combined with a good job. “…the human brain is capable of a lot of things yet we underestimate it… family support is also important my dear, it is…” he said as he sipped out of his glass of juice. Born to parents who are both politicians, Williams apparently inherited the political inclinations of his parents heading Teens’ Network Foundation as president since 2007.

Although he has had a fair share of failed relationships, Williams is very optimistic about the future and has no doubt that he would meet the right woman for him when the time is right. Williams has made his imprints in the sands of time yet wants to continue his smart work till he dies as he still has big dreams he is yet to achieve. He hopes to be apart of Hollywood someday and is willing to put his best to grow Nollywood as well.

-Chizitere Ojiaka.