Surulere, Lagos

By Taiwo Aloba

In "Surulere, Lagos," Taiwo Aloba writes about growing up in Lagos.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Taiwo Aloba
• Release date: Aug 31, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005831226

Taiwo Aloba

Taiwo Aloba grew up in Lagos and received her BA in Theatre Arts and Music from Lagos State University. She received her MA in Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University, and her poems have appeared in various publications. She lives in New York.

Book preview

For Daddy Ikeja, Amama, and Alonso.

For my steel magnolias – Mother, twin sister, and aunties.

Lagbaja’s Eye-Service

In my old neighborhood, Old Soldier, with his bitter kola burnished teeth and prying red eyes, blared his radio in full anguish as he read the local newspaper as if a frown sank its teeth into his face every day.

––––––––

He was not adored in the community. My sister told me his short stature is a result of his wickedness; he is one of those men who Alfred Pennyworth says just wants to watch the world burn.

––––––––

All he did was call the electrical companies to cut the power lines of neighbors he perceived to have tapped power from nearby streets, which led to unwelcome knocks on wooden doors.

––––––––

Old Soldier screamed at kids for playing too close to his veranda and summoned 2Ogun Lakaye and 3Sango Olukoso Alara Ina to deal with them. But he was also the community treasurer and held