Writing with Juliet Iwelunmor

The chance to love you,

to know you,

to grow with you

In our darkest hour

Our brightest days

Are the reason

Why we open

Like wings for you.

We call you Olisa.

The one we named after God.

The one we used to ask for his guidance.

We are afterall nothing without God.

The other day

someone said

I was engaged in a power struggle.

Imagine that.

A power struggle

As if I don’t know

where all my power comes from.

In case anyone has forgotten,

this is a not so gentle reminder

that it is God.

My power,

like your name,

is God.

So anyone who dares to struggle with me,

Dares to struggle with you,

better be prepared

to battle with God.

We that he called his own.

We that he formed before we knew ourselves,

formed as bones too,

in Nnem’s womb,

the one named Onyelo,

the one never meant to be.

We don’t take it for granted

that we were never ever meant to be.

I imagine their fear to be defeated now.

I see their pathetic hollow ways.

I see the intimidation

and all the crazy stunts people play

to claim other people’s story.

Your story,

like my own,

was written when we barely knew ourselves.

No madness can come against you,

Come against us,

not when we have the courage to dream

the dreams we deserve.

See that sun,

see it shining through,

see your arms reaching out,

see them reaching the sun,

God,

this bright heart of you,

my wildest hope,

is the reason why I see what love does.

It’s is you.

Our love.

Happy birthday Olisa.

The one we named after God.