Writing with Juliet Iwelunmor

see

women invisible,

like your grandmother,

are like light in the path,

doves on a rock hill,

with soft extravagant scars,

across the soles of their feet.

see the steps she took,

across slippery water,

it was her,

that first heard birds calling,

palm trees rustling,

a woman by the river singing,

children crying,

not her own, not from trying,

for a very long time,

across slippery waters till,

Onyelo,

who ever knew,

you will one day walk,

across slippery paths,

for your dreams,

for your dreams,

if you wonder,

how to persist,

when your path is slippery,

study your scars,

study the light,

study invisible women,

study,

Mama Ocha!

I had a private viewing at a gallery in Lagos some days back. The artist was young, philosophical, and brilliant. We saw his art work, fragments of shapes, in the form of collages, in the form of people, in the form of dreams. I have always said dreams are the highest points in life and to see them in art form is forever inspiring. He told us about his journey, told us about his future plans, radically dreamt out loud his life, and shared notes on his process. I was inspired. Here is a young man destined for greatness not only at the intersection of art and architecture, his dream plans, but for what art can do for life, for healing, for dreams, for tomorrow.

I stopped by one of his artwork. It spoke to my soul. The title was “light your path” and immediately I knew that my people long gone, especially my grandmother must be smiling wherever they are. I have been on a mission to reimagine her journey into birthing Onyelo, being wondering what persistence means, failure too as I have a love for the lessons failure birth. I am learning these days I thrive in ways uncommon. Success is important and it matters but when life throws you lemons, make the most of it. The past year has been a lesson in what to do when the plans you had for your life, take a massive turn. Do you dwell on sorrow, dwell in negative or do you use what emerges to light a path forward. I did in ways unblinking for my true calling.

Tomorrow is uncertain. I anticipate failure. I anticipate persistence. But most of all, I know I will light my path, because Mama Ocha first did. Keep this and support Lawrence Meju if you can.