Close to my window, I heard the sound of the talking drum saying "ọmọ ọba okin lojo, ọmọ akin ni ẹ" meaning "A prince is never a coward, you are the man of valour" (Yoruba language). It caught my attention and then I went to the Ayan (The drummer) and asked him to play me another beat from the talking drum and he played "ọmọ tani ni ọ, njẹ she oo kin fi ọwọ osi ju we ile baba rẹ ati orisun rẹ" which means "Whose child are you, hope you are not ashamed of your source"(Yoruba language).
WHOSE CHILD ARE YOU, HOPE YOU ARE NOT ASHAMED OF YOUR SOURCE
Who am I? Why was I born here? Am I proud to say I am from here?
My name is Gbenga, I am a son of the soil. I was born with a kola nut in my mouth and that's why I speak words full of wisdom. I was told I have seventy-seven lives and I'm still using my first life. Please, I was only told, but I think I enjoy this life I'm living.
As a son of the soil, I receive the blessings of my ancestors every morning before going out to learn from the elders of the land. The elders would always say to me "Son of the soil, A child who sits on the shoulder of an elder would see far".
In the evening, I join the youth of the land to dance the Bata dance that says "I am a son of the soil, I am an African child".
At night, I sit under the community story tree in anticipation for the moon light tale. After the tale Nana would always ask me "Son of the soil, do you have a question" and I would say "Nana why was I born here". I always asked the same question every night but now, I know why I was born here, I was born here because I am the "Son of the soil" and Africa needs me to bring her into radiant luminosity.
I am the light of Africa, I am proud of my culture, I am the light Africa has been waiting for, I am the future of Africa. I am the son of the soil and I am an African child.
"ọmọ tani ni ọ, njẹ she oo kin fi ọwọ osi ju we ile baba rẹ ati orisun rẹ"