So Far

Daddy Tank Sir!
Mummy Tank Ma! 

These were the words young Mgee chirped, his voice brimming with glee after a hearty meal. Belly protruding, legs sprawled wide with blissful disregard for how the food found its way to him, he basked in the glow of satisfaction.

Naana do you want more?

Yes Mummy! I chorused almost immediately.

Oh! The Beauty of those days! Living rent free, feeding like the world is ending the next minute, screaming at the top of my Lungs for no just cause with the loudest childlike Soprano driving mum to the brink, shutting down school canteen with just ₦100(papingo dabaraya, Big Boy in Town!), wrestling with Somto, participating in pantomime(ko so ba bi re), sand bathing, watching power rangers……..I could go on and On!

Then came the adolescent era—a truly fascinating period in Mgee's life. I was surging with youthful exuberance, eager to explore, and deeply inquisitive (a trait I still possess today). Deluded with notions of already being a man, I lived under the “Daddy, thank you, Sir” regime. Mr. Ilonuba, whom I call Father—and indeed, a Father He is to me—ensured I remained keenly aware of this reality.

“So you think you’re a man now!” He thunders.

My father has a way of instilling the fear of both God and man in you, especially when he rages with the intent to correct. In moments like these, your shoulders slump, and your puffed-up, rebellious chest deflates as you’re humiliatingly reminded who’s the BOSS.

Mum isn’t left out of this. Anytime she feels she can flex her muscles with an adolescent she still views as a child, she approaches you with her slippers—her mighty Excalibur! African mums wield their Excalibur more fiercely than King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.

“Okra anaghi akari onye kulu ya!” She Bellows.

In Avatar: The last Airbender, just as everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked and disrupted the unity among the four nations, everything seemed good until Adulthood struck.

What is all this chaos? Everything is happening at once—and far too quickly. There are bills and debts to pay, your blood pressure begins to spike, you’re no longer living rent-free, there are no more unsolicited funds, and you’re devoid of free food altogether. In fact, you might even have extra mouths to feed. A part of you Begins to miss the “tank sir and tank Ma Era.” A part of you wants to relax and be taken care of. Indeed Nwata akwo n'azu amaghi na ije di ufu.

Then there are your dreams and aspirations starring you right in the Face, a constant reminder that time is slipping away. You’re so scared of what the future holds and how to chart a path to achieve your goals. I can now understand the wordings of the poet persona in Lenrie peters' The Panic of Growing Older, where he writes “The Panic of growing older, spreads fluttering wings from year to year.”

However, despite the chaos, adulthood comes with its perks. The overwhelming rush of bills, responsibilities, and fleeting time is undeniable, but there’s also a newfound freedom to shape your own path. You gain the power to make decisions—big or small—without seeking permission, and the satisfaction of overcoming challenges builds a resilience you never knew you had. Relationships deepen with intention, and the dreams once staring you down become yours to chase, fueled by experience and a clearer sense of self.

For Mgee, this merely is the Beginning of his Narrative. Everyday brings Good tidings and the opportunity to do better, to evolve towards his fullest potentials. With unwavering resolve, I’ll carve a path of purpose and impact, lifting others as I rise, trusting the strength to overcome every obstacle-So Help me GOD!