The 31st of May and Me
May 31st is a day of utmost significance to me, in my personal and political life. And the two days of May 31st that defined me in fundamental ways were in the consecutive years of 1988 and 1989: when I welcomed a brother into my life, and when the events that would shape my political and ideological trajectory for life occurred. Ibukun means Blessing I had grown up for almost seventeen years as the only son. I have four lovely sisters who are dear to me. However, I always longed for a brother for many years. I was doing my A levels at Anwar Ul Islam College Agege in 1987 when my mom became pregnant. By then, it didn’t seem to matter, though somewhere in my heart, I prayed the baby would be a boy like me at last. Momsie's water broke just as I was getting ready for school. Dad dropped me at the Iyana Ipaja bus stop as he took my mom to the same hospital I was born years back. On arriving back home in the evening, I got the news that mo ti r’énikéjì. To say I was elated would ...