The Slum

I am from the Slum

where majority of the people are poor

rats, mosquitoes and flies dwell with us like we are all neighbors.

 

On a daily basis, some Slum dwellers eat garri

while others chew palm kernels as a means for survival

due to lack of finance to buy or cook good food.

 

When the rainy season arrives, many of us begin to worry

not only because the rain disturbs our hustles

but our homes might get flooded severely.

 

Anytime we are far away from home and it rains cats and dogs,

You see frowns on our faces because we know

Our mattresses, dishes and other important materials might be floating over the water

When we shall have returned.

 

There are good and bad people in the Slum

But you can decide how you want to live.

Some good things I like about the Slum are that 

Many of its inhabitants are hard working, courageous and lastly, they are brilliant.

 

We are from the Slum,

We don’t have enough so we are always trying our best

And giving our all

Just to make things better.

 

Several of us that are opportuned to go to school are very focused and we put a lot of time into our lessons

Because we know where we are coming from

And we also understand what our parents pass through

To pay our fees.

 

That’s why you see most of the students from the Slum end up with flying colors in the end

Our brains are not extra

but we remember our background

So we do all we can to make our parents proud and change our living conditions.

 

We don’t have everything

so the little we have we maintain

in the midst of difficulties,

we muster up the courage

knowing and believing that one day we will make it. 

 

Ladies and gentlemen, the Slum.

 

Authored by: Theophilus Morlu

Featured Image by: Rémy Ajenifuja on Unsplash