1.Even though drunk
At my joint in ‘Isale Eko’
Stuporous at that
Speaking in tongues as if ‘in the spirit’
I won’t eat bushmeat
I won’t mind sipping my pepper soup alone
I won’t even regret my action
For the sake of Ebola
2.I won’t kiss the scantily clad lady
Gambolling around at Allen avenue
Even if she pouts her lips
Explaining that it goes for free
I will shake my head
And happily say ‘mba’
I will remove my sandals & hasten away
For the fear of Ebola
3.I won’t go about
Shaking everyone in a handshaking spree
Especially strangers
Whose travel history I can’t ascertain
A nod of the head won’t be bad
And a warm smile as pleasantries are exchanged
They just have to bear that for now
For the fear of Ebola
4.I will make handwashing a ritual
So far as drought has not overtaken the globe
Before sinking my fingers into my mound of ‘iyan’
Straight to my basin I’ll stroll for some cleansing
I will even use my sanitizer
Happily as I watch my ‘iyan’ steam
I won’t frown my face as I go through the ritual
For the fear of Ebola
5.If Ebola kills another
Even if such is a relation
I’ll beg that fire be used
To help transport the body to the place beyond
Though that may be a painful choice
Why allow an infected body cause nations pains?
Tears may be shed but cremation will be embraced
For the fear of Ebola
4.As a health-care giver
I’ll become more vigilant
Not all catarrh or diarrhoea is now a joke
The deadly virus may be lurking within
I’ll treat all patients maintaining zero contact with their body fluids
Giving them utmost respect in the process
Whilst trying to care for another
I should not become a victim
I will treat all to the best of my knowledge
For the fear of Ebola
5.As an immigrant from any of the countries
Currently fighting the gruesome battle against Ebola
I will gladly yield myself
To any screening or quarantine if required
I won’t feel offended with the isolation
As I know it’s so the world can smile again
Even if confirmed with the disease
In tears I’ll yield all over to my maker
I’ll tell the care-givers
Not to forget cremation when the curtain gets drawned
I’ll painfully chew the bitter seed
For the fear of Ebola
6.Ebola has no face
Ebola has no smell
We don’t know if it’s either male or female
It has no pity
Ebola has no mind
Crawling around extinguishing beautiful minds
Only knowledge & cooperation
With a little more of discipline
Will help us win this sour battle
Wash your hands
Avoid contacts as much as possible
For now let go of bushmeats
Divorce yourself from roasted bats coated with sweet stew
Agree with health-care givers
On the adviced disposal of infected corpses
This definitely is a sorrow in a blip
One sublime to test our will
Let’s unite so we can rise
Above this fear of Ebola
* ‘Isale Eko’ : a location in Lagos Island,Nigeria.
* ‘mba’: an Igbo dialect from Nigeria meaning ‘no’.
* Iyan : a staple food of the Ondo people from Nigeria usually taken in boluses with bare hands.
N.B. :Dedicated to Dr Sheik Umar Khan,who contacted the virus in the process of taking care of infected individuals at the Hospital in Kenema,Sierra Leone.He died of the disease.
Soyombo Ayomikun tweets from @alabaster85