Seyi Ojenike
Biography: ‎SEYI OJENIKE is a poet who finds creative inspiration in his rich Yoruba heritage. Shaped by literary giants Wole Soyinka and Niyi Osundare, his poetic voice resonates in his contribution to the book "Things Fall Apart: The Centre Cannot Hold," a collaborative work between the Republic of Ireland and Nigeria commemorating W. B. Yeats' Nobel Prize centenary.
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Seyi Ojenike
Tuesday 26 May 2026

African Medicine

After we communed with the earth, our ancestors,

bodies bathed in earth's whispers,

taught us how to dodge flying bullets.

the earth holds so much wisdom.

my forefathers knew, carried them into the newness

of modern age.

while flowers are for frolicking,

in the name of love. we, ingest them.

it is difficult to imagine anything more beautiful.

such barbarity

in their eyes could be a cure to malaria, piles or any other. the ground

is so fertile, birthing both sustenance and medicine.

how then can i forget my place, when history resides in the earth?

history, is the earth.

and the earth tells it through her offspring,

the herbs whispers it to my body. tales of my forefather's

beginnings and thrall.

i cling dearly to the safety of our science,

seeking shelter where others are nearsighted

 

we boiled:

out of cymbopogon and moringa smelled espresso

what is green that has come out of this earth

is not without use…

bitter. my taste buds had grown to relish them

i understand the eloquence of nature's stillness

between bartered herbs and tree barks

that squeeze out juice of healing

even the weeds emerge in praise

and if you ask me when i first knew love

i will smile in my heart

it happened in fragments, herb by herb

nature's healing hands - that's how i remember it

 

we possess science.

yes, evolving, we converse with broken bones sans interpreters,

rustling leaves in the heart of the tree,

and with herbs that chant.

i know the leaves by their names; i beckon to one,

a hundred respond in two folds, echoing in the grindstone.

i do not discern if it brings wellness or not.

i only pick what is good and pure.

may i not harm any soul.

let my hands and heart stay pure and clean.

may the leaves not harbour anger toward me,

and let the herbs do no harm.

may it be benevolent to me and those i heal.

let my work be blessed by god and the ancestors.

i call upon the spirits of the leaves to aid me.

we are healers of health and mirth. with wisdom and

skill, we mend the body, the heart, the mind.

with faith and trust, we mend all,

except death.



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Seyi Ojenike
Tuesday 26 May 2026

The Mess (A Danfo Poem in Three Movements)

I: The Gathering

we are all tenants of the same misfortune,

this Lagos sun, a landlord charging double,

so we flee into whatever moves.

“Yaba! Ojuelegba! Enter with your change!”

the conductor hit the top as he leaned halfway out the door,

then the chaos began, survival of the fittest,

the willing, the late, the have-no-choice,

struggling, we poured ourselves in like garri into an already hot pot.

“49 sitting, 99 standing”

 

II: The Parliament

to think the struggle was over, to think the bus was sanctuary,

it was merely another arena: knees negotiating

space with the next person,

buttocks struggling with irons and bones,

each unsatisfied passenger filing complaints nobody would hear.

it is a parliament to observe:


a man in a suit clutches his newspaper like he mattered,

“suit and tie” under this hot sun - “This is Lagos, oga,”

there are grades to poverty and he has memorized all of them.

the market woman, her basket wedged between disgruntled passengers,

fans herself with the hem of her wrapper as though

she could legislate the heat away.

behind her, three students sandwiched on each other,

one already asleep on the architecture of tomorrow’s regret.

a preacher selling his faith on his neighbour’s reluctant shoulder -

“Lagos is not our final bus stop, brethren.” Nobody disagreed.

 

III: The Legislation

then it arrived - with no decency of a warning,

the way bad governance does: silently, confidently,

as though it had always belonged.

a woman in the middle stiffened. “Jesus,” she whispered.

the diagnosis travelled faster than the evidence.

“Ahan! Who do this kain thing na?!” a passenger thundered.

the suit-man cleared his throat: “This is highly inappropriate,”

announcing it to a bus that has heard worse.

passengers buried their noses in whatever was available

while the mess dissolved democratically into the shared air.

“Na wa o,” exhaled a voice from the back,

“person go just mess anyhow without warning.”

still, nobody confessed. Nobody ever does.



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Seyi Ojenike
Tuesday 26 May 2026

The Table Spread of Empty Cups

Here is the table, wide as a field, 

spread with empty cups and broken plates, 

each one a hollow mouth, 

waiting for something to fill it. 

 

Mothers sit with hands folded tight, 

their palms worn and wanting, 

fingers tracing the rims of cups, 

that never hold more than air. 

 

Children’s eyes are big as the moon, 

their hunger quiet, an ache they swallow, 

while widows lean into the dark corners, 

their voices thin as the cloth on their backs. 

 

Here is the table of promises, 

laid out in rows of dusty plates, 

where the disabled wait, 

their eyes fixed on doors that never open. 

 

And the world passes by, unseen, 

while the table stretches on and on, 

a feast of silence, 

a spread of empty cups.



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Seyi Ojenike
Saturday 3 June 2023

To Kill a Roach

In the shadows of the fading light,

In the dead of night, a threat appears.

With its wings spread, it takes flight,

As a sense of fear develops, my heart races.

A fluttering roach, the offspring of terror,

Invaded my peace by grabbing my focus to itself.

I hold onto my broom with shaking hands.

ready to confront imminent disaster.

My heart beats like an agitated drum from inside me,

Rapidly and fearfully.

As I move cautiously closer,

Every thump echoes with a sense of dread.

I battle against fright with every swat

And frantic swing of my shivering body.

To release myself from this threat,

I made a passionate plea in the form of a primitive dance.

The zigzag flight of that disgusting bug,

Even so, is a frantic joke.

My heart races as a result of my fear

It is so close as I chase it, my pulse racing.

After the final blow, which landed with a loud thud,

I overcame my dread of this foul thing.

Yet, my heart continues to race.

A proof of the horror that was real.

In spite of my doubt,

There was a sigh of relief and a win thereafter.

The roach is no longer there,

But its memory is

The sound of fear's refrains

Is indelibly etched in my heart.

To kill a roach, a battle fought,

A melody of beating hearts and unexpected horror.

My strength was put to the test in this conquest,

My heart stopped as I tried to confront the dread.



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Seyi Ojenike
Saturday 3 June 2023

Whispers of the Wind

Whispers of the wind, a gentle touch,

Carrying secrets that mean so much.

In nature's embrace, I find my peace,

As worries and troubles begin to cease.

Leaves rustle, a soft lullaby,

Nature's melody, soaring high.

In the whispers of the wind, I find solace,

A reminder of life's gentle grace.



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Seyi Ojenike
Wednesday 24 May 2023

Suffering and Smiling

On the soil where resilience abounds,
Nigerians tread on hallowed ground,
Amidst trials that never seem to cease,
They find solace in smiles, a cloak of peace.
Through the chaos and economic strain,
They bear burdens that others may disdain,
Yet laughter echoes through the air,
A testament to strength they proudly wear.
With ingenuity, they craft their way,
In the face of challenges that hold no sway,
Suffering and smiling, a paradox so true,
Nigerians find hope, their spirit shines through.
In the face of struggle, they stand tall,
United by a spirit that will never fall,
For their laughter is a shield they wield,
Defying the hardships that lay concealed.
Oh, Nigerians, resolute and bold,
In your vibrant smiles, stories unfold,
Through adversity, your spirit remains,
A testament to the resilience that sustains.
So let the world witness their unique art,
As they navigate life with a resilient heart,
Nigerians: suffering and smiling, hand in hand,
An indomitable spirit that will forever stand.


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Seyi Ojenike
Wednesday 24 May 2023

Lost Rhythms

In the echoes of forgotten tales,
Africans dance to foreign beats,
Their feet entangled in alien steps,
Their souls swaying to borrowed tunes.
They forsake their own melodies,
Assembled over centuries of existence,
Trading vibrant rhythms for hollow echoes,
Blinded by the allure of distant shores.
Colonial whispers still linger,
Breeding insecurity, sowing doubt,
Their cultural fabric worn thin,
In pursuit of acceptance, they discard their roots.
The richness of ancestral wisdom,
Fades in the shadow of borrowed customs,
Their minds colonized, their spirits suppressed,
In a relentless pursuit of assimilation.
Oh, Africa! Awaken from this slumber,
Embrace the heartbeat of your own drum,
Rekindle the flames of ancient fires,
And let your voices rise in unison.
For the strength lies in your diversity,
In the tapestry woven by countless tribes,
Unfurl the banner of cultural pride,
And reclaim the essence that is truly yours.
Let the rhythms of the Motherland resound,
From the savannas to the bustling cities,
For it is in embracing our own unique cadence,
That Africa will find its voice once more.


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Seyi Ojenike
Wednesday 24 May 2023

Celestial Symphony

Starry night unveils its cosmic symphony,
Celestial bodies waltz in harmony.
Moon's gentle glow, a lullaby for the soul,
Unveiling secrets the universe holds.
Constellations paint stories in the sky,
Whispering tales as time drifts by.
Oh, how the cosmos enchants our sight,
A celestial ballet, a mesmerizing delight.


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Seyi Ojenike
Wednesday 24 May 2023

Eledumare, the Great Creator

O Eledumare, great Creator divine,

Whose power and wisdom made all things in time,

The sun, the moon, the stars that brightly shine.


You set the earth on its axis to align,

And gave the oceans their ebb and flow's chime,

O Eledumare, great Creator divine.


You formed the mountains and valleys to incline,

And gave the rivers their course to unwind,

The sun, the moon, the stars that brightly shine.


The wind and rain, the seasons in their design,

All work in harmony with a purpose in line,

O Eledumare, great Creator divine.


Your grace and mercy forever will shine,

Your love and goodness we'll forever enshrine,

The sun, the moon, the stars that brightly shine,

O Eledumare, great Creator divine.



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Seyi Ojenike
Saturday 20 May 2023

Motherhood

What a journey, what a ride
From the first moment of conception
To the day of birth, and beyond
Motherhood is a beautiful song

The weight of responsibility
Can sometimes feel like a boulder
But with every coo and smile
A mother's heart swells with pride

The sleepless nights and endless days
Of diaper changes and feeding times
Are nothing compared to the joy
Of holding a tiny life in your arms

From the first steps to the first words
A mother watches her child grow
And though the journey is not always smooth
Love always finds a way to shine through

Motherhood is a journey of sacrifice
Of giving your all for another life
It's a journey that's both beautiful and tough
But a mother's love is more than enough

So here's to all the mothers out there
The ones who work tirelessly every day
May your love and sacrifice never go unnoticed
And may you always find joy along the way.


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