Simbo Olorunfemi

Simbo Olorunfemi is a Nigerian poet, journalist, and business person with a background in TV production and brand management. His follow-up, Eko Ree, won first prize at the 2004 contest. As a journalist, he has written columns for several Nigerian newspapers. Quotes Early morning walk has become a part of my daily routine now, since I made a commitment to it months ago. It is therapeutic for body and mind for many reasons. The early morning walk offers the opportunity to see things, see beauty and ugliness, often seated side by side, even as much of that had hitherto been only hidden in plain sight. I see these women around. They come from the settlements around ‘searching’ for wood and other stuff from construction sites. I see them, and sometimes young children scouting for plastic bottles and cartons from the waste bins. Possibly, other things as well. I see the women hired by the Facility Managers to sweep the streets. They return everyday to the same spot to pack sand off the tar. I often wonder about this. Is there not a way to prevent the sand from the repeated journey to the tar in the first place? But then I also wonder about what might be the fate of the street sweepers if the sand stay away from the tar. Perhaps, it is better we just keep up with the routine. Once in a while, I catch their eyes. Some quickly look away. Some look into my eyes in a way that I am also forced to look away. With some, I am able to exchange greetings. Others immediately pull back and the connection is broken. In their eyes, I would often see a mix of fear, uncertainty and loneliness. I even get to sense a tinge of despair in some instances. Perhaps it is me making too much of what is actually not there. Perhaps it is me seeing a cage where there is really none or me imagining chains around hands and minds that are indeed free, but I often feel burdened and saddened by what I see. External Links Category:Living people Category:Poets from Nigeria Category:Journalists from Nigeria Category:University of Lagos alumni