Adebukola Leslie’s Story

Ilorin, Nigeria I had many homes growing up since my Dad moved around a lot. My earliest and one of my fondest is living in a sprawling bungalow next door to the governor's lodge in Ilorin. It was not very big but it was surrounded by a large compound behind the high fences and gaurded black gates. i was about three years old( might have been four). But i have very fond memories of playing in the corn farm with my little sister and brother when i was allowed to play supervised in the fields of crops my father grows around the house because he loves gardening so much. I also recall with extreme clarity sitting on my Dad's laps on cool evenings with the rest of my siblings and and singing the Solfa notes at the top of my shrill little voice with my Dad leading every chorus in His sonorous and near perfect alto singing voice. Usually he would play his guitar or the harmonica in accompaniment. Sometimes he was gritty and dirty from being in his garden but i didn't care. It was pure heaven to me. I learned lots of hymns, choruses and ballads from these evenings. Fun times. My Mom would then come and yell for us to come in when dinner was ready. I remember my parents room next, as Ade would curl up in a ball in Daddy's closet hugging his Suits whenever Dad was away so we would come find him there when we looked for him. When he was around he wanted us around him all the time so we miss him so much when he is away. I also recall Dad calling for me to let me know how proud he was that i was really studious and brilliant at that age. It was in that house that i was also duped for the very first time, my oldest brother who was in college then would come home for the holidays with tales of a fictional money doubler at his school and we would always fall for it everytime shaking out our piggy banks to give to him. ( Baba K- you still owe me,'wink'). I cannot drive past the governor's lodge in Ilorin and not glance at my childhood home still laying next to the palacial quarters.