Sometimes I watch daddy box while we are at the gym.
Looking at him in awe as he throws punches at the punching bag.


Watching as he dances around a real life opponent; attempting to find a weak spot to punch.
Watching as he unleashes a fury of uppercuts that land on the opponents face.
Watching as he sways his head quickly to avoid a punch being aimed at his head by the other fighter.

As my daddy has already told me how deadly a punch to the head can be.

He had already showed me a tape of Klitchsko landing a huge blow on Samuel Peter which caused the big Nigerian to stagger around in the ring like a drunk man trying to put on his slippers.

He had already played the dispairing pictures of Tyson Fury before the Klitchsko match and a Tyson not-so--Fury after the match.

He had already showed me tapes of a lion looking McGregor before the boxing match against Mayweather and a cat looking McGregor after the match.

Telling me never to bark out loud to an opponent before a match,
For the shame which would follow my loss, would be massive.

'Keep silent and let your actions speak' my daddy had told me.
And he was doing exactly that to his ringside opponent as other trainers gathered around and watched the match intensely.

Then, a mini disaster struck.
One of the opponent's blows connected with my daddy's temple.

My heart flew to my mouth that moment,
As I watched daddy fall down in slow motion like Kanye West did in Knock you down video.

Would daddy still remember my name after that punch?

Would the bolts in his head still remain fully tightened after that surprise 'Gbii'?

Would he still be able to recognize his wife's face or would he become a vegetable for the rest of his life?

Obviously I was not the only one asking these questions.
As the gym owner raised five fingers to daddy's face to confirm if he could still count.

As daddy's friends had already began hurling invectives and threatening legal action against the opponent for landing such a blow when he knew that it was only a sparring match.

Still, daddy arose like a phoenix out of the ashes.

Still, daddy scrambled to rise up like Harry Potter against Lord Voldermort in the battle of Hogwarts.
Still, daddy turned to face his enemy like Luke Skywalker against Darth Vader.
Still, daddy heaved himself up using the ropes just like Rocky.

For he was the rock.
Not like the other Rock that is only strong in movies and staged WWE matches.

No.
My daddy was a fighter who would not give up like the rest.

For he had told me,
That the path to the top is filled with opponents who would knock you out cold.

Just like Christian in the Pilgrims progress.
Just like the traumatizing pregnancy incident that happened to Oprah Winfrey when she was young.
Just like the heart challenges that attempted to stop Papilo Kanu from donning the famed no. 25 shirt for Arsenal FC.
And just like the cross and the grave which had both tried to hold my lord Jesus Christ.

All were blows to knock them out, but they still rose up.

'Tough times do not last', papa had said,
'But tough people do', He concluded.
#AtinukeBashorunwrites


MA JE KI

Ma je ki a fa oro gun ore,
Ko si nkan ti o le te omo araye lorun o.
E ba wu o ki o ra gbogbo oko ayokele fun won, nse ni wa so oro re lai da.
E ba wu o ki o to gbogbo omo won dagba, nse ni wa re Ile onisegun lati ba aye re je.
E ba su o ki o ra gbogbo Igba aso lati fi bo ihoho won, nse ni won ma wa ona lati tu aso kuro ni idi re.
E ba wu o ki o ko ile lanti lanti fun won ni abule, nse ni wo o wa yara kan ti won o ma se epe fun o ni Igba gbogbo.

Ma je ki a fa oro gun ore.
Nkan aye yi o kin dun fun igba ti o po.
E ba wu o ki o lo mu gbogbo jedi pelu opa ehin, ko le mu ki ibalopo fun e layo.
E ba wu o ki o lo ra gbogbo oti ati emu ti o nbe ninu Igba iya Kamoru, ko le mu ki ayo re pe.
E ba wu o ki di Ololade Mr. Money ti n fi owo toro, ko le mu ki ayo re pe.
E ba wu o ki o ni gbogbo agbara bi eni ti o se je ogun fufu, ko le mu ki o layo laye yi.

Ma je ki a fa oro gun ore.
Eni ti o ni Jesu loni ohun gbogbo.
Nitoripe ni ikawo re ni ohun gbogbo ti wa.
Nitoripe a ti odo re ni afefe alaafia ti n bo.
Nitoripe a ti odo re ni ategun isegun ti n ya wa.
Nitoripe a ti odo re ni odo ibukun ti n shan bo.

Ma je ki a fa oro gun ara mi,
Eni ni Jesu loni ohun gbogbo.
#Bashorun

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