SATIRE: "ALAYE" BY GODSON OSARENREN

Alaye, the city hails.

Again

And again.

Day after day.

As though applause

Could baptise madness into sanity.

From Idi-Oro all the way to Ajah,

Agege to Ikorodu...

The wound remains the same,

Different streets,

Same scars.

Home to all 

But the lines are clear.

"Wo ẹgbẹ́ rẹ" 

The walking chimney speaks,

And the street understands.

Mothers pull their children closer.

Fathers study the weather,

And young men learn codes,

Before wearing shoes.

A city of dreams,

With eyes that never shut.

Endowed with the best of restless ambitions

And many products of accidental intimacy.

Omo-ota, show me your house?

Shine your eye!

Before you enter one chance,

Because the street is electric.

Owambe everywhere.

From both ends of the bridge, 

Faji lawa!

To be a lion in this concrete jungle,

Alaye is more than just a title.

It is a passport through territories,

Where respect is clawed in fangs, 

Before it is even served.

© GODSON OSARENREN 

- Nigeria 

The poem “Alaye” by Godson Osarenren presents a vivid portrait of Lagos as a city filled with energy, ambition, celebration, and dreams, yet deeply troubled by insecurity and social decay. Through references to different parts of Lagos, the poet shows that despite the geographical differences, many communities experience similar struggles and dangers. The poem captures a society where people must remain constantly alert, as violence, crime, and exploitation have become part of everyday life.

Using Lagos street language, humour, irony, and satire, the poet portrays the survival instincts of its inhabitants. Expressions such as “Wo ẹgbẹ́ rẹ” and “Shine your eye!” reflect a culture where people must be careful about whom they trust and where they go. The poem also highlights the city's vibrant social life through references to owambe and other aspects of popular culture. Ultimately, “Alaye” celebrates the toughness and resilience associated with Lagos while simultaneously exposing the contradictions, insecurity, and social problems hidden beneath the city's lively surface.