It has been said that various cities in the world has their own distinct smell. New York smells like coffee in the morning. Los Angeles of Alcohol and sex. London of beaurucracy. But Lagos smells like none of that. Instead, the most populous state in Nigeria has two smells. Of hard work and relaxations. It depends on where you or your family finds yourself.
The busy part smells of sweats- of honest men, cheats, prostitutes and thieves. But the rich part smells of money and all the good things that come with it.
But there's a place in between, where you find the rich families of yesteryears and potential millionaires of years to come.
Daniel had smelled the busy part. He was born in the smell, grew up surrounded by it. And hated it with his guts. It was his hatred of the smell that propelled him through hellish days in the underfunded public school. And the same smell that made him stand through cold nights of law school. He swore to himself that he would do whatever necessary, to move to the millionaires part of the city or better still, out of the city itself. Abuja was now booming, thanks to the military regime that transferred the capital to the middle belt small state. And if all goes well, vacations in the Bahamas, Jeju islands, hawaii, and periodic safaris through Africa. And as far as Daniel was concerned, all was going well.

He checked his mirror again.
Hai, combed. Tie, set. He touched his face, a bit oily but nothing a clean handkerchief wouldn't solve. On certain days, Daniel would have been frustrated with the traffic. Lagos traffic had always been a delay. Everyone knew that. But no one had or would do anything about it. Instead, they would all turn the horn to pianos and metals. The noise, sometimes, would be beautiful, a pleasant coordinations of tired drivers. A reporter once called it street orchestra.. But most times, it would give you headache that would last you for a day. The hawkers made it no easier either. The more expensive your car looked, the higher the numbers of hawkers that would bombard you with their wares. Daniel was saved in this prospect.

His car, an old blue Camry with its fender off, dirty tyres and faulty exhaust pipe made sure hawkers gave home less attention. He would have swapped it for a better looking one but the car stood as constant reminder that he had to get out of this part of the town. Sometimes, the car was a curse. Most ladies won't give you a second glance if you drive a battered car. Who could blame them?. Some of them were like him. Poverty striven, fought for what they had and couldn't imagine living like their parents did. Most didn't have it as good as he had. At least, his parents tried their best to cater for his education. A shelter and new clothes during the Christmas.
The traffic gave way slowly. In fifteen minutes he would be in his office, if it could be called that.

"Good morning Linda" Daniel said to his secretary as he walked briskly into his section of the law firm. He kept his head high and acted like his briefcase contained some important documents. Everything is perception around here; the law firm, the state and the country. He had never been out of the country but he was damn sure, the same goes for the outer world, too.
"Good morning Daniel, how was your night?" Linda had a been his secretary for two years, she was given to him when he won his second case and proved to the firm that he was not just another lawyer that had the strength to succeed in law school but lacked the essential strength and wit to succeed as a lawyer. She was 43, Seven years older than Daniel. She was a real beauty, rumoured to have been Elijah's mistress when she first started eleven years ago. But age was good on her even though she fell off Elijah's graces. There had been few romps between her and Daniel. But Daniel had made sure it did not pass that stage. Linda, friendly as she was, was not a girlfriend material for Daniel. Not if he wanted to progress as a lawyer. Elijah would blacklist him so fast that he would hate the day he entered the law firm. Linda knew that and made sure she kept her distance and her mouth shut. She wouldn't like to destroy Daniel's cwouldn't

"You know how it is. Any cogent message or business?" Daniel asked.
"Elijah wants to see you in his office, ASAP. And Mrs. Alabi said she wouldn't be available for the 10'O clock meeting. She said it has something to do with Junior."
Daniel rolled his eyes. Meeting with Elijah had not always been pleasant. Elijah made his success as a lawyer reading body language. If you cough, Elijah would want to know why. Nothing was a coincidence with Elijah. Not even sickness. Daniel had been let on on this useful secret by Linda. So he made sure to always think beforehand what to say or do before meeting Elijah. And incidentally, it became a kind of game between the two men. Hunter and prey. Elijah had come to respect Daniel's mastery of the game. It even endeared the Elijah to Daniel, a fact Elijah made sure Daniel was oblivious to.
"I'll just get settled down a minute. And I won't bother asking about your night. You're glowing"
"Oh, the night had nothing to do about that. Angela won an award" Linda replied. Angela was Linda's 12 years old daughter had always been the lady's delight and worry. It was either Angela this or Angela that. Most employees around the firm had come to develop a skin that acts as if they listen to Linda's gist about her daughter while in fact, their minds were miles away. Not that they don't care. The preaching just got too much. Elijah had been rumored to be the father. Linda said her father travelled out and forgot to look back or probably in jail.

"That's great, help me congratulate her.

It's no longer a hidden fact that the spoken word industry in Nigeria has a lot to offer....
Graciano Enwerem is a known face in Nigeria when it comes to spoken word.
However this time our excitement has been geared by the anticipation of his new piece featuring Jeremiah Gyang "OMALICHA" �


We are hereby advised to get snacks and queue on his handle@gracianoenwerem
#I'mgonnabethefirsttoviewit
#spokenwordgiant
#omalicha
#youagleeabiyounoaglee

View the making of omalicha


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMWXUvTaoy4