I remember one time, My dad sent me to get detergent and I came back with akara (I fit swear say na Akara I hear o). If it were my brothers who made that mistake, they would have received some proper mending (we were familiar with his infamous knock on the head) but he just para-ed and told me to sit down and finish the akara. He sent my brother to go for the detergent. He never said I was his favourite but there were signs. I remember.

My Mother reported us to our dad once that we sabi do yawo like kilode. He raked for us o. my brothers wanted him to buy us movies. (We don tire to dey hear music albums abeg) They sent me to go and lobby aka take one for the team. The boys gingered me o, I went and asked. Omo My dad started raking about grades and distractions (No wonder dem no wan go themselves). After the lecture, he said, “Write me a list of movies”. My joy knew no bounds. I was writing list and these boys came to give me what to write down (It’s the mind for me). I write wetin I like o, enough cartoons! I went for catechism one day and came home to JET LI and BRUCE LEE Action collection with ADVENTURE MOVIE COLLECTION. (That last one really sent my imagination far and wide). Na that day I stop dey watch/ play football. Indoors always.

African fathers will never tell you they love you. During lunch or dinner, they will say come and pack plate. That plate had food and one small meat. That “pack plate” was the I love you o. In my case, I don pack platesssssss!!
My father understood the language of food o, he understood me.
Whenever I got home from school or work, after hyping me, he will tell me to go to the kitchen. If there was no food for me, omo he would rake on my behalf o. (Dem no dey chop my food for this house). When I ate, he will ask my mum if she kept round 2 for me (Flesh and blood didn’t reveal this to him, I just know it). He’s gone now but he didn’t leave his boy alone. Thank God he gave my sister that spirit of “feed the boy well”. 
Its memories like this that make me laugh on days like this. I remember.

Rest on Pops, I’ll always remember.