Today, I played the Ajepako Zikoko Quiz and a stream of past memories washed over me. I remember hooking up with boys in my neighborhood to buy these yellow spotted almond weevils. I think it cost like N20 back then. The ‘merchant’ would have tied a string round the weevil’s neck like a rein and then all you needed to do was spin the string around and then the weevil starts flying on a leash.
I also remember breaking the huge seeds of rotten mango fruits to rescue weevils that we would drop in cut-out dunlop slippers. So we would put the weevils in between the sliced dunlop slippers and squeeze. The squeals from the weevils sounded like static. And then pretend we were having phone calls.
From the Zikoko quiz, I identified the things I have done:
- I have made kite from nylon bags and even old newspapers. My father even helped me
- I have rolled tire. Just in the compound though. I used old paint buckets.
- I have played daddy and mommy. I was the first born and my little brother was too little to participate so I was both daddy and mummy.
- I have used tins for walkie talkie
- I …drank lolly. Who didn’t?
- I have done rub and shine(even as an adult)
- I have washed my school uniform 3 hours before school resumption, rolled them in my towel so they dry fast
- I have thrown banger(knock outs)
- I have used bottle tops for ‘table soccer’
- I have played tinko tinko
- I have called Santa Claus ‘Father Christmas’,
- And dipped bread in tea.
With a Zikoko score of 50%, I guess I am like very many people.
But have we really changed? Have I really changed?
I look at the children of ‘nowadays’ and I wonder if they would ever have the same fond memories of childhood I have without mentioning video games and iPads.
It’s my birthday today, in my thirties, I would still like to relive these experiences with my children. Teach them what it was to be a child in the 80s. And that’s because I am still(and will always be) a child but with bills to pay.
