Omidan: 'O' 'me' 'dunn' (Yoruba: Distinguished young lady)
I am my mother's daughter. And my mother is her mother's daughter. I come from a line of 3 beautiful women. A family of great women and, already, I am a great woman. We are 3 generations of women bound by blood, held together by love. From birth I have been trained to be many things: strong, intelligent, poised, fashionable, well-spoken, domestic, sophisticated, enterprising, patient, humble, dignified, prayerful, nurturing, kind, gracious, mother, sister, wife... All of these I have not forgotten. I embrace the timeless quality of nature's gift to me, because to be a woman is a beautiful thing. To be an African woman, even more beautiful. In the world I live in, it is hard to be me. The world around me is in a hurry, running towards an elusive dream, crushing all the beauty around them in a feeding frenzy that worsens everyday. Me, I like to sit by the fire and sing sad songs while I make a meal that is infused with love to feed the people I value the most. I want to keep a home that is filled with laughter and warmth, I want to be an example for those who will come after me... show the world that the fastest do not always win the race. After all, I am a simple Yoruba maiden blessed with a golden upbringing and gifted with the white man's education. Of the 3 of Us, I am the Conscience. The Gatekeeper. The Judge. Our reputation is my responsibility. May I never let my mothers down.
Ìbàjẹ́ ọjó kan ò tán bòrò
(Reputations are easy to destroy but difficult to repair.)
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