I had great friends during my childhood. We all lived mainly in different townships. We were more family than friends because we came from the same kindred, descended from a common ancestor. We generally met in the village during the school holidays. We would go to St. Mary's church on sundays with our families, wearing our finest clothes and hats. We would visit each other's homes, unannounced as you didn't need to in those days. You went where you wanted, when you wanted. There were  the Ibes, the Egeruos. The KJBs, the Anyanwus, and many more. . 
 
 The lockdown period proved to be a very reflective period in many ways. I travelled back to my home town Obowo where I was born, but the journey was only in my imagination. I revisited the jungles of my childhood, some of the people, the places and the stunning scenery that abound in our  landscape. My childhood was a very happy and secure one. We were free. We lived in the township, mind you,  but we travelled to the village on many weekends and during the school holidays.
 
As a result, we were versed in both township and village life. It was a great time. We went on perilous adventures to the streams deep in the valley to fetch drinking water, with our 10 litre buckets balanced precariously on our heads.
 
We went to the farms with our hoes and matchetes to plant corn, cassava, okro and yam. We gathered round the fire at night to listed to tales by moonlight while roasting yam, Bush Pear and maize on the bonfire, We played hide and seek in the dark and ran around barefeet. We danced naked in the rain storm, very grateful for the refreshing rain. I regret that our kids in their turn have missed out on such marvelous adventures. Happy times, very happy times. This painting is part of the collection I created, in recollection of that wonderful period of my childhood. 
 
54x89cm Acrylic on Paper, Framed.
2021