NWOATAM

NWOATAM
Mina pu omini imi eh?
My people I greet you
Yet another 25th December
Yet another worship
We danced in costumes
Much enthusiasm in dramatization
We played different roles as we performed
Performing at every point
All over town
This celebration not only by townies
Eventually, It comes in much honor
The one we celebrate
Covered from the head to ankle
In black waist-length gown
Of light brownish raffia from waist to ankle
With the word NWOATAM few inches above its stomach
And more inches amid the inscription and raffia
The reason for its broom hand prop
I am yet to know
This broom of few sticks
And short like a pencil
Nwoatam’s head a small crafted unearthly
On a slightly bent posture
A man holding its rope-tail behind
Wherever it goes for the fun of it

As it displays on a roof top
In a market square
The town jeers in appraisal
Though truly it is a good dancer
Two hours of display on the roof top
Finally, down it jumps
Six o clock on the dot
At the third count of the canon sound
In the evening session
Joyfully we danced along with it
As we walked it back to the cemetery
Where we waited mid-morning
And at dawn walked it to the market square

There at the cemetery we cried
Pleading to spend more time with it
Never wanting to end the excitement
Once in a year event we always cried
After all said and done
Now in my confused state I ask
I thought we were to celebrate a God not a god?

-Tina Sowaribi