Ikechukwu frank

  ASHES OF SONS By Ikechukwu Frank  The sky burned red with a mother’s wail, Land torn asunder, hearts grown frail. Biafra wept, and the world looked away, Children swallowed in the fire of day. My grandmother, strong as the morning sun, Saw four bright stars snatched, one by one. Her laughter turned hollow, her arms left bare, Echoes of footsteps vanished in despair. She walked through years with a silent cry, A queen of sorrow, yet she would not die. Each meal, each prayer, a battle fought, A life rewritten, her sons now naught. The market’s hum, the river’s bend, Every corner whispered lives that end. But in her eyes, the fire remained, A testament to love, and strength unchained. The war took sons, the war took peace, Left her world fractured, never to cease. Yet still she rose, though grief would cling, A mother without sons, yet a lioness in spring. And we remember, so none forget, The silent tears, the blood, the sweat. Biafra’s children, scattered and gone, But  t...

  WHEN THE BELL MUST RING AGAIN By  Ikechukwu Frank  We came in uniforms too big for our fears, Books thin, dreams thinner, voices ignored. Broken chairs, cracked walls, mocked hopes— From rags, we sat at the back of the class, Learning not just maths, But how neglect feels. Yet in the dust of that classroom floor, A question rose: Must this be all? Then power arrived— Badges, prefect titles, loud laughter in corridors. Some climbed fast, forgot faster. From riches, they mocked, bullied, ruled with noise. What lifted them became their fall— Respect drained, trust collapsed, And the school learned how quickly honour Turns to rags when pride leads. Still, a few refused silence. We began the quest— Not for trophies, but truth. Why the abuse? Why the fear? Why the broken toilets, stolen lunches, And teachers tired of shouting into storms? Each step met resistance, Yet courage grew louder than excuses. Then we entered a strange place— A school where cheating was normal, Cruelt...

  NOT EVERY PULPIT WEARS A CROWN By  Ikechukwu Frank  Not every pulpit hides a crown, Not every robe is stitched with greed. Some hands are worn, some knees are scarred, Some shepherds bleed where others lead. You name a god of coin and stage, But paint all lamps with one dark brush. Yet many burn in quiet rooms, Their oil not fame, their fire not hush. There are men who break the bread Before they dare to break a word, Who tremble first before their God Long before a crowd has heard. Not all who speak of heaven’s hope Are merchants trading prayer for gold. Some bury sons, some bury dreams, Some preach because they were first consoled. You warn of wolves—and rightly so— For teeth exist where flocks are fed. But some have laid their lives right down And chose the cross, not sheep instead. You say true worship shuns the show; On this, we stand on common ground. But do not scorn the lifted voice Because a crowd is gathered round. For love may shout, and truth may sing, And f...

  THE DEFIANT PETAL By Ikechukwu Frank I am no soft echo of Nature, No gentle token to be admired or repeated. I am grown in dirt, in grime, in resistance— Not plucked from heaven nor cradled by seasons. I am born of struggle, not of Spring’s gentle kiss; I thrive in storms, in frost, in the fire of neglect. Summer does not pamper me, Autumn does not rock me to sleep. At dawn I make no announcement; At dusk I give no farewell to the sun. I do not dance for wind or songbirds; I sway only because I exist, stubborn and unbending. The plains may forget me, the air may ignore my scent; I need no applause, no witness, no admiration. I take from the soil what it offers, And give nothing in return but defiance. I am no lover’s token, no wedding wreath, No memory of fleeting happiness, No consolation for grief. I claim my own joy, bear my own sorrow, And answer to no one. I look not only to light, But to shadows, to cracks, to the unseen places. Wisdom is not in flattering the sun; It is in...

Ten practical and wise things a girl should do to enter school and finish successfully in peace, without unnecessary trouble.  1. Set a Clear Purpose for School A girl should know why she is in school—education, skills, future opportunities, and personal growth. When purpose is clear, distractions lose their power. Purpose keeps the mind focused when temptations arise. 2. Choose Friends Carefully Friends can make or break a school journey. Keep company with people who value education, discipline, and good behaviour. Avoid friends who are always in trouble, disrespect authority, or pressure others into bad choices. African adage: “Show me your friend, and I will tell you who you are.” 3. Maintain Personal Discipline Discipline means knowing when to say no—to laziness, immorality, lateness, cheating, and unnecessary drama. A disciplined girl protects her time, body, reputation, and future. 4. Respect School Rules and Authorities Rules are not meant to punish but to protect. Respect t...

  THE NIGHT THE DRUMS REFUSED TO STOP In Oke-Ayé, silence was never empty. Even at midnight, something always breathed—crickets, distant generators, the old silk-cotton tree whispering secrets older than the road that cut the village in two. But on the night the drums refused to stop, silence fled entirely. They said magun had been set. Everyone said it differently. Some whispered it into wrappers pulled tight around their chests. Others said it boldly, as though courage could protect them. Children learnt the word without knowing its shape, only its fear. Magun was not just a charm; it was a sentence passed without a court. Kúnlé returned that evening with city dust on his shoes and laughter still learning to fit his mouth. He had left as a boy and come back a man, with a phone that glowed like a second sun and a confidence that unsettled old walls. He hugged his mother long and promised to stay. He greeted elders with bent knees and wide smiles. When he saw Morẹ́nikẹ́, the laught...