Badagry Beach - Ben Onono

Mongo Park

The explorer loved the light of Badagry Beach

The singer Fela sang of the lights and the noise in her city air of Badagry

Beach.

The Portuguese sailors found trade on the malarious shores of Badagry Beach.

The rusty shackles remain and bare testament of what went before.

And I, if I knew her less, would I love her more?

Coz when I get to close to her

Is when I can’t see the beauty of her anymore

A masquerade, a beggar man, an Iroko tree, palm wine, a coral snake

Badagry was one of those beautiful and deadly things at the same time.

Down by the mission under the Agia tree of Badagry Beach

And I wonder to myself how many secrets she holds and will never let show.

And as I walk along her golden shore line

Diesel oil and sand under my feet

Washed by the tides that came before and come again

Harmattan winds are blowing

Harmattan winds are blowing

Spirits that swirl in the dust devils and disappear

A loneliness that is continental wanders far and wide

A loneliness that is an inward thing

Can rock itself to sleep every night

And I, if I knew her less, would I love her more?

If I knew her less, would I love her more?

Coz when I get too close