My name is Yusuf. All my life, I used to believe cleaning was for “mummy’s boys”. Not until one embarrassing Saturday morning. It was sanitation day in Lagos. As always, I stayed in bed, watching TikTok while the people on my street cleaned the gutters. Then I heard, “Everybody out o! LAWMA is coming!”

I ignored it. That was the waste management authority in Lagos monitoring the sanitation going on in the environment.

Suddenly, my mum raised an alarm, “Yusuf, your slippers dey float go o!”

I quickly rushed outside. My precious Nike slides were floating down the dirty gutter like they were participating in an Olympic swimming competition. Neighbours burst out laughing when they saw my reaction.

I chased my slippers through stagnant water, plastic bottles, spoilt fruit, rotten fish, and sachet water packs. When I caught them, they smelt like wet stinking socks and soaked stale fish. That day, shame dealt with me. I was so embarrassed.

After thoroughly washing my feet four times, I sat outside the house and helped Mama Ngozi to clean the front of her shop. It felt different and good.

Since then, I take Saturday mornings and every sanitation weekend seriously. I now sweep, clear gutters, cut grasses and remind my younger brother to pick up his sweet wrappers. It's funny how my lost slipper made me realise that keeping the environment clean isn’t just “woman’s work”. It’s everyone’s responsibility. This did not only make me change my attitude but also inspired me to write a poem titled “The Gutter Knows”.

The gutter knows the secrets we throw,

The sachets, the crumbs, the careless flow.

It begs, it stinks, it overflows,

Yet still we turn and let it grow.

But if we dare to bend and clean,

To clear the mess, to sweep the scene,

Then maybe rains won’t flood our ways.

And our tomorrow won’t decay.


Submission by Praise Ejeh