Call me Phoenix
Phoenix: A person or thing that has become renewed or restored after suffering calamity.
If I’m ever asked what word describes me, it would be this.
It was the driest time of 2015, I had attended one of my first house parties of my 20s. while I can’t remember all that happened at the party, I recall the icebreaking question: “what animal best describes you?” while everyone seemed to have an answer but me. I had never been asked such before. I never understood why I had to describe myself as an animal I have been told by science that I’m higher and smarter than others. for a moment, I paused and I couldn’t think of an animal that could best describe my awesomeness. To keep up with the game and avoid becoming the spoiled spot, I lied.
Prior to 2015, I had never heard this word in my young life. I was a newbie at Coventry University. The phoenix was the university logo and mascot. I never knew there was a mystical animal called a phoenix. Excited to pass through the school rather than let the school pass through me as the words of my mother before I bid her farewell at the international wing of the Nnamdi Azikwe Airport.
It was the first time I remember having a detailed orientation of an institution of learning. The young oyibo I later found out was the community officer of the students union, who came to explain the school's modus operandi. One of his slides had the image of a fiery bird lit in golden-red flames. I was fascinated by this mystical creature before me. it looked like a bird taking flight but it did not look like a bird I was familiar with- not that I know too many bird species. I’m a city girl, apart from Pidgeon, raven and parrot, and the plethora of bird names I learnt from watching Nat Geo Wild, this bird wasn’t familiar.
The Oyinbo had explained that this birdlike image was the school's logo. He said the institution had once been gutted with fire during the war. It took resilience to build it to what it currently is. Oyinbo had explained to us that we all represent a phoenix we probably never recognised it.
For defying all the odds to travel miles for education, for the experiences life has taught us and we learnt from it. for the many bad times, we overcame. we are all phoenix. When I remember how far I’ve come and the hurdles that changed my name to aidon.c.tins.
next time, if ever I’m asked what animal best describes me. I’ll boldly say a phoenix. You should too.
