THROWBACK THURSDAY: When Life Was a Rhyme

Before social media trends and TikTok dances, there was assembly time, our very first stage performance. Primary school in the 90s and 2000s was pure magic — oversized uniforms, squeaky black shoes and rhymes that made the whole world make sense.

“Twinkle, twinkle, little star” the universal anthem that had us all looking at the sky in our imagination. Then came “Baa baa black sheep, have you any wool?” and you didn’t need to know what wool was; you just sang it like your life depended on it.

When the teacher raised her yellow wooden ruler and said “Next rhyme!” the excitement was electric. “Jankin Dudu came to town, riding on a pony…” — nobody knew who Jankin was but we sang with full confidence! Then came “Old McDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O!” and we’d moo, cluck and oink so passionately you’d think we were auditioning for Animal Planet, this was for the more polish ones tho, we had a remix which was “Ella is a fine girl, eyaeya o, daddy knows mummy knows everybody knows that Ella is a fine girl” 

Who can forget “Solomon Grundy, born on a Monday”  that deep, dramatic one that made us all feel like mini poets. Or “Akara Oyinbo Aje ponula” “Bata mi a dun kokola” “Ewure je omo alaigbo ran”— the yoruba ones whose aim is to instill morals but somehow sweet.

Every school had their version of “Mr. Macaroni” which till today majority cant sing its real lyrics and when it came to “Old soldier is dead and gone to his grave” — we’d march in perfect rhythm, making gestures to mimic the poor old man. Then the “Rain, rain, go away…” hit — and we all sang it louder when it actually started raining, believing it worked like magic. 

Let’s not forget “One, two, buckle my shoe”, “Miss Mary Mack, Mack, Mack, all dressed in black, black, black” or “Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream” and the laughter that came when someone sang off-beat.

Assemblies weren’t assemblies without the power chants: “We are H-A-P-P-Y, we are H-A-P-P-Y…” — energy through the roof! “Wherever you go… go, go, go, go!” — echoes that could shake the compound.“Good morning, teacher!” — delivered like a national salute.

Even in classrooms, rhymes made learning sweet. Multiplication tables were songs and spelling bees came with claps and cheers. After closing bell, you’d skip home, singing your favorite lines while swinging your lunch box. Happiness was free, friendship was pure and laughter was the only homework.

Life was easier, louder, brighter — and all in rhyme. Maybe that’s what we need now: as adults juggling work, responsibilities and real-world “assemblies” to remember that joy doesn’t need WiFi and sometimes, peace sounds like a group of kids singing off-key. 

From the 90s kids who sang “Awon atuko won lo loju omi” like a Grammy track, to the 2000s babies who grew up with “If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands!” — those days shaped us. They taught us rhythm, joy and friendship in the simplest way possible. 

So, here’s to us — the kids who sang our way through childhood and still hum the old rhymes when no one’s watching.

Happy Throwback Thursday from OECS Online where memories meet smiles.