Agoh-o, the Children’s Nation

Agoh-o little friends of the streets
Of the fields
Of the schoolyards and villages
Agoh-o nation of children
Exploring the familiar landscapes
In the neighbourhoods of town and village
Agoh-o for your living spaces
Agoh-o for your vibrant spaces
Your spaces of dances and songs
Agoh-o Agoh-o Agoh-o
Open your lands of liberty to us
Welcome us with your cries of joy and hope
Let’s dry your tears
Let your eyes shine and your laughter resound
Come, hurry, let’s do a circle dance
Let’s exchange our thoughts, your secrets
Let’s suspend time
To hear your talk better
To listen
To the child living in you
Unique
Irreducible
Agoh-o builders of the future
A future with the huge smile

Of dawn
Above the cactus

Note: Agoh-o is an expression of the Fon language spoken in Benin. It is mostly used when, in a crowd, one has to ask for space to get through. In this context, the narrator uses the term Agoh-o as a means of announcing her presence and asking permission to enter the special world of children.