INSPIRATION

A song from the renowned Nigerian folk singer Tunji Oyelana inspires the title of this piece. The song includes the phrase: “Aláàrù tó ń jẹ búrẹ́dì, ṣ’awọ orí ẹ̀ ló ńjẹ tí ò mọ̀,” which translates to: “A porter who eats bread is unknowingly chewing his own scalp”.

This work symbolizes the interconnectedness between our actions and their consequences. A porter, traditionally burdened with carrying heavy loads, finds the act of eating bread—an item of nourishment—metaphorically akin to chewing on his own weary, stressed scalp.

The rope in the piece represents “Karma,” which operates cyclically. Just as a rope forms a continuous loop, karma moves in a circle, ensuring that actions, whether good or bad, eventually come full circle. It may take years—10, 20, or even 50—but it will invariably return.