Poem read at University of Ibadan Music Circle Concert

01/10/2006

The Colonial Cocoon.
Metamorphosed into the Political Pupa.
Mutated, it violated allegiance oaths
Devouring the anthem,
Greedily gorging
On the green and white giant’s
Gall bladder,
Gangrenous from groundnuts, Cocoa and cotton.
Violated, the virgin land,
It’s children dirty in the oil soiled sand,
Bled bloody secrets into Swiss accounts
Obscuring obscene amounts.
Then a military metamorphosis.
A mopping up,
Cathartic cleansing by khaki comrades.
Then musical military chairs
Marched at dawn to mourning music.
Masquerading marauders
Prodded by malevolent evil genii
Murdered one eye open sleep.
Salvation has a price
In cash and carry kind.
Nigeria was charged for military service.
That near 30 year military mutation
Cost dear in dollars, deaths and education, Morality and hospital mortality.
All down the drain in pain.
A war, uncivil, was fought for naught.
Is it ended?
After many a tear and maximum fear
Even now how much to cheer?
Road riddled with holes
Devour children, husbands and wives.
Light switches still confirm darkness.
Corruption, an office or checkpoint away.
Too many died, forced aside.
Too few legally tried.
Rusty railways lie down dead
Pensioners parade pitifully
Economic migrants in their millions
Confound claim to political fame.

In 2006 @ 46
Visit the Wonderland Aquarium
Or the Trenchard Science Exhibition
Or your youth centre today.
No, They do not exist at 46.
They are Things To Do -abroad.
Without war, without Darfur
We have punctured the peace.
Weighed by mediocrity and myopiaNigeria is middle aged
Not yet a sage.
Is Nigeria a man in decline and Manopause?
At 46 we have $36b in CBN.
N46,000 per Nigerian.
Congratulations,
But for whose funeral party
Do we save with so many at the grave?
What will be on Nigeria’s next page?
Who will take the centre stage?
Democrat or recycled military mutant demigod?
Do you want brains or brawn,
Servant or master, doer or dolittle,  
Giver or greedy, creator or criminal,
Thinker or thug,
Serious service or a toothy smile,
Millennium Dev Goals or Weapons of Masses Destruction?
What will 47 bring?
More of the same old thing
Stumbling with a clipped wing
Or with the eagles, soaring?
Our too few good must become a critical mass
To break the mediocrity and corruption calabash.
Make your vote matter.
Or the nation will scatter.
Count it in
Or it will count you out.  
In this university
Students are the majority
But no serving students can be VC
Even in the best Democracy. 
The colonial cocoon
Is no longer to blame.
We are responsible for our name.
Now is the time to get MAD
Are you MAD?
Make A Difference.
No one else will.
Till then we live in hope
And loudly demand of all
To answer the call of  
Much Greater Expectations.