A LAMENTATION FOR NIGERIA
Nigeria, our valued and esteemed country
A country born out of interests
A land blessed with human and earthly resources
A country made of nations with diversity in culture and language.
A country that some have sacrificed their lives for her well being but yet still sick
A country groaning in pains from corruption, poverty and bad leadership
A country suffering in the midst of abundance
Oh my country rise up!
She cannot rise
She has been sucked dry by her enemies
She is fainting and gasping for breath
She is bleeding but her leaders seem not to care
They are milking her and she is groaning in pains
Prophets are sounding calls for her rescue
Her lovers are crying
Her leaders are seeing call to rescue as threats to take the leadership from them
Oh my country when will you have peace?
When will banditry stop?
When will corruption stop?
When will nepotism stop?
When will terrorism stop?
The country of our dream is no longer safe
Dogs are killing lions
Baboons have hijacked the aircraft
Baboons cannot fly
Her pilots are wailing
The country is stagnant
The country is deteriorating
Her economy is retrogressing
Decaying while still breathing for life
Worms of police brutality are coming out
Worms of bad governance
Worms of injustice
Worms of unemployment
Worms of epileptic power supply
Worms of bad roads
Worms of poor social amenities
Worms of poverty
Worms of bad health care system
Worms of poor education system
Worms of electoral malpractices
Her youths are wailing: "End police brutality"
Their cries were seen as revolution to take over the government
Her youths were killed
They were killed for asking for a better governance
The worms are not the problem
The worms are as a result of a desease
The disease of bad governance.
The system is favoring and benefiting few at the expense of the masses.
Her youths want the country that works
Her youths want a country where a child of nobody can become somebody
Her youths want a country that meet basic needs of life
Oh my country Arise!
Will she make it?
Her well wishers are saying reform and make it work for all
The cries are met with deafening silence
Her dying condition is profiting her enemies
Her enemies do not wish her well
Her lovers want her to be healthy and benefit all
Her enemies paraded themselves as her lovers
They are killing her gradually yet they do not want her to die
Her death will not profit them but they keep doing what will kill her.
How long will this tussle last?
Oh my Country !
My heart cries for you
We wish you get well but your enemies are stronger than you
Oh God of creation arise
Intervene before the labour of our heroes becomes vain.
Abolanle Oladipupo (BSc, BTh )
31st October, 2020
