by Soyombo Ayomikun
They dreamt of a haven to be named Nigeria. Not a nation to be ravaged by a legion of diseases one of which is malaria
What more can we get from life
Than a world so green and free from strife
Beautiful streams peacefully flowing through our yards
Watering the growing lilies and providing grasses for the herds
Rain at its time not causing floods that could sweep away our shelter
The ground yielding to us yam in due time providing us food to pound in the mortar
Which we swallow till our stomach gets close to bursting and our brains shut down
Making us think less of the countless blessings at hand and then begin to frown
It was a dark and lonely night yet one blessed by the elegant roses and willows
When some great men quietly placed their heads on their wooden pillows
They dreamt of a land perfectly peaceful and plush
Coloured green by the woodbines and grasses so lush
They heard the faint melodies of liberty drowning the cries of agony
From the young and old who in their chains are already becoming bony
They dreamt of a haven to be named Nigeria
Not a nation to be ravaged by a legion of diseases one of which is malaria
Our founding fathers didn’t shed their blood for dreams that will drown in our pools of oil
They left us a legacy that with a dream to feed the world on our farmlands we should ceaselessly toil
They had no pen but with their cutlasses made signatures on the world’s page
All their days living as voices to be reckoned with speaking as a sage
To the world we were Africa not just in number but for the wisdom flowing from our stead
Among nations we could speak with pride securing our place as the head
Right within our waters were countless fishes waiting all to grace our plates
All to make us happy by drowning our strife they longed to swallow the baits
Independence came helping us on freedom’s wings to fly
In celebration we consumed roasted chicken with sweet drinks till our spirits became high
Then the search for a leader began, one to take us to the Promised Land
A leader with a white heart, green eyes and a bloodless hand
Through decades of search we found none we could call a leader
When elections come in small rooms of power mantle of authority we release to the highest bidder
Rather than having more peace decades of liberty has caused us turmoil and a worsened plight
And when night comes in places we call homes we sleep enveloped by fright
Daily on our farms children die of poverty on grounds that once produced fruits that rescued the hungry
Right in the waters yielding our oil we drown as for the lingering bright future we can no longer tarry
Our green fields are losing their colours and our flag is daily being marred with blood
Of the innocent, weak and poor whose dignity is swept off by corruption’s endless flood
Please why not arise as that leader we’ve all been longing for and again bring the rains
Causing smiles on all faces and freeing all captives from their heavy chains
Once again help us wash the flag clean of the innocents’ blood and corruption’s stinking fume
That we may once again have those green and white dreams causing our roses to bloom
In fifty-three years many of us will be long dead and gone
Lost in the pages of the book of times our lives none stopping to mourn
But we could forever be remembered heroes if only we’ll try
To give the very last drop of our blood in service tears from all faces helping dry
That through our pains Nigeria can once again arise on her feet a nation so strong
A nation of honour clothed in apparels of glory by selfless souls who chose not to be a clog
Why not go ahead and dump your life on the altar of service sacrificing it to the human cause
Then as it burns there you’ll realize that dreams are immortal as our Father taught on the cross.
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Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.
Beautiful poetry…Nice Rhyme
Great work