Nay!
We had boom – still do!
from colonized protectorates
to degrees and doctorates
we have made strides that aren’t man made
we have walked a journey
through valleys of discord
and mountains of moans
but the echoes of our vibrant laughter
reverberate in the hallowed halls of human endeavours
we have transversed the fertile grasslands,
our feet have dug trenches in the sandy deserts
but the anchors of our fellowship has held strong,
stronger than the chilly winds that seeks to see us disperse
even when, once upon a time
our childish plays nearly made us pay
destiny stood out defiantly as the gentle rain poured on the fiery flames,
and the smell of gunpowder replaced by love perfumes
our journey to life has seen deaths and costly caskets
but our light glows beautifully still
as though fuelled by them
the labours of yesterday’s heroes birthing the fresh horns
that today nudge us fiercely towards the goldmines that we so seek
and so after a century, we still journey
towards those distant lands no traveller ever gets to reach
for settling is an illusion, and the only traveller who ever truly settles
is the dead traveller
how then can we be settled,
if the travellers who set out before us, centuries ago settle not?
therefore we journey on, and as we journey
we blaze our trails through climes of diverse weather conditions
some favourable, some otherwise
some affectionate, some affecting
we pray to the Maker for one thing
grant Thou us the conditions that kill us not
AMEN!
*This is to another centenary, a better one. Long Live The Federal Republic Of Nigeria!!!
Written by: Emmans Essang
