BLACK AND BEAUTIFUL

I have been to the River at Imo
I have heard about the Imozurumbas of the Ibos
Been to the homes of faithful Olumbas
In faithfulness and peace we’ve stayed
Moslems munching the Misbaha
Christians counting the Rosarium
Between these mountains
We remain black and proud!
Loving and beautiful
Found when lost

I’ve heard of the Shaka of Zulu
The man at Bukuru
The Haram Boko of the Sahel
The ruthlessness of our highnesses
The painted nails of our princesses
Pricelessly sold out to Mormons
Called common by infidels
We still stand black and wise
Sleek and dandy
Creamy and envying
The black and beautiful!

A SONG FOR GANI

I have been in this circle for too long a time,
My forefinger pressed down to earth,
My leg hanging to the east
My desire, to the west
The longing for your coming

I have danced with chalk on my wrist
Cowries around my waist
And tears in my eyes,
I have sprinkled the blood of infant tortoise to the gods
To make you free from bound-rest
Please, amnesty to you, gods
Let him be
He’s the tiny sword in our collective Africa
Please let him be
For I know he is bold
To walk home straight
Head high
Fist in the air,
Drums calling
Peace assured!

SWEET SMELLING WINE

I know you’ve seen the road,
It looks really far and dusty
It seem you are all alone on it
There are sure measures that man rarely threads here
But come on…climb to my back, precious one
Take my life and live while here
Use my breath; have it all

Let’s dream today for tomorrow, miss
Shall we…?
We shall call obstacles our bicycle
We’ll milk trouble and live by it
If I’m thirsty,
I’ll ask for you, just you
My sweet smelling wine

I may have wronged you in the past
I may not be your best of friends
But let’s dream today in our arms
So our children may live by our creed, tomorrow
So they may have butter on their lips
And your heart will be healed forever.
I love you so much, my sweet smelling wine

PROVE OF DEPENDENCE

Darkness in blackness
Fairness and sicknesses
Amnesty and honesty
Fooling and cooling of a people
Climate change in striking schools

We shall stand as demanded
Youth and the youthful
Smart and the not-so smart
Women and embroiled husbands
Children and dislocated futures

Welcome to my country
Home for God
Room for energy
49, a fortified spirit?
In unity we stand!



for Nigeria's 49 years in the limelight of **************

So Long A Space

Stop! Don’t think again
Just weep in vain
This life we wished for is gone.
Don’t cry again, only hope for peace

When your infant heads laid stale on the mat
When your spirits took a walk away from the usual
I knew the drums would talk out sorrow
The women would cry out, as follow:
He’s gone
She’s gone
Both young and beautiful songs

This mourning wasn’t for this morning
Its place is the archives of songs unheard
The book of impossibilities

So long a space
When wishes is for life
When eyes are dim
Seeing just but what isn’t seen
It’s so long this space between us

DEDICATED TO ROSA PARK, MARTIN LUTHER KING JR, KEN SARO WIWA FOR THEIR NON VIOLENCE APPROACH TO SENSITIVE ISSUES… IT’S SO LONG A SPACE….

FUNERAL SYMPHONY

They say when we die
We leave behind our lies
Only truth walks tall
In our names

They say when we leave earth
Our death serves right, others wrong's
Tears cried for us never crosses
The border of the non-living

You are gone
You did sail
From this frail land

Call the mourners
Buy them drinks
Console bereaved souls
Blindfold the sun
Put wrapper around the moon
Let the universe be darken
From coated dross

You are gone
You did sail
From this frail land

Give away a million
A friend is lost
Enshrine her image
Only her deed counts now

You are gone
You did sail
From this frail land

DEDICATED TO THE SLAIN CORP MEMBER GRACE USHANG ADIE WHO WAS RAPED TO DEATH