MONSTERS

                By Godspower Oboido

our mothers are awake
the eyes of our fathers are still
whatever it is, it's enough to keep
the babies awake too—
insomniacs we've become

we hear a strange sound
we see awful happenings
and we see the monsters
they are the ones in high places

in seasons they reign,

then another—

monsters after monsters
greed after greed
corruption after corruption

there are monsters in our father land
they are our fathers—
not the husbands of our mothers
but the fathers of affairs of our land

there's a sudden nightmare in our land
there's a sudden curfew in our land
blood in the hands of the monsters
blood! blood! blood! everywhere

they have started their killings
for the golden seat of politics
is it not poli-tricks?
yea, political tricks they play on us

now babies, to their mothers
back they are clinging
fathers shutting the doors
goats are bleating in panic

confusion everywhere, fear every day
it's the fear of the elections
it's the fear of the killings
it's the fear of the monsters
it's the fear in Nigeria

*   *   *   *   *

WHAT'S HAPPENING TO MAMA'S LAND

                                     By Godspower Oboido

It used to be mama's land
it used to be papa's land
we call it our fatherland
we call it our motherland

but it's no more;
not papa's land, not mama's land
our leaders’ land it has become
it can't be, but it is

what's happening to mama's land?
our fathers crumbs we now eat
their tables too high for us
our fathers we thought they were

mama's land knows no pride
dignity is so much far from her
dignity and pride we were to protect
dignity and pride we are to protect

mama's land used to flow with milk
where's that flowing milk?
oh! it only flows among the rich
the rich gets richer and the poor, poorer

what's happened to mama's land?
like strangers we are here
we only bank dirt here
while our wealth goes abroad

is the labour of our labour's past now in vain?
do we serve with heart and might?
is mama's land bound in freedom?
do we live in peace and unity under mama's roof?

mama's land is no more
our leaders’ land it has become
where only killers are rulers
yea, warriors of our land they are

we still bear mama's land
for we can't run away
this is our own dear fatherland:
it's now of blindness and madness

posted 1 September 2006