Izuu's Turn

"In 1985, my primary school teacher told me that General Babangida was the president and General Buhari was the former president. She also said that we are the leaders of tomorrow. Twenty seven years later, both Babangida and Buhari are still vying for presidency. Therefore, it is either my teacher lied or tomorrow is yet to come" This is a full text of the BB Message I received yesterday on the 13th Democracy day celebration for Nigeria. I have placed side-by-side, above, two facts that will aid us in recalling the not too distant history of the beginnings (or entrenchment) of Nigeria's downward slide into the spheres of systemic corruption, unemployment and extreme poverty. I almost started by saying that I do not want to be biased, but I am reminded that it is often those who openly claim not to be biased that end up being the greatest of bigots! What else do you want me to say? "1986 Deadline" perhaps stated in 1985 or earlier than t

It has started again. They are taking their positions Digging into their trenches Cleaning up and arraying their arsenal It is the same cry all over again Mewing! Braying! Mooing! Bleating!  Shouting! Cursing! Abusing! Swearing! Shouting foul even before the contest begins They are angling all over again Like white vampires and black witches Honing their talons and canines For the blood-sucking spree They are scheming early again Plotting selfishly for the suffering people's death Even when they are still expecting  gains of democracy Promised in the last elections Now, it is the war of words all over again And we foolishly, like sacrificial lambs Already in tow, taking sides, lining up  For our own massacre at their selfish altars Taking up our usual stupid defence; Religion. Tribe. Class. Refusing to learn from experience that Hunger does not know creed nor ethnicity Idiots. Stupid fools. Block heads! Those we have bec

I woke up in the morning Something must have aroused me Not the timer, or is it alarm they call it these days I was very sure it was something else A feeling ..., a sensing of something good Not my wife's kitchen artistry Because I could have awoken only when it is ready Doing so earlier is just torture of longing With the bed sheets crawling all over me as I stirred I looked around the room Behold, a shaft of light came directly at me Reflexively, I jumped out of bed Slowly crept towards the source of the light What I saw was, in the simplest words, GLORIOUS! Every Nigerian, irrespective of creed, religion or tribe Dressed in resplendent white, going Towards that ray of light coming from somewhere ahead Singing the old national anthem: "Nigeria, we hail thee!" A thunderous, clangorous, united throng! In that instant too, I became transformed  At once, seeing myself floating out of the window And in the very midst of these desirable Nigeria I cou

Jonathan, for me here, is a metonymic allusion to the Nigerian politicians from the Federal to the Local Government levels. It's nothing personal at all. I respect the president and as such I am peeved greatly by individuals who disparage his family, especially our dear first lady, for her so-called mishandling of English grammar. The most annoying aspect of this is that these characters seem to be oblivious of their own misfiring. I have learnt that those who learnt English better than us, hardly use it to measure intelligence. My angst with today's politician does not suppose that I blame them for the intractable hunger in the nation, but because they have failed to make the changes necessary to give us hope for a better tomorrow. I am not talking about the government-owned media white-wash and glossy statements of politicians but about personal sacrifices for the common good. How can someone own several palatial homes in one city alone?  How can an individual ow

I have tried to get an answer But all to no avail.   Didn't one country predict that Nigeria will collapse by 2015?  And rather than do something positive  Our leaders condemned the speaker and their people. Gadaffi, of blessed memory (still hard to believe), Once said something too about the state of affairs of Nigeria What did they do? They condemned him. Told him to shut up if he didn't have anything to say. Some people accused Nigeria of harbouring terrorists What did they do again? Denial. Full face, denial even with the capture of the under-wear bomber What did we do? As a people, we believed them They told us that nothing was happening That all is well That we should go about our normal businesses That they are on top of the situation And we, unwittingly made the greatest mistakes of our existence Believed people who do not believe themselves! Now we have seen it They cannot even protect themselves  And they still tell us the same lies

I know! Not to question You That I've been told from birth I know! Never to question Your existence Even though I've never seen your backlight I know! I'm supposed to thank You In situations, good or bad I know! To pray without ceasing Whether You answer or not I also know Many use Your name Their fellow humans to harm I don't know Whether not to ask And keep praying even when You ignore I don't know Whether "pray for leaders" is still valid Since they are now kleptomanic charlatans I don't know The route to Your abode Since prayers seem to be missing their way too I don't know Which altar to use anymore Since most are flowing with innocent blood I don't know What I know anymore Cause truths about You're so conflicting and divergent I don't know Whether You lost Your voice That such a throng of schemers now speak for You I don't know Whether