Labours of Our Heroes Past

I tried singing the national anthem this morning and to my chagrin,
I've forgotten some of the lyrics.
Do you blame me when some of our leaders only know the first line?
At least in my case, I was merely confusing the lines of the first
stanza with those of the second!
I have always believed that the anthem should be changed entirely
because the words sound hollow.

I quarrel with the following lines "The labours of our heroes past/
Shall never be in vain."
And I ask, what labour?
If a country like the US, Australia, Malaysia, UAE, Israel, Western
Europe talk of heroes and their labours, it makes sense.
One can see what the fruits of their labours till date.
Last year, France celebrated 100 years of metroline and 101 years
later, we're still planning just like every other thing we are planning.

Of course, the labours of our villains past were not in vain.
They sowed the seed of discord that is tearing the nation apart today.
We were told in primary school that they fought for independence.
If they did, what then did the Mau Mau do in Kenya?
We are a nation without heroic leaders but heroic followers!
The heroes of our land are the downtrodden, the ordinary Nigerian who
is victim to the intrigues of the vermins we call leaders.
Nigerian youths, let no one tell you any different, ye are your own heroes;
For surviving the bulldozing gluttony of the rich!

How can a hero tell me the country will become ungovernable if he
doesn't win election?
How can a hero say that if his region doesn't get more money that
terrorism will increase?
How can a hero steal money and launder it to countries built by better leaders?
Who told you they are heroes?
They are nothing but thieves, rogues masquerading as crusaders of honesty!

Everyone may think I am talking about the president, but I have
discovered that the greatest thieves are not at the centre but in the
states.
State governors (may be not all, just may be) are the greatest
kleptomaniacs of all.
They steal so much and go to buy houses overseas
What are they afraid of?
And they come back with sanctimonious tirade of their fight against corruption.

 There is no good labour from heroes past
Because instead of uniting us, they separated us for their selfish ends
There will be no hero from the present throng
Because their greed surpasses the love they have for the people
Heroism lies with the people of the nation
The perpetual sufferers; survivors are we all
We are our own heroes!

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