Make me green again

                                   

I am the pride of Africa,

I am the hills of Plateau,

I am the rocks of Abeokuta,

The waterfalls of Ogbomosho,

The islands of Lagos,

The coal of Enugu,

Out of my bellies flow rivers of black gold

In solitude my mind wanders

Wanders far into the past

I used to be green

Full of promises and full of hope

Today I sit still while my children bleed me to death

Consumed in deep hatred, they kill one another

And they say

Come let us dance

Let us celebrate our mother

Yet I feel the hunger of orphans,

The tears of widows,

And I weep, and weep again..

They fight and say that they are not one

Torn by the webs of religion and tribe..

What religion? What tribe?

Is  not love and peace the universal language?

Corruption reigns supreme

And the Law is fast asleep…

Waking only momentarily from its deep slumber

And staggering like a one-eyed man…

I used to be green..

Now I m but a shadow of my past

When men were men

When leaders were leaders…

Nostalgia feels my bones

I ache for the return of those times

Now the only green I see is

The algae of unemployment

Where is the pride in education?

Where is the dignity in labour?

Money has become their god,

And insecurity is the new song,

I sit still and wail…in silent screams..

Make me green again!

Make me green again!!