A Nigerian Reality

I held my ink to pen down my thoughts
To take accounts of all that is going on
But instead, tears chose to flow
They flowed freely without hesitation
I let it all out in pain and anger
For I have watched my country fail me
Countless times, that I became tough, tougher than I should be
I expected no good from my motherland
For she promised me nothing but survival
Even my life meant nothing to her and I forgot how to live

That I am not a lawyer or a doctor doesn’t make me less of a human

That I dress unconventionally doesn’t make me a criminal

I am in my country for God’s sake why not let me be!

It is tough for us all, they just seem to forget that

She gave me no safe haven, for in the hands of the police I am a big fish

To intimidate, to extort, to brutalize, and waste

I see meaning now, as the youths awaken

I see a reason to give it my all and be whole again

Hope is restored in me to fight with all I’ve got, yet they aimed at me

To instill fear, yea the cowards keep disguising

But it is too late, for I have got nothing to lose

They call us lazy, they call us useless

Yet I have never felt as alive as I do now

I see my fellow youth and I can tell we share the same pain

I am wide awake now, never to be caught in slumber

I will keep standing and maintain my ground

Till my voice is heard and adhered to

For at this juncture, death is such a filthy excuse to stand back for

Oh yes! I belong to the generation

The Sòrò sókè generation!

I hope you are with me too.