The Birth, Childhood and Maturity of Nigeria

By Muhammad Ajah (Being a piece from his poem collection titled: Sing to Me, Nigeria)

1) Sing to me, Nigeria

In 1914, in our homes where
We looked at one another and smiled
Amalgamation was born
Then we became powerless
Powerless because we received orders
From those who cared for us
Like a child punished for disobedience
They loved our unity for united gains
And traded upon our sweats
As we shrieked in fear
When a white man stood before us

2) Sing to me, Nigeria

They traversed the plains of the north
They tiptoed our rocky plateaus
They slid into the murky soil of the delta
And they crawled into the leafy east and west
They beckoned on the three of us
And with the mantra of a revered Lord
Coaxed us to dine together
And we did, yes we did
Even as we loved ourselves
Even as we feared at first
That we may be unable to stand
Though we make ourselves powerless
Yet many in number

3) Sing to me, Nigeria

They took their turns to tame
The anger we quickly swallowed
In reverence of a white man
They marauded the beauties of this land
In shorts and T-shirts neatly tucked-in
And mustache trimmed as crest
They stained the domains of our ancestors
And brought to us all these thoughts
We claim to possess but cannot keep
Because God has loved us much
Though still, He leaves our change
Unto our own selves


4) Sing to me, Nigeria

Luggard's spouse merely added to the Niger
Where Park was overcome by ignorance
O! We had little or no say
As Lord Luggard came with his cain
Then Clifford, then Thompson, then Cameron
Then Bourdillon, then Evelyn, then Burns, then Richards
Then Macpherson and Robertson
Ten colonial masters and regimes
Until, like a loyal child
Feeling the pain of torture and denial
We staggered and stood on our feet
And looked into the eyes of the master
And shouted, freedom, freedom, freedom!


5) Sing to me, Nigeria

The journey to your freedom, I recall
A moderately rough venture your dear ones
Undertook to save our powerlessness
Before any creature born of the womb
Just like yesterday, the lion-hearted heroes
When life was dearer, easier and snugger
They stood on their two legs
They spoke from one mind
Like Mandela, life was worthless
To be slaves in our own fatherland
Whose defence is divine


6) Sing to me, Nigeria

So hard, it gradually came to be
So persistently, they got it
Without shots from AK 47 or pistols
But from the tireless shots of the brains
Bent to attain ease for posterity
Nigeria is a Promised Land! They shouted
Sweeping through the north to south
Even with diplomacy to free her
From the shackles of colonialism
A trend, so diehard, has remained
To blur our development

7) Sing to me, Nigeria

I could hear them speak in a room
“We can't remain like this, no we can't
We shall be failing in our duties as leaders
If remains our bondage in modernity
Nay, we are doomed if a single follower
Raises a palm to God for our failure”
They were charged with the spirit inborn
In a patriot who seeks greatness
For the land upon which he first bowed
So they threw the shoes of the white man
Wore the red cap, babariga and agbada
And only took part of his lore


8) Sing to me, Nigeria

Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe of Anambra - the home of all
Tafawa Balewa of Bauchi - the pearl of tourism
Sir Ahmadu Bello - the Sardauna of Sokoto
General Aguiyi Ironsi of Abia - God's own state
General Yakubu Gowon of Plateau - the home of peace and tourism
General Murtala Muhammad of Kano - the centre of commerce
General Olusegun Obasanjo of Ogun - the gateway state
Alhaji Shehu Shagari of Sokoto - the seat of caliphate
General Muhammad Buhari of Katsina - the home of hospitality
General Ibrahim Babangida of Niger - the power state
Chief Ernest Shonekan of Ogun again - the gateway state
General Sani Abacha of Kano again - the centre of commerce
General Abdusalam Abubakar of Niger again - the power state
Alhaji Umar Musa Yar'Adua of Katsina again - the home of hospitality
And Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan of Bayelsa - the pride of nation


9) Sing to me, Nigeria

Do you hear me, Azik Nigeria?
Do you hear me, Bello Nigeria?
Do you hear me, Awo Nigeria?
Do you hear me, Balewa Nigeria?
Do you hear me Ebele Nigeria?
Do you hear me, Ajaogwu Nigeria?
Do you hear me, O Compatriots?
All who stood the heat in one footing
Face to face or with prayers
Until God looked into our minds
And gave a nod for our freedom
For in unity in soul and flesh they were