Independence

Fifty odd years ago, freedom! We cried. Our wish

came true; our soil, the colonial masters departed

the sovereign Queen no longer held us like dogs on leash

we were liberated. A federation, our fathers created

years passed, and we still wait for the paradise

we were promised; the military or civilian none fulfilled

with superb mastery, they coat greed with lies

masking nefarious intentions, sympathizing till they succeed

the dust had barely settled after the Biafran war

when we forgot fighting for a common cause; the graves

of those who died mocks our stupidity. Corrupted to the core

we take in vain the labours of our heroes; the salvation we crave

is not forthcoming, still we hope and wait for another messiah

forgetting that one died already. Irrationally brave

we sit and whine our rights become unfulfilled desires

never occurs to us that we can fight our own battles

that perhaps God is waiting for us to stand up

but we do nothing except accept fate like cattle

led to slaughter; blissful reprieve to cover our shame up

so they bake cakes and think it justifies the national budget

unconcerned about starving children, inflated prices in the market

53 years of independence and still we cry out in pain

if this is freedom, why did we leave the chains?

- Charis.