Green or Grey Nigeria

Green or Grey Nigeria

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She was once proud, the home of gods and royalty.
Now, people under her care depend on charity.
If they are not displaced, they live in fear.
Conflict up North, robbery down South.
Terrorism coated with religious biases,
And armed with ethnic prejudices.

Who will paint her vibrant green white and green?
True peace will not remain an elusive dream.
Nightmares will not hunt me if I stay awake.
I may be slow but I am far from weak.

She has become drier than the Atacama Desert.
Water and life only appear as mirages.
She has become like quicksand.
Struggle and go down faster.
Fight the wind at your peril.
To your ever-sure doom.

Who will paint her vibrant green white and green?
Poverty cannot continue to reign supreme.
To me, 'dawn' is but minutes away. Alive!
If I lose hope, what else do I have?

She is ours. Surely, we can restore her colours.
No matter the status quo, I  refuse to let go.
Mother can be beautiful. She can be green.
Being tepid will not activate her u - turn.
I must take one step and then another,
And create my paradise; evergreen.

#NigeriaWakeUp #NigeriaElections

By Sylvanus Nabena
Twitter: @slynabena