Oh my north! (Northern Nigeria)

Written by penabdul

The north, a region once dominated by economic viability,
A region once crowned with leadership,
A region once living under security buoyancy,
A region once controlled by selfless men worth the name,
A region that once served as the economic nerve centre of west Africa.

Selflessness and love were its foundation,
Security and peaceful co-existence were its pillars,
Trust and honesty were its walls,
Leadership and military might were its roof,
And godliness was its house.

Our past heroes will never forgive us.
The region they built on equity, justice and accountability is on fire.
We have rulers today but no single leader.
Selfishness and greed is their lot.
Public theft and social recognition has blinded us,
We are literally responsible for our own destruction.

Our rulers have worn a large price tag on their chests,
They are easily bought.
Don't even talk of the royal houses.
We are simply on a sinking ship without a captain.

The northern youths are nothing but bunch of drug addicts.
The educated ones are all waiting for their turn to steal so that they can live in mansions and drive in exclusive cars,
And the common slogan is, "there's nothing we can do"
He who stands for the truth is mocked at.

Our roof is on fire with incessant bombs.
Our foundation is sinking in ignorance and drug addiction.
Our walls are falling apart because nobody cares,
Our concern for an immediate and drastic solution is a fiasco.
our neighbor's house is on fire but we care not because we're enjoying the luxury of our ill-gotten mansions.

Everyday someone dies as a result of injustice, prepare for the day you will die because of injustice too.
Talk to your parents, your uncles, your friends. Let them provide a lasting solution for us. This insecurity will soon consume the north and like prophecies, we will become the underdogs.
The time for attitudinal change is now.