Africa! My Africa!! Our Africa!!!
The cradle of civilization
The genesis of greed
The heart of barbarism
The footstool of the gods 
And the threshold of the Almighty


Many starve with hunger and thirst
Destructions and diseases have become our closest allies
Yet this is where you find some of the happiest people on
earth;
At peace with nature, living on the bare necessities of
life


Oh Africa, blessed with its’ abundance of resources
Only the lucky few, could enjoy the benefits
Only the greedy few, could loot it for themselves
Only the powerful few, could fight for it
Only the un-lucky many, could die for it 


Like the dicey breakfast, Awaiting to be eaten up greedily
The scramble for Africa began
Africa was sliced up and shared apiece, by its’ colonial
masters
Though the masters be gone, the legacy remains


The seeds that were sown are yielding fruits till date
Some of these fruits though of greed, are ready for
harvesting!
The marks left behind have become like the scar
To be used in reference to its individuality for all
eternity


Perhaps life would be better and worth-while 
When Africa becomes its’ own masters; so we thought
But til date, nothing has changed
except the meal been dicier and richer
For the corrupt and elite class of Africa


Oh Africa, How I hate to leave my beloved land and
continent
I watch the local news everyday, and these same words I
hear
“Things are improving, developments are taking place”. 


Come to Africa and you can tell the difference 
between film-tricks and reality
“For every atom of development recorded”,
“A compound of loot is made by the elite class in
power”
Ofcourse things are improving indeed!! But at “snail”
speed


Years back, Africa could enjoy three square meals daily
Today it can barely afford two scanty meals
And malnutrition slaps it on the face
Yet the elite class in power could afford more luxury cars
in addition to their fleet.
Aren’t things improving? Ofcourse things are improving
Or can’t you notice the size of the waistline of the elite
class?
Their tummies just got bigger!


I wouldn’t leave Africa if I could help it.
But go I must!
I need a better life, 
because I can not be assured of a better life down here.
In my heart, in my prayers, in my thoughts and in my
dreams,
Africa has its’ pride of place.
If I be far from home,
I still look back and feel lovesick for Africa.


And when I die, when my life here on earth is done,
Please find this in my will;
“Take me down to Africa, And Bury Me in Africa!”



© 2007. Osamuyi Okpame -All Rights Reserved