PRINCIPLES

I was at the PLATFORM on independence with my heart in my mouth, my senses on alert and my pen romping miss book. Listening to the likes of Bolanle Austen-Peters, founder of Terra Kulture, that same Terra Kulture; Prof.Pius Adesanmi the internationally acclaimed winner of the inaugural penguin prize for African Writing on his book "You're not a Country, Africa"(you can check theplatformnigeria.com for the speakers and their massively intimidating C.V). This struck my mind like the Greek god Thor....PRINCIPLES

At the bane of Nigeria's present tantrums are principles and structures. you've probably thought to yourself 'Oh, I know that!' or 'That's so obvious....". OK, let's leave the structures for the government and deal individually with principles. What are Principles? that definition should be utterly left to you reading this post. you'll definitely agree that the basic "common man" in Nigeria (I really dislike that phrase though, No one is common!), has amplified his tendencies to be corrupt. Power and Status merely gives them the ample opportunity to express that part of them and trust me - they do it well!

Regardless of how you were groomed, the decision to do Right or Wrong is on you and not the society or it's norms. In such times like this, when the nation surges forward in the right track, I beseech you to examine the codes by which you live, making sure it's right. I leave you this Poem I wrote after watching "The Meeting" produced by Rita Dominic.

PRINCIPLES 

 Principles

bound on the wrists as shackles

of an understanding of Yes and No

Wrong is Right, so who really knows

A gift or a bribe

man, where is your pride?

Lessons enforced on us by the moral scribe

now churning in corruption's merry go-ride

How do we stand tall,

in an ocean where right is wrong?

How soon shall we fall,

when our deeds is not the same as the tongue?

Who then is Madam Integrity,

if the Elders, don't understand the concepts'

of honesty, fairness and equity?

All we have is tangled precepts!

Four becomes Six years

she can't graduate with her peers

the society can't grasp her reasons for tears

pay the goddamn teacher, let's party and cheer!

Lobbying for the appointment,

started not at the government house,

it stemmed, when, you paid for the admission

for the contract, you prepaid their commission.

they turned blind eye in employing that man

economic policies through money was unbanned

the introduction of that term "Kola"

ravaging our future than Ebola

Why should they play ball

when the world would rather see them hung,

for their refusal to join them in bribery's famed hall?

Shall we ever sing a new song?
 

Of right being right

and wrong being wrong

of Yes forever Yes

and No eternally No

Should we not end this talk

of the legacies we should be building?

shall we ever convince these folks

of the decayed foundation that needs uprooting

Yes, we must stand tall

and hope to God that Right is right

if we must not fall 

then our deeds should be same with the tongue

Principles

on the wrist, bound as shackles

of an understanding of Yes and No

Wrong is Wrong, Now we really know!

DO leave your comments and remember "There is no right reason to do WRONG..." Have a sweet week ahead!