Nigerian Independence Limerick By Hannatu Musawa

I awoke late last night in my
bed,
With a grandiose scheme in
my head.
To mark our independence
With a rhyme in attendance
So please read on to see
what I said.
Said myself while composing
this limerick
‘Finding rhymes gives me
quite a big kick’
And I know that my verse
Is sarcastic and terse
Or silly and scant- take your
pick!
My poem presenting this
rhyme,
Which follows the scheme in
my time
Need not be what we call
A true Limerick at all
Like a lemon, the cousin of
lime.
Yet my limerick a lemon can
be,
You could use a small slice
for your tea.
Do not take it too serious
Please don’t get delirious,
They’re just jumbled up
words from Hanney!
This piece is just right for my
show
It’s of random events we all
know
Please don’t launch an
Appeal,
I’m just keeping it real
On the good and the bad;
here we go…!
There is a great land named
Nigeria
Whose chaos level was
superior.
Strife and trouble there
reigned,
Greed, corruption sustained
So much so this land
became inferior!
As this nation marks its
independence
With governor’s and Kings in
attendance.
They’ll pretend all is fine,
And ignore our decline
Notwithstanding our near
non-existence
Now onto our President
Goodluck,
Whose luck seems to have
come unstuck.
Once did not have a shoe
Now he aint got a clue
How to undo the troubles
running amok.
When fate picked our Johnny
to rule,
It seemed cool; at least he’d
been to school.
But it soon became apparent
That his actions were errant
Now he looks like a cruel
April fool!
Diezani is the Queen of our
land,
She’s in command of the
grand oil gland.
But with all of her wheeling,
And dealing, the feeling
Is she’ll one day be in
EFCC’s hand
Abati, that wonderful fella,
In the past he produced a
top sella.
As a genius, he’s hailed,
Yet he’s frequently failed
Now his speeches are
pitched arcapella.
Farqouq Lawan I really
admired,
Until he fell for that bribe
and got fired.
Even if it was a set up,
His let up and get up
May stop him in future
getting hired.
Edwin Clark’s old enough to
be Granddad,
But my word, he is such a
big fad.
He talks all this rubbish
Of conspiracy skirmish,
‘Zip it Sir, your case really is
sad!’
One can’t bypass A.G Adoke,
Not my favourite man I must
say.
He’s a lawyer like me,
So with legal espirt
I’ll delay to display his
dossier.
Mark’s assent as Senate
President,
Does ferment that scent of
dissent.
A successful Legislator,
And a peace regulator.
It must be because he is a
Gent.
Asari Dokubo aired his
contention,
to peers at a recent
convention.
He warned all opposing
Johnny,
(Mujahedeen’s’ way of
making money),
He’s a Moron out to cause
more tension.
A lady named Obi Ezekwesili
Is the epitome of an African
Lilly,
We need her likes in our
throngs,
To correct some of our
wrongs.
She’s a person with values
sincerely.
The best officer has got to
be Fashola,
He channels the popularity
of Abiola.
One wishes he’d compete
For the President’s seat
And you can shout that from
a high Gondola.
The slayers named Boko
Haram,
Just kill without giving a
damn,
Their demands are
outrageous
Uncourageous and
disadvantageous
One can’t wait till they’re
caught in a jam.
Those who bomb people’s
houses and churches,
Are hell-bound, this is from
the researches.
Why should you declare war
On one’s worshiping door
When you take no insult on
your perches?
The leak in our force is
amazing,
Now top secret info is
appraising,
Yes I heard from a Sarge,
That it’s thought by and large
In the SS some spies are hell
raising.
NEPA’s well on its way to
restore?
But it just seems as dark as
before!
A few hours of light
Is no cause for delight.
We need constant electricity
galore!
We don’t have a national
airline to fly.
Most of our planes are not
fit for the sky.
It’s bad that a nation
With a high population
Have passengers always on
standby
Going to market makes one
feel apprehensive
Because everything there’s
so expensive
How can Nigerians survive
In this state of deprive?
It’s no wonder the nation’s
so pensive.
See our roads with their
craters so large,
So big they resemble a
barge.
But our maintenance habit
Is not fit for a rabbit
And you can bet that it’s not
free of charge.
A talented young Nigerian
named Bob,
Had a Masters Degree but
no job.
Cause the unemployment
figure
Had grown bigger and bigger
So to make ends meet, he
would rob.
Some entrepreneurs in debt
far too deep
Were living a life that’s not
cheap.
Now the banks in all zones
Stopped from giving them
loans
They thought they will not
sow but just reap.
The opposition is being so
lame,
One must think, what’s the
point of their aim?
If they cant all unite
For the 2015 fight
They must know they have
lost in that game!
From subsidy to five
hundred naira notes,
To ‘don’t give a damn’ and
similar quotes,
Government’s not done so
well,
In a minute they fell
A sinking ship like with
Titanic’s boats!
The insecurity and lack of
fuel,
Is a mark of incessant
misrule.
Our life is absurd
and from this I’ve inferred
There’s a need for
government renewal.
Those that are Northern are
so lazy,
Now some Hausas are
religion crazy.
How can the region progress
With so much distress?
Get it together or your
future is hazy!
The snag of Arewa is the
leaders,
Where octogenarians are
still the main feeders.
Instead of educating their
fleet,
Take their kids from the
street,
They are bent on remaining
the breeders.
There is nothing amiss in the
East,
Igbo’s are hard working and
creative at least.
But their thirst to get rich,
Is their hitch and main glitch
And they must get their
unity increased.
Our most sophisticated
come from the West,
Maybe because they are
education obsessed.
But it’s hard to give trust,
When their word they adjust
Still Yoruba’s have impressed
in their test.
‘THE OIL IS OURS!’ –‘Yes
we’ve heard!’
The South-South proclaim-
‘How absurd!’
But the truth of the story,
An example’s Ibori
Are their poor have no
benefit conferred.
Our nation is a federation of
tribes,
This transcribes variant
opposite vibes.
They dislike one another,
Reject their brother
And reduce each other with
jibes.
It’s a custom in these our
parts,
To draw ethnic dichotomy
charts.
Those that hate with such
ease,
Harbour a grave disease;
One that eats up the good in
their hearts.
I hope Nigeria as one will
pull through.
But it’s just not by force –
that’s my view.
So let’s waiver the raver.
‘No one’s doing me a
favour!’
Each can survive on their
own; and that’s true!
For Nigerians to explain their
desire
we must know just what
word we require.
When we become objective,
Think as one collective
it’s from bad governance
that we really ‘don tire!’
North, South, West, East
must stand up together,
To overcome this most
turbulent weather.
Treat all with respect,
Drop abuse and suspect.
Let disdain reach the end of
its tether.
Peace and unity, that is the
key,
our forefathers on this did
agree.
Now they’ve gone to their
grave,
Look how we misbehave.
If they knew, broken hearted
they’d be.
See the labour of our heroes
thus past,
Feel the ‘call and obey’ that
is asked;
Turn and give me your hand,
Let us stand as once
planned;
Give Nigeria a peace that
will last!
I know my words often
causes despair.
But I’ve no notion to tear
out your hair.
I just speak for the mass
Who have no voice Alas!
Those I mentioned, I hope
you’re aware.
When we celebrate on the
1st of October,
Let’s all pray for peace, but
moreover
Let us thank God for all,
Our fortune’s not small.
Let’s be fair, let’s be just,
LET’S GET SOBER!

(OK, I’ll Stop there….Happy
Independence Week and Day
to every Nigerian!)

Hannatu Musawa
I invite you to follow me on
Twitter -@hanneymusawa

#CONSENSUS 2015