I’m an Ogoni.
I’m a farmer.
I don’t plant
And not tend.
I plant and tend
Notwithstanding
The condition.
I’m an Ogoni.
I’m a fisherman.
I don’t cast my
Nets and run.
I cast and pull
Not minding the
Storm or rapids.
I’m an Ogoni.
I’m strong, solid.
Able to weather
All storms and
Not bulge.
I’m the tall Iroko
Revered by tide
And wild-wind!
Why are you trying
So hard to bring
Me down? Why do
You steal from me,
Rape and kill me,
Loot and rape my
Land fortysome
Years now,
Yet hell bent on
Erasing me off
Earth’s surface?
Why has greed
Imprisoned you?
You should have
Known that beetles
Don’t die easy, fool.
A little boy once asked
His father: “Papa, when
The rain falls, why does
The frog sing?”
Do you know why?
Do you know why
The frog never forgets
Its route to the forest?
Part 2
I’m an Ogoni.
I’m a warrior.
I never abandon
A battle no matter
How tough it is.
They say “he who
Fights and runs
away lives to fight
another day.”
Not so with me.
The python strikes
Its prey and stays
With it - as I do!
I fight and stay
Fighting, yes, yes
Fighting till victory
Is won and gained!
You see since 1958,
You and your cohorts
Conspired to rob, rape
And loot my property.
You probably thought;
“If we break him, his
Wealth’ll all be ours.
Who can challenge us?”
Know what?
You misfired big time!
Have you not been
Told that an Ogoni
Is not a supple twig?
You may try, as you
Are. But you can’t
Break nor twist me,
You can’t destroy me,
You can’t eliminate me
You can’t steal anymore
Away from me or
My land, because
I’m an Ogoni and,
Like it or not, I’m a
Winner. You? Loser!
Part 3
I’m an Ogoni,
This is my land.
My forebears fought
Many battles on
This very land,
For this very land
‘Cause of this land;
They never ran away.
They stood stout,
Proud warriors…
One with this land!
Why d’you think then
That I, son of great
And proud warriors,
I’ll now run away?
I’m an Ogoni.
I never plant my
Yams then run from
Forest incursion.
I call the final battle
Shots…the shots
That non, not even
You, can return…
And on this land
I stand now and
Forever AN OGONI!
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