A NATION IN SEARCH OF CHANGE

On latitude 4ºN to 14ºN of the equator
Longitude 3ºE to 15ºE of the meridian,
Spheres the grandest of all freed-shares,
Adorned with transcendent beauty,
Treasures and resources overflowing
Like milk and honey in Canaan;
Crowning him “the Giant of Africa” –
The largest cluster of Negro in the world.

Fifty years of turbulent, painful expedition has gone;
Led by different consortia of unscrupulous,
Corrupt, self-centred, nefarious tyrants.
Most of those who witnessed
The outset of the ultimate search for a real change
Will wonder how long it will take a nation
Blessed with all necessary primary tools needed
To truly discover the desirable change.

Lemme say, they have discovered some things:
They discovered prejudice, hatred and selfishness;
Greed, corruption, intolerance, bribery, state-theft;
Kidnapping, glorified lying, homelessness, insecurity;
Religious crises, intra-tribal wars, social unrest, retro-development…
Half a century has come and gone,
Here we are still searching for the misplaced change,
With no clue to finding it.

Fortunately, the golden year will witness
Another extravagant process of leadership shift of the present consortium.
What will be the fate of our generation and those yet unborn?
That is, the aftermath of 2011 National general election
Will determine the next phase of our strategic search.

This golden independence anniversary celebration is with mixed feelings:
Feelings of thanksgiving and worship to the Sovereign God,
For sustaining us despite the evil discoveries…
Feelings of distress, agonies, travails, cries, umbrage and disappointment.
Distress from indigenous slavery; agonies and cries of the innocent blood,
Maiming, destructions and kidnapping due to intolerance, insecurity and prejudice;
Umbrage and disappointment because of bad leadership and our retrogressions…

Feelings of hope, hope for an abiding change.
Hope that we can still discover unity
Regardless our different faith, beliefs and practices;
Regardless our tongues and culture.

Hope that we can truly achieve sustainable development
And build a nation we can be proud of,
Redeeming our lost image for our children and those yet unborn.
Hope that genuine leaders with good and selfless intentions and visions,
Who will depict true statesmen will emerge.
Hope that we will for the first time
Conduct a non-controversial free and fair, peaceful election
By 2011 with accountability.

Hereby, we will all converge sooner than envisaged
At our confluence to celebrate
The dawn of a change, a new beginning, a new United People of Nigeria.
Together we stand and change for the best,
Divided we fall and disintegrate for the worst.

Change we believe;
Change is possible
And change we will achieve/get.

God Bless Nigeria! God Bless Us All!!