Nigeria: The Thorns in Our Past

Source: Google

What is our history?

Where do we come from?

Who are we?

Why are we here today?

Our lands and kingdoms were divided amongst foreigners even before they met us

They called it expedition

Whereas it was exploitation in disguise

How many millions of us were taken?

Tortured, beaten, enslaved

And today we still suffer the consequences

Our brothers and sisters dispersed over the world

Barbados, Jamaica, Brazil, the States…

Stolen identities, cultures, and histories

Was Lord Lugard a hero or a tyrant?

Was the amalgamation to merge distinct kingdoms with tribal differences ‘for the greater good of all’

or to expand a business?

He gave us the name ‘Nigeria’

What does that even mean?

Nigger area?

Oh! the pain and realization that we have been lied to

Yes, by the colonial masters

But more heartbreaking, by those we were told are national heroes

Ha! Heroes indeed!

We celebrate the wrong names

Because we know not our history

We claim they fought for our independence

“In what way?”, I laugh in pain

Did Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, and the rest actually fight for our independence?

Or did they establish yet another business transaction?

To fill in the holes in their pockets

To feed their lust for power

And fuel tribalism and nepotism

Greed! Greed!! Greed!!!

The Aba women of 1929

Who gave their lives to fight the oppression of the British

Pelewura, a market woman who spoke out fearlessly against the colonial tax policies

Imoudu and the railway workers of the 1945 nationwide strike

Herbert Macaulay, a true Nigerian nationalist

Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti who led women to financial freedom

These are the ones I call the heroes and heroines of nationalism

I call my heroes, the youths of today, who in the face of danger, boldly hold a corrupt government accountable

Whose actions will birth a new Nigeria of my dream

I call my heroes, Jimoh Isiaq, Ayomide Taiwo, Chibuike Anams…

Whose struggle for a new Nigeria have cost them greatly

For them, we will continue the struggle

My fellow Nigerians…

Know your history!

Only by knowing the thorns in our past can we know the reasons behind our pains of today

And only then can we define our future.