Flying Abject Masses Across Stormy Desert: Awo Poem by Babatunde Idowu Ebenezer

Fiery sun over the wilderness like inferno,
Lying not between Elim and Sinai but deep in the heart of Africa.
Years after the rain of manna from the heaven,
In a land far away from Massah and Meribah of Moses.
Night and day the masses grumbled of thirst and hunger.
Gone were the days when they owned their own lands.


All hopes laid lost and unfound in not near lands,
Belching suffering and poverty after eating yams roasted in the inferno,
Jeering at them were vultures hovering above in hunger.
Enmity blowing around in the darkness of dark nights of Africa.
Calamity upon the nation made them call to God for a Moses.
Though none knew the way of answers from the heaven.

Moses came then swiftly but not like manna from heaven,
Answering the sobbing of public, God raised him from the lands.
Singing scarce music of hopes with harp like David and not Moses.
Shining brightly upon the ashes left behind by the inferno.
Epitome of bitter but delicious bitter leaf grown in Africa.
Serving the masses hope of manna to satisfy their hunger.

Awolowo, the 'Path to Nigerian Freedom' from poverty and hunger.
Crying for action through a group sent from heaven,
Rowing the boat of freedom away from the Pharaohs of Africa
Obafemi, 'Thoughts on the Nigerian Constitution' from the prison of his lands.
Serving the cause he had faith in even in the inferno.
Succumbing not to the pang of betrayal of his own as Moses.


Sending the songs of hope in 'The People's Republic' like Moses.
To whom due he gave the honour of twelve tribes in hunger.
Over the burning forests he flew them away from the inferno.
Rain of oppression not enough to stop him for calling to the heaven,
Making day and night supplications for them even with hunger,
Yearning up to grave for free education for all Africa.

Death though have no mercy for anyone not even Africa.
Every trace of hope he took away with our Moses,
Sending tears of sorrow down every cheek in the lands.
Ending with it the hope of total liberation from hunger.
Resting and watching we know he must be in heaven,
Taking pride in his achievement to put out the inferno:


Awolowo, the father of Africa rebirth and freedom from hunger.
When shall we have another Moses sent from the heaven?
Obafemi, the lands you left we pray never to suffer any inferno.