My Naija! My Pride! Poem by Eustace Dunn

With tearful looks in my eyes,
I still see the world’s spies.
Their mockery spat on my name
Like a sane man that was lame.
But I am not ashamed!

I am not ashamed
For I shall shout aloud among the crowd
Don’t ever think I’ll not to my nation be so proud.
When you call my ‘Nigerian-ness’ from the cloud,
I shall make it fame without shame.
Wherever you come, call and tame my name.
If you speak in my native abroad,
Not to be pensive aboard, I am on board.
Expect my walking up to you to make it broad.
I shall shout a soothing sound “I’m a Nigerian! ”
Not English or American.

Trace my tribe to the blood of a Nigerian
I won’t thrive with the blood of a barbarian.
We do not have half-caste of the past without story
But a golden black with a success story.
My nation is black and proud of her natural resources
These resources tell the lilies to be my success sources.

I’ll speak my language to keep my lineage
Because it’s my heritage to manage my language
I’ll take her hand to another land, as it’s my brand.
It’s her identity that removes my being a nonentity.
Despite global dissatisfaction,
We are not a shameful product of the nation.