The Nigerian Paradox Poem by Toyo Esuola

A mixed feeling of happiness and melancholy
Gently creates a smile
As we sit and trace some misplaced
Joyous moments in our lives

Moments, if given a chance,
We will love to extract from our memories
And relive over and over again
Till it soaks us up in its warp

Those days of old when life seemed
Like an everlasting ride in hedonistic style
When time stood still while the jealous
Day and night watched with envy.

As people danced and laughed
Feeling themselves to the brim
With all the love and care
Each could offer.

Funny though cos these days of old
Still had elements of tragedy
Elements of infrastructure depletion
Elements of corruption

Not even the morning sunshine
Could lift high spirits from some souls
The little high accumulated,
NEPA washed away with the loud
Silence of darkness



But in the midst of all these
“Owan Be’s” still rocked weekends
And with it came unnecessary noise
And selfish road blocks

With it came obscene amounts
Lavished on vanities converted
To wardrobe monuments

With it came astronomical waste of
Food, which so many starve from and die

To them it was a good day on the verge
Of becoming a historical tale
“Oro buruk pelu erin”
As our forefathers would say

In retrospect it is clear that every moment
In time of bliss becomes nostalgic
Based on the onlookers view and
Disposition of the past, present and future

For some generations,
nostalgia is yet to come in the midst
of persistent hardship
In others no such word
Will ever exist in their lifetime