Arise, Africa Arise! Poem by Raimi Babatunde

The cloud can no longer hold the rains
Yet, they cannot see it by their insensitivities
When tears fell from the heavens;
They came as dews, as heaven heard our agonies
This is one too many and we are already there
But yet, they are too blind to see

Bound together by a common cause
Never again will we allow the Tortoise in our midst
I hear the drums of revolution
That which will bring restoration like never before
Once dis-enchanted, frustrated and dis-contented
But in our collective voice we found a sanctuary

Even when gods ruled on earth
They were not as callous as them all
Not only will we end all these negatives
We shall end everything that has divided us
The Rooster heralds the beautiful mornings
Jolting us out of slumber to re-take our land
And restore hope in the Africa of our dreams

As we march towards the higher calling
Remember glorious destinies cut short in their prime
To be quiet is to stand with evil
As we hope that our conquest is sure
So, when I sit under the moonlight telling stories
To my generations yet unborn
It shall be stories of how we conquered our world

Arise, African Giant, arise and take your place
Arise, African youths, arise and take a stand against injustice
Not with guns and weapons but might
Sound the gong and let your voices echo from thence
We have but this time to get it right
That history may be kind to us
If we fail, it's your fault.