In The Beginning Poem by David Olusanya

In the beginning, it was not so
that we should eat the bread of woe
that we should drink the menses of prostitutes
whose chastity has been sold to an army of destitutes.

In the beginning their was a dream
planted by the bank of a toothless stream
growing and tendered by nature's smile
bereft of brute, bruises or bile.

In the beginning, there was no strife
like a pope in bed with a secret wife.
There was no war, there was no battle;
No chaos like a pilot riding a cattle.

In the beginning, the best name was Bola
there was Ebun, but there was no Ebola.
There was Amara, Nnamdi and Issa
there was Musa but there was no Lassa.

In the beginning, Justice was a virgin
an acute insight was her lineal gene.
To know no man was her moral acumen,
but today, Justice is pregnant with corruption's children.

In the beginning, there was one God
with diversity of worship-no one was odd.
The Mosque on Friday and Churches on Sunday
there were no spiritual shops and mobile shrines on Monday.

In the beginning, tears was a disease
infants' death were absurd even to the breeze.
To die at eighty means the gods are snoring
but today, to live till sixty is so strange and boring.

In the beginning, there was unity,
one pot, many hands; without ambitious insanity.
Love proposed to peace and gave birth to bliss
but today, we are pieces of people infested with diss.

In the beginning, we were so strong
to fight against tyranny's mighty throng.
We could no more endure, manage or cope
until we hung tyranny with its own rope.

In the beginning, we were Africans,
moral-bond gods, not wandering Barbarians.
We mastered love, friendliness and passion
We pioneered righteousness, not religious fashion.

In the beginning we didn't care
about our complexion or the colour of our hair.
Our intelligence lied not in our Language
because we understood culture, values and Heritage.

In the beginning, we were princes, kings and gods
we were nurtured by words, not by rods.
We grew in knowledge and curiosity was a plus
We are Africans because it was born in us.

David O. Olusanya