Independence Poem by Tony Adah

Independence, today we mark you
And celebrate you
But we less value you
Because we got you on a platter of gold
No much fuss and we cuddled you
In our arms, drinking and making merriment.

At last the colonialists were gone
And colonialism attenuated?
It seems so
Loosening from the colonial shackles
Is different from extricating ourselves
From native thralldom
And this is serious
Of brother killing his brother
Whose blood runs in his brother's veins too
And we are jubilating today
When a few have captured the essence
Of citizenship and the rest
Aliens in their own very land.

This independence is to be celebrated
On the note of existence
For living well and being a citizen
Of my great country I doubt
Unless tomorrow the sun rises
Shines upon the citizens
And the shadow of the past leaves
We will ever celebrate in mixed moods
Of tears and joy.