Mayhem In My Family (Mayhem Of Nigeria) Poem by Vincent Onyeche

Listen! ! !
Do u hear the drums....
'Nkem' my lovely wife
Hurry...
Even Barnabas the priest runs
Sorry we must leave the barns...
Forget the casavas and harvest
Forget the yams and others
Hurry, hurry let's leave the barns
Forget your 'asah-oke' and wrappers
Just gather my daughters
'Anika, Lola and Ada'
Oooo
Hide my sons 'Sani, Femi, and Obi'
Oooo
Save them from the recruiting arms men
'Nkem' hurry
For the wind is howling
Dust dash like its going to rain
'Chi', 'Oluwa', 'Ala' and God
Guide us
War is not tasty
Neither is it a curry
Yet these men spice-up life with it.

Oooo
'Obi' my son
I've failed to protect you
Cry if you need to
But I can't be there to dry your tears
'Chi' guides you
All the way
Your feet must now stamp boldness
Unto the dusty lands 'Nkem's' body forever sleeps
During the dry seasons
Hammertan and dire rains
Reasons:
'Grant Biafra its realm...'

Oooo
'Femi' my son
'Oluwa' will see you through
For I've failed to protect you
Talk if you need to
But I can't control your emotions
You will walk on hills,
Stony valleys and rocks
Fathers you are made to kill
Same sons, mothers
And daughters you rape
Just like they did to your sisters
Reasons:
'Militants, hoodlums and communal crisis'

'Sani' did you set
Fire on holy crosses?
'Obi' my son why vengeance
Now Shira... religious conflict'
Matter of power
'Sani' battles 'Femi'
Brothers turn fierce enemies.

The sandy game of power and rule
Set in bombs and Boko Ha'ram...
'Sani, Femi and Obi'
My sons
Call for ambulance....
The green and white gown is blazing

My children never mind
The sandy game of power
Just ordered
State of emergency
Mayhem just increased in our family

Oooo
'Sani' my son
I've failed to protect you
Go for rehab if you need to
I'm not there to call you to order
'Ala' see you through.

With all their snug riffles
And evading blockages
Not to forget
Aimless shooting and shouting
Which brings nothing but soak eyeballs
My three sons sourly soar! ! !

Like beetle my sons command on land
Like flying butterfly in air
They spray dragon fire down like rains
Like soldiers which they are
Robot their hearts is mean
Fighting for the nation and self-centred me,
On sandy game of power
Who claim to be too old for battling
Yet young for embezzlement
Guess we all sourly soar! ! !

'Anika, Lola and Ada'
May these words not fall on empty ears
Save the green
Ooo Save the white
Mind you the green is double
Share even
For responsibility not dis-unity
For your brothers
the Unknown legends’
Just ghost away in battlefield..
Raise your kinds
To live not in splitting Biafra
Or abide by the river boundaries
Or set sequins for head-shot
My daughters grow your kinds
To live as one.