Tuesday 15 April 2008

THE GENERAL.

He comes like a mad cow in khaki
Looking fierce, furious and fearless
He takes over the legitimate government through the barrel of gun
He has overthrown the government given the mandate to rule
Oh how sad
The constitution of the land has been suspended
He broadcasts it over the national TV
He has taken over the helms of affair

There is pandemonium in the air
The citizenry is shocked at the news
Now there would be khaki men all around us
Like fools without conscience,
They would carry out orders to terminate innocent lives
Every man would live in fear
Cause they know not what to expect

He loots the national treasury and amasses ill gotten wealth
He is determined to embezzle the wealth of the nation
At the expense of the masses
He is answerable to no one; he is the ruler of the land
Where are the bold men to challenge his madness?

The general seats in the government house
He enjoys every moment of his stay there
He lives like he would never die
He drives ostentatious cars and eats the best food
He has the most beautiful girls of the land for his personal pleasure

Oh how foolish he is
He is oblivious to his imminent death lurking by the corner

His arrival into the city
Is characterized by blowing siren, disturbing the peace of the nation
As if that aint enough,
He causes chaos on major roads
As other road users try to avoid his convoy
Oh yea no one dares to obstruct his convoy

Something tragic has happened
We heard the breaking news
The general is dead!
The nation is thrown into a state of euphoria
Men and women, young and old jubilant over his departure
Hmm the end of the brutal ruler
Now that proverb has been fulfilled
“What goes around comes around”

The mystery of his demise can never be unravelled
“Soldier come soldier go”
How on earth did the bullets penetrate through his bullet proof car?
His head is blown into pieces
His brain is revealed to the feasting eyes of the public
He is covered by the pool of his own blood

His dreams are shattered
He wanted the future of his generation guaranteed
He wanted them to go to the best schools of the world -“Oxbridge”
As a result, he had to start gathering wealth for them
Before they were born into this world
Aint that a good ambition of the general?

Only if he knew his end was this soon
He would have lived a righteous and befitting life
Only the heavens know where his soul now rests.

37 comments:

ejura said...

Hmm, it seems you're politically inclined oh!
This general reminds me of one that ruled my country. He didn't die from a bullet wound tho. No, he ate a fruit.
It also reminds me of many more of them still-some in uniforms, others in babarigas. The difference sha is that they are yet to die.
tanx 4 stopping by mine. ciao

tobenna said...

At first, I thought, Abacha!
Nope, he died having sex. Probably one of the best ways to go.
Then, I thought, Murtala Mohammed!
He was shot, wasn't he?
Not too sure if he was a tyrant though.
I wasn't born.
I'm Nigerian, pardon me if you do not know those names..

Kafo said...

this is off the chain
u should check out some of the stuff i wrote last summer

http://realitythrukemieyes.blogspot.com/2007/07/disillusion-things-out-of-proportion.html


this is hot
i was thinking Abacha all thru
until the end and then i was like hmmm this isn't unique to the Naija experience but africa at large

and then i thought about it in over reaching terms the military being not only guns but the education of fear

and that blew my mind

so yeah i am blown away right now

from the first line you had mii

two thumbs way up

okay i need to stop gushing and go and study

i will be back tho
i will

Jennifer A. said...

*sigh*

This was really deep...I believe u were secretly inspired by the tales we know and have seen very well, even in our Country.

"Only if he knew his end was this soon
He would have lived a righteous and befitting life"

anonymous gal(retired blogger) said...

lol ejura was that apple gist ever confirmed?
nice even though im so not inclined to poetry

Today's ranting said...

@Ejura
How true is the apple story? I feel there was more to that man's death joh. Actually he inspired the post and i'm not saying he died from a gunshot o. The poem highlights the ugly situaion under military regime in Nigeria and other african countries.

@Tobena
I'm very farmiliar with these names.I be correct Naija naa.He died having sex ke?

@ Kafo
Hmmm I know say Abacha will run through peoples' heads when they read this. Yea he inspired the poem also other happenings in Africa.I'm definitely gonna check the site.

@Jaycee
Don't mind those guys jare they just rule as if sey dem no go peme one day.

@anonymous gal
Thanks for your comment.Why you no like poetry naa?

LG said...

chic, so na Abacha u dedicate one full post to, make dem catch u first,u go talk weda na green apple or red apple him chop? i no follow o lol!!
nice post tho'

Jay said...

This post if for all the greedy african leaders whose only purpose is to extort money from their own land, suppress their citizens and ignore their suffering nation. Its so sad.

Very very well written....see how you evoked my political self!!! lol

soupasexy said...

lol @ejura..
so which general be this one?

ejura said...

Whether na apple or mango, the tin be say im chop sumtin wer come worry im belle. Naim e com die! That's why it's very important to at least wash your fruits before you eat em especially the ones given you by some pretty indian gals!
Whether it's true or not sha, at the end he died. That's what counts!

SOLOMONSYDELLE said...

You know that I liked this right? Keep it up!

How sad that this could be about any number of African rulers...

Afrobabe said...

A kind of befitting poem for Abacha...too bad he didnt die through viagra!!!

Then I thought..hopefully it is Mugabe..but I have no idea if he is a soldier...but hope he has been killed...but then it would have been in the news right???

Zayzee said...

it's a common thing with these generals. unfortunately they never learn from the mistakes of the ones before them

Sherri said...

Just lovely!

Anonymous said...

whoever this general is im sure he is lounging somewhere heated by sulphur and limestone.I recommend that the poem should be titled "Robert Mugabe, the silly old man with a quixote vision" just my thoughts.Lovely poem, it really makes the mind wander

ChiefO said...

a certain southern african countries president comes to mind. he has ruled for 28yrs. moved his countries economy from prosperous to a stage were last week a plate of rice, chicken and salad cost Z$60m, this week it's Z$80m. yet there are still people who think he is the best thing to happen to them after sliced bread.

ChiefO said...

thanks for stopping by me blog. by the way where did the RIP come from.

Yessie said...

very deep

Today's ranting said...

@Lady guide
Hey e no reach make person dedicate poem to da almighty Abacha? After all he did to rubbish the country. Lol!

@Jarrai
Na true tallk you yarn mhen. Those guys are so selfish and greedy, arghhh they are so annoying.I feel like blowing all their heads with machine gun. Thanks for the compliment.

@Abacha and other African leaders who have put their nations in precarious situations. I wish they all end up this way.

@Ejura
You really funny ooo.

@ Solomonsydelle
This your name is really hard to pronounce. I'm glad you liked it. Really sad my sister,the situation is so pathetic.

@ Ain't it beffiting for an almighty ruler like him? Viagra ke? you crack me up big time.

@ Uzezi
They can never learn and they will never learn. It's a pity that they are not aware of the fact that what goes around surely comes around.

@ sprezatura
I'm definitely sure he is lounging somewhere heated by sulphur and limestone. I do love your recommendation. It sounds cool innit?

@Cheifo
The situation in that country is really pathetic. See the height of inflation.The problem has escalated to the extent that they now buy goods at exorbitant prices,Hmmm In millions.

@Yessie
really deep!

Bunmmy said...

first line got me hooked!

Hephzibah said...

Hmm, a refelective post.

Good reminder to the remaining pees in power- civilian or bubariga, we are all humans.

@ afro- crazy gurl, viagra indeed! lol @ u not knowing much about mugabe, y am I surprised, no gbenshing involved! av missed u gurl!

Unknown said...

Captures the widespread disease of 'ill-fitting' and ill-fated leaders all over our African continent.

Atutupoyoyo said...

A very accomplished piece. Am I evil for wishing this fate on over half of our politicians today?

Anonymous said...

http://www.lemonsandlife.blogspot.com/

Ms. emmotions said...

this is so raw, readin thru was pure blisssssssss

princesa said...

Wonderful piece.
You are very poetive girl.

I wish all them tyrants will fade off the surface of this earth!

sorry i beat u to it at ejura's :)

princesa said...

*poetic

Today's ranting said...

@ princesa
I dey vex for u seriously. Thanks for the compliment.

AJIKE said...

Loves it hun!

But err, are u into this whole politics stuvs!

i find it boring, but i can't believe i loved the post

Hope uve been great Sugar?

Take care!

Afrobabe said...

Oya, tell us the secret now....which general???

The Activist said...

This Story is more of Abacha than any other general have heard of?

Femi Adeyemi said...

i've read only a single post 'the general' and i knew i had to add ur blog to my stalkers list..lol
i really need to beef up on my languages now..see u ard..n tk good care

Tininu said...

updated!! another one coming soon

LG said...

chick u neva update?

vindication through innocence said...

very refreshing!

Unknown said...

umh.i believe the guy is abacha.he died from a fruit after sex with prostitutes or i think he ate the fruit,then while having sex,he died or.........whatever,bottom line,he died.then it was harder for military families cuz ur next door neighbour cud implicate you and next thing,breadwinner is gone as in dead.yeah,it was dt bad.having a then-soldier father was hard.praying for his safety and all.i usually don't understand most poetry but this was so clear and true.all these agberos called leaders and politicians,their end is nearer than they think.even the ones who have evil spiritual connections,all of then go peme.how can u amass wealth for a generation unborn,who tell u say dem go survive delivery,these uneducated thieves in power don't even know the meaning of miscarrige or still birth.

@ejura.wash ur fruits b4 u eat them.lol!hilarious!
@afrobabe,u,u just get one craze wey even Eiestein no fit estimate.but,viagra won't be a bad option oh.just thinking of it cracks me up.

Flourishing Florida said...

Abacha!!!!!! I can remember dat day as though it was yesterday, yet it's nearly a decade. Hmm. D futility of amassing wealth!