WHO ARE THEY?

They are very bad,

No, very good.

They are very good at it

They know whom to pick up

They know whom to drop off

They are expert at both.

Who can refuse them when they call?

They dangle carrots,

So juicy you can’t refuse

Your expectation skyrocketed

Hapless fellow that you are

What choice have you got?

You just have to obey.

Obey the last order

Like in khaki parlance

You run errands

They wake you up from your slumber

At times you are on top of your wife

Or the other way round

Your “thing” shrinks

“Oga I dey come just now!”

The phone cuts and off you go 

Your wife, dissatisfied and disappointed

Stares at the empty room in wonderment.

But who are these people?

Are they thugs?  “Yes!”

Are they killers?  “Yes!”

Are they thieves? “Yes!”

No wonder they have money to spray

A hungry man don’t care about means

What he wants is food and Oga supplies it

After all who cares about a dirty toilet

When a man is pressed.

Another day you pick up the phone

You call Oga’s number

A distress call

‘Oga! Oga! Please I need help

My wife is …

My child is…”

“Oh! Am not in town

Am in … um… um…

Am far away”

“When are you coming back Sir?”

“Um … um … tomorrow

No! Next month… I mean next year

“Okay Sir, safe journey”

That is the way it goes

The poor fellow is always there

But his Oga is never there.

Between them the slash remains.

THE PATRIOT

He goes to work early

He does his job diligently

He works extra time

He abhors bribe

He is young and dynamic

He is upright and energetic

He dreams of a beautify country

Where people are  happy

He goes to work one morning as usual

His job says hold me well

He has no job any more

He committed no offence

My brother goes home, to his wife

He breaks the “good” news

She looks at him and hisses

Next day, she packs and leaves

Where did she go?

Has she found a new home?

She is sighted in a car

My brother’s former boss is the driver.

CHOICE

Buy this buy that

The world has so

Many things to sell

Which do you want?

But this buy that

Which is your choice

Good or evil

Who says the devil is of no use?

If not for him would we not have been naked?

The apple sweet as it was

Would have remained undevoured

Buy this buy that

The world has so

Many buyers and many sellers

But who is the customer?

Buy this buy that

Make your choice

Who cares if you die

Who cares if you live

Everyone for himself.

Buy this buy that

What does your pocket say?

Can you eat where I eat?

What can you eat?

That has not been eaten?

Who are you by the way?

How much do you have?

Buy this buy that

What do you want?

What can you offer?

What is your reputation?

So many questions, no answers.

Buy this buy that

The world is a complex place

With many buyers and sellers of complexities

DEJECTED FELLOW

Do you mean me?

Not me, please.

He cannot help me now

After serving him all these years

I’m going to do this

Am going to do that

Be careful my poor brother

If a child not yet of age

Questions what killed his father

What killed his father may kill him

Lessons are taught

Soft or hard,

It depends on how you learn

Some learn the soft way

Some learn the hard way

Maybe you are one of the latter.

What happens to us today

Determines our future

Don’t let the past

Follow the present

Or it will follow you about

Like the Albatross did to the ancient mariner

Drop it off, for it is a burden.

Wealth, fame, power are like rain

They fall on whom they choose

They are like the sun and moon

They shine on whom they choose

But the rain, the sun…

Do not come to us at same time

And we cannot stop them

Going to our neighbours

Be careful! Lest, you lose your turn.