You fell in love with me.

I just hope you jumped.
Not slipped.

I
  hoped
             the
                  thoughts
                                  would seep out with the blood.

Arise all people who heed our call
For our nation’s girls are about to fall.
Heard are their cries
From thousands of miles.
So let us ride to Chibok,
Mounted on horses in bulk.

Your retweets and hashtags will not save them!
We need more than goodluck and patience!
We need more prayers and action!
Indeed, we shall meet them in battle!

When shall we Bring Back Our Girls?
When the campaign becomes Bring Back Our Women?

Day after day,
                                                           His sun-dried palms stretch out
towards the tinted windows of
cars worth more than ten years of his school fees.

Some day.
Behind the tinted windows
Could be Alakija or Sanusi,
Dangote or Saraki.
Maybe some    day.

But Today,
Behind the Tinted Window,
Was just another Lagos Big Girl.
Thankfully, a rough N200 note
Created fiction with his palm.

He needs only N300 more
He has been saving up for his WAEC forms.
He is going to get A1s across his report.

Ese gan, ma but E jo, more money? My WAEC-
You’re ungrateful! All you can do is beg!
And she was once again hidden
Behind the Tinted Window.

She turned to her daughter,
How much do you want for the D’banj concert?
Twenty five thousand, Mummy.
Bands of money placed in the hands of a girl
the same age as the beggar.


Once again,
A Lagos Big Habit
Passed onto another generation.

I am Mother Earth
Giver of unconditional love
Receiver of unfathomable destruction