A POEM by Akinyemi Bliss

Parents listen to your children
We are the leaders of tomorrow
Try to pay our school fees
And give us sound education

Oh! What a pity.

Today I speak with the voice of a thousand graduates who sang this song over a decade ago
But are nothing but degree owning labourers and okada riders
Whose worn out shoes have been deprived of the ko ko ka sound

Today, i stand to say that I know we are the leaders of tomorrow
Though no one ever told us tomorrow will always be tomorrow in a nation where
The beauty of our old men no longer lives in their grey head
But now resides in their shameless acts of corruption

A nation where the glory of the youths no longer abide in their strength
But dwells on dubious thoughts, of means of acquiring without perspiring
Just like our so called leaders

Today I stand to ask
Why the only infrastructure they care about is the one that relates to their stomach
And the only amenities they provide are the ones that benefit them
We care to know why promises are hard to keep in this part of the world.

Yes! We want to know why the government owes corp members when their children wallow in abundance
We want to know why graduates are denied jobs despite passing interviews while relatives of the wealthy are hired with just a phone call

We need to know why institutions sell a thousand forms and admit less than a hundred children who have legs
We need to know what happened to merit?

Did merit die on merit?

They who enjoyed free education have come to make learning a living hell for us
Our tertiary institutions are filled with fresh stalites who spent years at home before gaining admission
because jamb never stopped jamming them
Still, there's no assurance of strikes not striking them with extra years.

Sometimes we wonder if the tales our parents tell of this nation are truly true

But then,
Why is our Nation's report card filled in red ink?
What is the cause of our bad roads?
Why is our health sector sick and our education system failing?
Why is our security sector unsecured?
Why is our naira worthless?

Why can't graduates get jobs?
Why are workers being owed salaries?
Why can't peace pitch it's tent amongst us?
Why do we never get answers?

MiCi  Akinyemi Bliss

Akinyemi Bliss 'MiCiBlissy' is a poet vast in thoughts and diverse in scope. She is a media personality and vast in the field.

ANTICIPATE... BEAUTY OF WORDS 2

DATE: Sat, 15^th October, 2016

TIME: RedCarpet-4pm = Main Event-5pm

VENUE: Plot 1610B, Alhaji Masha Rd, Off Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

Gate fee: #500

First 5 persons to be at the venue, from 4pm - 4:15pm gets 20% discount on the tickets...