In Search of Documents
“Hello, officer—why block me from the site?”
“Mr. Minister, orders from above.”
“From above? Your building has no papers.”
“No sir. Soldiers don’t need papers to build.”
No one defies an order from above—
illegal or not, it still stands tall.
Oga is always right; no bloody civilian
dares question the law his mouth is the law.
But Minister, must you chase ghosts to every site?
What if the gentle officer had pumped lead
into your belly—an accidental discharge?
Next time, wear the vest; save us the funeral.
Fifty-something is too young to bury a thief.
Generals never retire; politicians only
cross-carpet or vanish.
Focus, sir—
embezzle cleanly, let the vault stay fat.
Why is your tummy still flat?
Have snakes and rats swallowed the cash,
or is it mixed with faeces in the soakaway?
Spend it, sir—septic money never smells.
NB: "Oga" is borrowed from Nigerian English meaning "boss".
"Bloody Civilian" is the derogatory way Nigerian military men address Civilians trying to challenge their authority.
"snakes, rats swallowing money" and "money buried in soakways" are some of the ways Nigerian corrupt officials have used to describe how money put in their care disappears.
"soakway" means septic tank.
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