NATION OF STAMPEDES
Nature did not unleash her terror on us
as it did with Noto, Haiti, or the Indian Ocean.
We abuse nature with the stamp of leadership which impedes lives,
causing artificial stampedes of hunger, worse than nature's disasters.
Quakes of human stampedes everywhere!
Ibadan free funfair stampede
Okija and Abuja free rice distribution stampedes
are only where the lens focused, away from the state of national stampedes.
Here in Ibie, twenty families scuffle over a bag of rice
Rice, a symbol of survival for the masses; ego, and popularity for the mighty.
Stampede here, there, everywhere!
The stomach infrastructure of the masses tremored to collapse
Despite the labour and service of strength.
The gourmandizers and political merchants are often quick
To the momentary rescue with 5, 10, 50kgs of rice, and a holiday
The trajectory of our 21st-century polity and popular leadership.
They said the organizers lack crowd-control measures
But there are stampedes in everything, everywhere, and every day
Price stampedes, fuel stampedes, recruitment stampedes
Religious stampedes, security stampedes, bank stampedes...!
For the masses, stampede stems from their lack and inadequacy;
for the rulers and rich, it stems from greed and ego.
No to leaders who trade our manhood in exchange for free rice.
Man must not live by charity alone but by every opportunity to earn his keep
Or what does it profit a man to gain 5kg of rice and suffer the loss of his life?
When will the rice-sharing era be over and every man earn enough for himself?
Copyright ©
Solomon Itsoghole
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