Nigerians - We've been fleeing home for a long time
Our government does not listen. Our politicians have cleptomaniac gluttony.
They spray bricks of dollars at the innumerable birthday parties they conjure.
Dollars from our oil funds and treasury, meant to build us roads and hospitals.
Our roads are craters, roller coasters, turbulent high seas.
Hospitals are sharks swallowing patients without chewing.
Schools? Oh! Bring Back Our Girls!
We started fleeing home one person at a time.
We’ve been fleeing home for a long time.
Our government does not listen. Our politicians have cleptomaniac gluttony.
Our people are spread over oceans. Stuck between devils and deep blue seas.
1987, Aunt Kree ran from home to Europe, searching for greener pastures.
1995, five of my doctor cousins left for Kuwait, anything but home.
2010, ten of my friends left for the States, swearing never to come back.
We started fleeing home one person at a time.
We’ve been fleeing home for a long time.
Our government does not listen. Our politicians have cleptomaniac gluttony.
They loot our treasury. Eat up our reserves. Infringe our rights. Insult our intelligence.
Open fire on our freedom fighters. Brain drain our country. Embarrass the hell out of us.
Oh-mine-they-embarrass-the-hell-out-of-us.
Home is a carcass. A shadow of a story that was. A glory of past ages.
Home is in a rut. Home is a trap. We too must run. The gates are closing.
We started fleeing home one person at a time.
We’ve been fleeing home for a long time.
Jumi Eniola Odepe
ON