Buhari’s Return; I love Nigeria I no go lie

Reuters photo

By

Prince Charles Dickson

There is celebration everywhere; I hear that they are in high spirits at the villa, the baboons, monkeys, hyenas and all the various animals in this animal zoo. Thousands and millions are most happy that our beloved Sai Baba is back.

In a suburb in Kaduna a hospital is offering free surgeries to celebrate Mr. President‘s return. Trust me, in the last few hours it has been nothing short of a naval display of love. Nigerians love Nigeria.

I just feel Tunji Oyelana best finds a suitable reflection of our current situation in this song. Wole Soyinka and Tunji Oyelana composed the song; Jimi Solanke‘s voice is in it too. It was first sung during one of Soyinka’s major theatre presentations, “The Beatification of Area Boy,” but then grew to become a huge hit with music followers at the time and went on to sell many records in the early 80’s.

I love my country I no go lie na in side am I go live and die, I know my country I no go lie na him and me go yap till I die.

I wan begin with history that war we fight in recent memory wey music wey come from barrel of gun…

Me I think I get cancer for me eye that’s the reason why, cause when I look na two I see make I explain I think you go gree

I love my country I no go lie na inside am I go live and die, when e turn me so I twist am so, e push me I push am I no go go

Make you no worry both nations be friends, even when they fight they soon make amends when one back dey itch am, the other go scratch, when one lay egg the other go hatch, eggs na eggs but some are rotten, but make I tell you some are golden. I tell you my country no be one, I mean not to yesterday I born

I love my country I no go lie na in side am I go live and die, I know my country I no go lie na him and me go yap till I die.

One go proud the other so meek, one go hide, the other go seek, one country go slap, the other go turn cheek, and assume dey are playing hide and seek. The lovely twins of whom I speak, Mr. country hide and his brother seek. Country hide 2.8B he tell country seek, brother carry on, seek from Turkey to China sea, the more you look, the less you see. You thief 1Kobo dey put you for prison, you thief 10M na patriotism, dem go give you chieftaincy and national honor, you thief even bigger den go say na rumor. Monkey dey work baboon dey chop sweet-pounded yam, someday e go stop

I love my country I no go lie na inside am I go live and die, when e turn me so I twist am so, e push me I push am I no go go

One time we stack groundnut so high, like pyramid nearly reach the sky, palm oil dey flow from here to London. Cassava, plantain our fruits be champion, our cocoa compete with that of Ghana, mouth dey water to do the banana …yam wey big like wrestler’s thighs. Which rice get fame like Tappa rice, but now to eat na half my budget, food dey cost like golden nugget, the rain wey flow from open sky e only float presidential rice.

…Where all this food disappear; my belly dey rumble abi you no hear…

I love my country I no go lie na in side am I go live and die, I know my country I no go lie na him and me go yap till I die.

The day dey bring green revolution, country seek say e get salvation. It give out shout, e think at last with green revolution e go end him fast. Education is good for me and you, so lets give praise where praise is due. Green revolution was most educative and coincidentally most lucrative, education alone chop one quarter of the budget to teach the farmer what e never forget, posters left, and right and center. Green revolution by government printer

I love my country I no go lie na inside am I go live and die, when e turn me so I twist am so, e push me I push am I no go go

But that was nothing but chicken feed; a nation in need is my friend indeed. Summon the chief chemical analyzer to tell us the magic of fertilizer.  Country seek hear, I no be miser, billions dey hide for fertilizer

I love my country I no go lie na in side am I go live and die, I know my country I no go lie na him and me go yap till I die.

One can only but weep for this paradise lost of a nation, I sincerely wish that Mr. Buhari’s arrival will herald a new beginning, sadly many of us know the truth is that we are in for some rough, and tough times of high mountain tops of national rubbish.

Despite the best of intentions I sincerely do not see a leadership that has grips, and is ready to take the bull by any of its part, construction destruction is all the same, low cost housing are mass graves as Tunji and his gang puts it. Our issues are still the same PDP, or APC; governance still remains a part time vocation that spins billions for the practitioners.

Like I said recently I wish that Mr. Buhari was our problem, and that his return would translate to a better Nigeria, that his new coming would translate to ethical revolution that his integrity stands for. No….because surgeries that started with electricity still end with candle light and no one is held responsible or accountable. Categorically while I state I love Nigeria, and that’s no lie, will the love translate to change or continued opium of hope—Only time will tell.

Prince Charles Dickson

Currently Prince Charles, is based out of Jos, Plateau State, and conducts field research and investigations in the Middle Belt Region of Nigeria with an extensive reach out to the entire North and other parts. Prince Charles worked on projects for UN Women, Search for Common Ground, and International Crisis Group, among others. He is an alumnus of the University of Jos and the prestigious Humanitarian Academy at Harvard and Knight Center For Journalism, University of Texas at Austin. A doctoral candidate of Georgetown University

Born in Lagos State (South West Nigeria), Prince Charles is proud of his Nigerian roots. He is a Henry Luce Fellow, Ford Foundation grantee and is proficient in English, French, Yoruba Ibo and Hausa. Married with two boys, and a few dogs and birds.