GIANT AT 60 || Abubakar Shettima

  

We fought in tranquility, 

For freedom in our mother's womb,

She cried for our immaturity,

To stand like an Iroko tree,

In the forest full of wild animals. 

In the field of her womb, 

Battled her million times,

Until she surrendered for our delivery, 

In a direction-less forest,

With no purpose to walk. 

Like leaves dance to the rhythm of the storm,

Singing and clapping sounds,

Echoed in the four walls of the world, 

For we are heroes; we claimed to stand, 

On the land of blackish souls. 

Mother walked up to heaven, 

Her two fruits drizzling milky juice,

Beyond the reach of her baby's mouth,

That grew of malnutrition,

Under the roof of a greenish hut.

 

Falling and rising like the dawn,

Lurking behind the veil of night, 

We become oblivious of the smiling faces, 

Of education,

Of health, 

Of economy, 

Of infrastructures,

Until they disappeared like ashes. 

Ra-ta-ta-ta-tataaa; bom-bom, 

We send our helping-hands; daily, 

To the early journey of no return, 

For the living to tread on the path, 

Smeared by clotted black blood.

The old graves wear angry faces,

At sixty, 

We clothed in inheritance, 

For we are wolves, 

That feed on forbidden flesh,

that fought for our survival.

With an empty stomach, 

We belch of satisfaction,

Becoming a giant of fifty-four heads,

That grown wings to fly, 

To the shore of the Pacific Ocean. 

Behind tomorrow's curtain,

Peace stretches out its soothing hands, 

To wipe the stream of tears,

Flowing for six decades, 

"I can't let you be in pieces",

It promised. 

Meet the poet 

 My name is Abubakar Shettima. I studied Business Administration (Management) from university of Maiduguri, Borno State – Nigeria. I'm 31 year old .

I'm a graduate member of Nigerian Institute of Management Chartered. (NIM). 

I served in the following capacities;

1. Project Co-ordinator, Drug Free and Quality Control (NYSC) CDS group. 

2. Class teacher/form master 

3. Corp Members Liaison Officer C.L.O of Sule Nuhu primary school, Basaura, Jega LGA of Kebbi State.  

4. Secretary General MSSN, Department of Business Administration and Management Ramat Polytechnic, Maiduguri.