In “Overdue”, Ubaji Isiaka Abubakar Eazy described the states of dilemma that Nigerian policemen face when called to quash protests.

His face is a paroxysm of anger
Today should have been his off duty
But the miscreants and their protest
Have forced him into the streets

Battle ready; prepared to unleash terror
He remembers his pregnant wife at home
His house is bereft of power supply
The heat has become unbearable for her
The school is also threatening to eject his kids
Their school fees are long overdue.

Promotions have bypassed him,
Although he is long overdue for one.
Younger officers who know their ways
Have moved ahead while he remains stagnated
Yet, it is he, they order to go squash protests.

He has all these problems
Yet some idle fellows compound them
By going about shouting REVOLUTION
On a day he should be resting his head

He will smash some skulls today!
No one must be allowed to disturb public peace!
Or attempt to overthrow government!
His duty as a police officer is to foil their plans!

But when his children grow up
To inherit his mantle of impoverishment
I wonder if he would beat his chest proudly
And regale them with tales of
How he smashed skulls
To dash overdue hopes for a better Nigeria.

© Ubaji Isiaka Abubakar Eazy 2019

…

Season for reason

In his rejoinder to Eazy’s “Overdue”, Muhammad Auwal Ibrahim reminds Nigerians of the agonies of yesteryears caused as a result of revolutions in “Season for reason”.

We should not resolve to revolution
While we have the best solution
Do you know that revolution
Can put us in a dangerous situation?

I don’t think you would forget how we were caged
I don’t think you would forget what were damaged
I don’t think you would want crisis to rise again in our nation
I thought you would be praying for more peace to reign in our present situation

I believe you haven’t forgotten the cries
When we couldn’t even eat rice
Nor plant a maize
Why do you want riot to rise?

Most of us knew how we suffered yesterday
Hence, I believe you would not pray to suffer today

This is a season
We suppose to reason
And avoid anything associated with treason
If only we want to avoid going to prison

By Muhammad Auwal Ibrahim