Igbo masquerade
By Jon Egie
Enters the Masquerade unchallenged in 2019,
But this was the contrary in 2015,
Huge support from his 2014 Challenger,
And he had a smooth sail.
Should a grudge be nurtured?
Would 2014 debacle poke a pike in 2022?
What of the concession of 2019?
Should one good turn not deserve another?
And they say he is arrogant,
Yet in truth he is firm and focused,
Resolute to cause a change,
Determined to fly the flag of the masses.
But the masses too say he is a miser,
And the leaders join in the chorus,
The refrain is he is not a free giver,
And they are afraid to let him go.
Religious leaders echo the shout,
Traditional leaders grunt the beat,
Yet he was received in church front row,
And in atete atete sat close to the throne.
Who holds the grudge?
Whose voice is lamenting?
The masses are skeptical,
The leaders are confused.
A veil of 2014 is lifted,
2018 was barefaced,
And trust is being betrayed,
Masses hoot a deep lamentation for 2023,
They see a new Delta,
The gongs herald a new leader,
The tune and dance step of a new order,
Modernizing Delta together is the solo.
A new hope is lit,
But the dark cloud of the old congregate,
See them drift, behold they join queue,
The leaders and the gullible masses.
Yet the solemn sound of the flute floats,
The ray of light of freedom sparks,
The elite hear, the God-fearing see,
And now they drift too, bright cloud congregate.
A Saul and a David,
The old and the new,
Like forces attract,
Unlike forces repel.
And then Lightening flash,
Peals of thunderbolts,
Owners of the land emerge,
And the Masquerade shivers,
Fear not what you see,
Be not terrified of what you hear,
From prison I delivered him,
At home I installed him.
Slow to speak,
Sound of the kingmaker is heard,
Slow and steady, it simmered down the nerves,
Sinews revved, souls revived.
See the skyscraper collapse,
See the Lilliputians skipping,
The giant rises and their strings are broken,
The Masquerade is unmasked.
Fear not what you see,
Be not terrified of what you hear,
From prison I delivered him,
At home I installed him.
The sling is flung,
Five stones, the first a Destroyer the last a Destroyer,
And he is struck, the Masquerade falls,
Victorious, the Destroyer raises the weapon,
Again, the victory song is raised,
The land owners smile,
Betrayal has been vanquished,
And the victory song celebrates the fete.
Fear not what you see,
Be not terrified of what you hear,
From prison I delivered him,
At home I installed him.
About Author
