Can We Be Ourselves? Poem by Eche Ononukwe

The experienced want
to teach us well,

for they think they
have learnt well;

but we are really
lost now,

when we come to class
now.

 

Which book authority

is really good for
studying phonology?

They taught us
Nigerians phonetics,

and thought that we
are lunatics.

 

We are no bad
Nigerians,

neither British nor
Americans;

we try to speak like
Europeans,

but remember not our
idiolects.

 

If we want to speak
like Europeans,

face troubles by our
dialects;

before we shape our
tongues or our mouths,

picture occasion or
audience in our minds.

 

Sometimes we bite our
tongues, mock our mouths

while wanting to
round our mouths;

let’s forget not
we’re typical Nigerians,

and we come from Africa.

 

Some who are confused
now,

linguistically poison
others life;

but we should shine
our eyes,

that we may not be fried.