Like The Beard Of Aaron Poem by Eche Ononukwe

1.

Like the beard of Aaron,

the Great River Niger flows from

the Great Triangular Sea

to the Atlantic Ocean,

down again thro’ the Equatorial Guinea,

seeing it again at Lokoja

and beautifully sings through Onitsha

to give birth to the Oguta lake and other lakes;

River Niger, thence Mrs. Luggard labell’d our country!











2.

Like a mad wind,

River Niger toss’d up lives and objects,

for failing to do her wish, as we were told.

Zik came and detain’d the goddess of the river

in a small bottle, sealed;

Julius sacrificed his life to erect a bridge across the river.



River of great potentials,

we adore you!

River of great economic value,

we salute you!

We, your worth, know for the Easterners;

we, your worth, acknowledge for Nigeria!

You who’ll help in passing more goods and persons across

like the Sea of Lagos

if carv’d deep and wide for ships to pass,

we hail you!