Riffles And The People Poem by Adegbenro Adekunle

Born in Kano for a new dawn
Raised for the people without frown
Grew with wills
Climbed the hills

He wanted to soar
They wanted his power
He wanted to lead
They were consumed with greed

He moved freely with glee
‘Cause he had no guilt buried below his khakis
They were always ready to flee
Always roaming around his power like monkeys

He loved the people
They moved with riffle
He wanted democracy
They created autocracy

They said he was lippy
Like chicks spreading wings to shield their mother in monsoon
They were grubby
Like baby fishes flinging their fins in mud and not in lagoon

They gathered like feathers
They muttered like guitars
They loaded their quivers
Like hunters heading for the deserts

He saw dragoons
I saw dragons
He saw flakes
I smelt plagues

He saw the stones
I saw the arrows
He saw drones
I saw giants

He was awesome
Only to end in gruesome
He was handsome
Only to be labelled fearsome

He fell like a blind bat fried in the skewed sky
Whether in dreams, I couldn't tell
He yelled like a trapped rat wrapped with endless cry
All I could say was ‘this is more than a spell'

They buried his fame
Like stars clouded with flame
They scurried in shame
Like ants that lost a game