My country not yet a united; in truth
Nigeria; my blind, heedless Nigeria
I shed my tears for you
Keep still, Nigeria
And do not despair
Because
In the murky depths of every heart
Amongst its recalcitrant sinews of selfish desires
And vain hatred
There slinks
At least
A wisp of longing
For you
To be vast
In Peace
And Power
XVI
African-born
But western-modulated
We have become .
Strangers /
In our land
Divorced by our Past
Betrayed by Today
And laughed at
By Tomorrow
We hang
In the shadows
Of Shame
Religion, culture and language
Have we lost
And skepticism; cynicism and arrogance
Have we gained
And there
We huddle
In the ravaged plains
Of Africa
Rootless shrubs
At loss