INDEPENDENT YET SLAVES

I remember how we gathered that night
At the Village square
With the full moon up there in the sky
While our children and women women
Danced round the fire
With joy and gladness

Then I remember how
Our old men sat and watched
With Jars of wine in their hands
Hailing the show of the moment
And laughing hilariously
Like there was no tomorrow

I remember how we the youths
Anticipated our wrestle game
And wished that the merry-making of
The women and the children
Comes to and end quick
That we may start to wrestle

Little did we know that
Our worst nightmare
Has caught up with us
Little did we know that
Our doom looms
Around the corner

We were invaded in our sleep
We were stabbed to our bed
Our women, raped
Our old men, killed
Our children, taken away
And we the youths, taken over the sea

I can never forget
How we toiled on that hot desert
How we danced our way
Through the thorny plantations
How we crossed the sea
Without a boat

Stream of tears
Rolled down out of my eyes
When I remember how
My brothers died
As the clamour and struggle for
"Freedom"

I wail as their memories
Came back to me just like yesterday
when the powder from the white man's gun
Hit them on the on the chest,
As they scream
"Freedom"

Home we march
Now free
Singing a song of triumph
And waving flags of victory
Shoulder high we carry ourselves
Like a father would carrying his child

When I remember all these, I wail
Like a baby that needs to suck his mother's breast
Now we wished
We were never free
Now we wish
The white men never left us

Independent, yet slaves
Free yet in bondage
Now we see our brothers stabbing us
Because of greed
Freedom we seek
Slavery we got

Its yet another moon,
A moon to celebrate freedom
But all I see in our acclaimed freedom
Is bondage
Here we are, once again at the village square
Independent, yet slaves


OKUNLOYE VICTOR AYOWOLE
Legal_Emperor