AFRICA AND THE POVERTY OF LEADERSHIP

Africa! A land of wealth with ruinous helmsmen
Who come as dove and sting as scorpion
In Africa, leaders stuff their ears with glue
And remain blind to the folly of their predecessors

In Africa, leaders detest lofty criticisms and lebel them
Handiwork of their enemies cum detractors
They surround themselves with hypocrites and voodooists
Yet pretend to be heaven’s ambassadors

In Africa, leaders extol the virtues of democracy
But visit the people with calamitous complancency
In Africa, leaders are known for conceited verbiage
They delude themselves in boastful language

In Africa, the leaders agree to be benighted
In issues of moral and financial propriety
African leaders are adept in thievery
Yet they speak of having a compassionate heart

In Africa, every good deed is termed a favour
Done to the people. What a leadership?
It is only in Africa that leaders prefer
White elephant projects to the wellbeing of the people

In Africa, leaders chase larger than life projects
That they may drain the last ounce of breath
It is only in Africa that leaders alone assess
And score themselves impressive grades

In Africa, leaders alienate themselves from the people
That they are oblivious of the biting hardship
Election time is when they open their windows
To eat maize and pear with the people again

When they relinquish power, they’re no better than vermin
They descend into the abys to face the vagaries of life
Oh! My rapacious African leaders, seek wisdom
And learn from history and not in history

By: Fidelis O. Ajukura
ajukurafidelisobi@gmail.com
07031523329
08/06/2021