DEATH HAS A FACE

Hello folks,

Let me first of all say a big THANK YOU to all those who participated in the just concluded competition both as writers and voters. The whole cyber-event was a huge success and i have YOU ALL to thank for it. I have been informed that the winner has picked up his prize money and i will be posting the photo pretty soon.

On another note, I was driving to work yesterday morning and I heard on the news that the victims of the January fuel subsidy protest violence in Kano were going to be compensated. At that moment, my heart went out to them and i wrote this poem right there in my car.

So, this is dedicated to all those who lost their lives in the Fuel Subsidy protest violence all over the country. May your labour and death, not be in vain.

They told me it would be peaceful,

Come out, Come out, they said, it’s time to take a stand,

They said we are the future and the nation’s fate was in our hands,

They didn’t say that also in our hands was death and destruction,

I heard the noise and ran to a safe place I had never been before,

Come in, Come in, they said, we are to keep you safe,

I heard the sound as he cocked his rifle,

I saw his eyes as he aimed and pulled the trigger,

I saw his face, it was the face of hope and death.