Mr. President

The time is 9 O’clock in the morning

The date is October 1, 2010

The event is the 50th birthday of the nation

The invited guests are right on time

Including the diplomats and the school children

Who formed a snake-like line along the streets

Beaming with smiles and waving endlessly

Under the scorching tropical sunshine

Waiting anxiously to catch a glimpse of their president

Now it is 2 O’ clock in the afternoon

The president is not yet arrived

And there is an obvious sign of fatigue

And discontent written all over the faces of the guests

Including that of the murmuring school children

Though they have resolved that a glimpse of him alone

Would be enough to justify the torture

But amidst the palpable discontent and unhappiness

None was courageous enough to complain

Of the incivility of Mr. President being late on his own day

They stand in awe of him for he is a god here

He lords over this rich but poor African nation

Just like a deadly beast lords over the wild

Every knee in the land bows before him

As if both the land and the people are his personal property

While every tongue praises his apparent stupidity

He is a god who does not keep to time

Believing arrogantly that keeping to time is for the poor

And so after waiting for ages

Sirens finally bellowed from all directions

Like an alarm warning of an impending missile

And he emerged like an ijele masquerade

Out of his brand new shinning limousine

Followed by an entourage of 50 vehicles before and after him

Carrying his numerous wives, concubines, mistresses and kids

With over 60 heavily armed escorts

And in a very uncouth flamboyant African leaders manner

Instead of apologising profusely for appearing very late

He turned on his ministers and panegyrists

And began to pour verbal venoms on them

Just for nothing but to let everybody know that he is in charge

“Idiots where is this. Idiots where is that”, he kept shouting

Shouting on top of his voice like an angry lunatic

And they all went down on their fours

Paying never-ending lip services to him

“Yes sir”

“We are loyal sir”

“Long live the president”

“The president for life”

“The conqueror”

“The anointed one”

“The Lion of Judah”

“Our only hope”

“Yes your majesty”

“No your majesty”

And all sorts of rubbish to inflate his empty ego.

Chukwunwikezarramu Okumephuna

October 31, 2009.