Molue

MOLUE
A trip in this carriage
The shape thereof
The passengers therein
Give a picture of a nation
The land of my birth.

Unity in diversity¡
People of diverse tribes
All brought together
People of diverse tongues
All brought together
People of diverse callings
All brought together
Each group desiring things
Done in its own way.

This noise my brother!
The shouting and the screaming
The grumbling and the complaining
The explosion here and there
Amidst all these
The buying and the selling

Maintenance culture, no!
The old tyres my brother!
The wheel and the gear
Headlamps and trafficators
The chassis and the body
Wearing and tearing each day
Endlessly cry for repair.

Over population too my brother!
At every stop increasing population
This too is a burden
For the carriage is bent
Under the weight of load

Yet it keeps moving
Creaking and jacking all the way
Fight, quarrel, disagreement within
The unity in diversity
Seems not to help matters.

Worry and anxiety too my brother!
The driver at work
Eyes darting here and there
The gain at the end of the day
How to avoid what to deliver
No concentration.

A lot of confusion my brother!
Some shout 'too much speed'
Some cry 'too low speed'
Some shout 'carry go'
Some others 'let him alone.'

Some say not competent
Some the most experienced
Some are indifferent
The unity in diversity
Helps no matter my brother.

Even the conductors
His supposed lieutenants
Help no matter either
Munching and stealing all the way
Some shout 'stop'
Others 'carry go.'

A lot of distraction my brother!
The on-coming vehicles
The reckless overtaking
Horns blaring for no good reason
Pedestrian careless crossing.

The driver in the midst of all these
Created by unity in diversity
Though in serious confusion
Keeps trying his hands on things
He hopes might keep the carriage moving
Though on the rough roads.

Igbekele Ayeni