1. THE COST OF BEING A MAN
Out of the fluidic stream of the belly
Comes forth a taboo to the world
A human with a tiny stick under his legs
Shouting so hard, enough to wake the dead
The thing grew up into an arrogant being
With a lusty croachy eyes that runs after female children
At the mid of his life, he turns into a bottle that sheds
The purest milk that has ever been brewed
He is the envy of the world and those around
He turns out to be the burden carrier for humans
All his body parts are shaped with hair
Like a small immature monkey
His bone is like an iron breaking every barrier
He struggles so hard to feed the children
So hard to satisfy his wife
So hard to satisfy his in-laws
So hard to make impact in the world around him
So hard to put money on the table of his parents
Man is born into struggle and survival
Okunrin lada (Men are like cutlasses)
Obinrin loko (Women are like hoes)
The hero of mankind
Who can ever be compared to a man?

2. In him lies the seed for procreation
He determines the fate and existence of mankind
Okunrin Kaka, Okunrin Koko (Men are strong and agile)
Because of you, females feign their smiles to entice you
They hide their heads in their hands, to peep at your chest
They shake their beaded buttocks dancily
Longing to enjoy your heated warmth
They run to you for safety and to be touched by you
At a slight sight of danger, your muscles pumps up like a balloon
O Man! O Man! Who can be compared with you?
THE RIGOURS OF LIFE ON THE BATTLEFRONT
The Sliming, slushy, slippery, softened dust of gold
Filled with the bile of a pressed grape fruit
Having absorbed the blood of innocents and brave warriors
Souls of bloody soldier in destinations unknown
To Greek a medal awaits such, but for Africans who can say?
The darkened day of blood, fury and anger unleashed without mercy
The conscience of men burnt to fulfill their aims
The ring of a newly married couple, wobbled in the miry clay
The grey strand of the old, loses its sense of justice
Swimming undisturbed, heading for a collisionwith the circumcised skins of children
The moon turns red, and forces in heaven loses their hold
A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness

3. The noise and shout of victory, never ends until a group is wiped out
The heart melts at the rising of a rifle
The heart hardens as blood sputters, when hit with a gun butt
Anarchy is loosed upon the earth
The Almighty sittingly watching to see the handiwork of men
The animal in man is loosed, who can stop it?
Blood smeared on walls, thatched roofs thatched with fire
Bodies of men, cowed away in Lorries and trucks
Deafening cries of babies, not enough to break the heart of SOUL KILLERS
Gradually the intoxication of war is wearing off
But, who knows when the next would come?
AFRICA
I am a great hero
And I can’t be stopped
One day Africa will rise as the giant of the world
One day Nigeria will arise as the giant of Africa
One day Nigeria shall be let loose out of the bound of corruption
One day the souls of great young heroes buried in the miry of corruption
Shall arise to fulfill their heroic deeds
The best of Africa is yet to come
A tiny spark of light is beaming to illuminate the dark continent of Africa
On the horizon of our dark soil shall nations stand to peep at the terror Africa has done on
poverty

4. On the brim of the bank of Nile will all tribes and ethnics gather to rejoice at the feet of
the GREAT AFRICA
Sahara shall be turn into a field and the world will rejoice and be bewildered at the
prospect of Africa.
THE DREADED ENEMY
The stingy arrow of life hurts than a rod
Lashing my battered back is the stampede of death
It walks, but I heard it running
Blows harnessed into my body touched the inward being
Humans running, but encircled in the fangs of death
Death smacks his lips eager to devour Adam
The torturing whiskers of death smoothened my body
Like a shaky reed, I danced
Death won’t you leave me alone?
I barked at him, yet he was still there
He was there, still like the steel
My muscles tingled about to unleash my fury
I had strength as If there was no strength
Helpless humans, what can they do?
Now I can sleep soundly in my dream
The price paid to death, is the hope of life.

5. THE SCENTIOUS BEING
The sweet smelling savour,
Dripping from my heart the fragrance of beauty
The tush tools of love caresses my soul
Moisturising, misty, meek love melts my spirit
Love’s smoothy mouth smacks as I kiss
Cupid’s poisoned arrow deadened my hurty stings
Fettered and bandaged mind loosened
Stormy touches of love swerve over my marrow
The very end of pain has been reached
Love bubbling in my soul, overwhelming till eternity
LOVER
Looking back, who ever thought it would last this far
Your slimy frame,
Combined with your mildly smile,
My sister and friend,
Your elegant walk and your priestly steppings
All of these I would never forget
Knowing you is adding another chapter to my life
Who ever knew that destinies far to each other could collide?
Ifeoluwa, your rapid, unquestionable and well-polished phonetization are wonders of
lifetime for me.

6. Loneliness
Why does it seem I am deserted?
But I have not farted,
It makes me feels as if there is no around,
Yet I could feel people in the surround,
It hurts me as if I should scream,
But who will give me a cream,
When I have washed ready to dream,
Maybe that is a reality of life,
At a point everything seems alive,
At some times, everywhere seems cool, but no life,
Am I the only one who feels like this?
If there are others I wish we can share cheese,
Life is so boring; it seems there is no ease,
But a still small voice within says there is peace,
Even when it seems like stormy,
I can sleepwith my tummy,
Yawns, is so good to have mommies,
It reminds that there is a promise,
That God will never leave his copies,
My soul cheers up because I can still see the sun beaming,
I think I am now dreaming,
I am no more lonely because it is morning,
I will live to enjoy this mooring,

7. Because it will not be like this forever.
Enmity
How I wish I could see the inside of that fellow,
Is it not a zero,
Cold, dark and full of horror,
His eyes are cold, he smiles, but is like terror,
Sitting on the chair, before him is a sorrow,
Why do people hate another for nothing,
It is bad, is a way of cutting and hurting,
Please, stop being my enemy,
We can be Mon ami.
NigerianYouths
Have you been gripped by a fear when you wake,
I am not talking like say cake,
I am really serious is not a fake,
You stand up and you sense these uncertainties,
Like there are no amenities,
There are no job opportunities,
Whereas one have labored for long in Universities,
Reading hard to become someone not for pities,
But instead you feel like a booty,
For everyone to use and dump,
For life to throw up and down like a dust,

8. When are things going to change?
Yet we campaign about change,
The same people in power years before,
They have come back to devour,
God help Nigerian youths,
Some wake up at the doorposts of pools,
When there is no pull from within to cool,
You wear short knickers for five years,
You wore colored trousers for six years,
Yet it seems there are no yields,
Lecturers gave you a shit,
Strikes upon strikes without giving a hint,
So help me God to eat,
That is all we eat,
They have fooled us with sheets,
Their own children are well placed neat,
While those without long-leg are not giving a sit,
I hope things will change for better my people,
These are not the good stories of the past,
Our nation is like a seed that is not viable,
Where are days when a graduate could ride in a vehicle?
Was it not true that they drank tea in the varsity?
Yet today there is only scarcity,
What can you do yourself if there was no varsity?

9. Something only you can do well,
Because that is the well,
There is no reason to be placed in cell,
Start doing something today.
My Little Reminiscence
I remember the good old days when boys use to drive tires,
Is like I am the only one that grew up without ties?
Not all of us wore tights,
We cruise round the whole town in pants,
Those days are without count,
Have you built a house for bird before?
It is something you do with fingers bare,
You soil it in the ground until you create a bay,
Waiting for the birds to settle,
It was not only that we meddle,
We use to do lekeleke, where you shake your fingers at birds,
Truly they became white,
We drive with borris on wood a while,
We use to bury nails for dog white,
When the male and female animals are whirling,
They will stick together like glue,
The sight was such a glee,
I remember tasting eko omode on a tree,

10. Have done the cashew nut competition,
Where you throw them to be the winner after the proposition,
Do you remember ekana asa, sakandadi, wara beske,
That sugary thing with broom we all lick,
I also love baba dudu that we lied at home for money to suck,
There is also a mango they call jekanyo,
Very big one that when you eat you will yo,
Those days my father will tell us night stories,
He will make sound with his finger in his mouth,
To show that his story is not just a mat,
But a myth that is the truth,
Those days of Abacha, where you don’t have light,
It was fun enjoying the moonlight,
Truly it was a sight,
I can still remember this is a fact.
The First time I wrote my name
The days of using slate have gone,
When you carry a black little board like gun,
Before then we used counters to count,
And little pebble for the math,
I grew up a little and I could draw a circle like bottom of a bottle,
It was not a battle,
After school we do go to Daddy and Mummy Adesipo’s base,

11. For evening coaching,
My parent would have kept food there like coaches,
I knew a girl who comes to lesson with soup in the tin of a polish,
Today when I remember that girl is not posh,
The first test I was given is to write my name,
I knew it is Ayokunmi,
But guess what I wrote Akeume,
But didn’t I try, just like Soyinka’s Ake
My Growing Beards
The best fashion during my young years was keeping your teddy,
In fact it was trendy,
With your to-match kito,
Girls will fall for you like kilo,
I really wanted to grow beards,
True we employ the use of spirit,
That is the spirit,
When I was a child I spoke like a child,
Now that I am a man I just have to charge,
Those things don’t freak me anymore,
And I am tired of drinking golden morn,
I am now a man, with thoughts as clear as the morning,
I used to wash plate for mummy,
But now I think of making my own money,

12. I think my beards coming out fast, just gave me a dawning,
That I am no longer a kid,
What was a fashion then is now a weed,
For which I visit the barber every week.
One
What is the origin of marriage?
I mean when a man and a woman come together to merge,
We were told that God is the one that wrote that math,
That one plus one equals one,
Please why should man plus man be one?
Even animals don’t do that one,
This one is abnormal,
How will they give birth when it is not one?
Ha, they think that God welding into one is foolish?
It is so that parent can mentor their children into being one,
That is why our societyis not one,
In fact, sleeping with animals will soon become one fun,
A world without order, no one will have restrictions,
No one law will hold people’s reasons,
Because it is one treason,
Against God who create the one man plus one woman season.

13. The Heart of a Champion
A partner one can never divorce in life is fear,
It sticks close so tight like papers glued that can’t tear,
How many times after exams you wrote and felt tears,
You kept asking why, but I read fair,
Life is not fair,
You only win when you sink your fears,
At the bridge of success there are twins like pairs,
A green light says go, another says FEAR,
Am not talking about a green pear,
But you have to make a decision with whom you are paired,
Is it success or failure?
Like the belt that can’t tear,
The Hausa belt that is bare,
Your heart must be stirred,
If you want to stay top of the stair,
Like a stirk that is not scarred,
You must hold your head high like a deer,
Even if you have drowned in failure many veers,
You must hold on to that hand via
Your heart,
Keep pushing forward like a hart,
It is all you need to have the heart
Of a Champion…

14. The Last Wish of a Dying Man
Life starts from a seed,
That is all you were before you turned kid,
It is a mystery no one has picked,
How from a fluid one becomes big,
Nine months it kicked,
Please don’t, he is not a freak,
Then a student that is taught trig,
He starts making decisions even when not good,
He bribed, rigged and killed,
Just because he is a “father-god”,
No politician without a god-father, yet no GOD
Life has not started without God,
Because he gave life to us a god,
A gift that must be well-used,
Here is the man with all the money,
Yet no peace, that is funny,
On the dying bed, what an irony?
He held his cheques tight to his tummy,
No friends, no wife, all chased away, Mr Cunning,
He is now alone, he weeps like a bunny,
If only he was given a second chance, surely,
He will re-write his wrongs joyously,
He will first go to his wife to beg courteously,
But no, he has a medical verdict,

15. With cancer there is no vent,
Here is a man who sees people as pest,
Now afraid to face the face of death,
If only he is given a second test,
He will give the poor the money in the chest,
The best time to call for a preacher is set,
There is no rest,
He will soon be laid to rest,
The doctors have done their best,
He has tortured many with death,
It is now his turn to face the test,
Money without God is not the best,
Achievements alone cannot give rest,
Fame alone, don’t give it a bet,
The last seconds in an Oxygen tent,
What is going to happen to him next?
Heaven or hell, which one is your bet…
Bad Company
It all started from a choice,
As a new student you are left to your choice,
No parent, you have to be poise,
To make it in the University is all toils,
They don’t treat you like toys,
To be a graduate is a choice,

16. He met this guy and was glued like ice,
What an ass,
First, he was taught to skip a class,
Second, how to woe babes like Mr Glass,
If he did well, will soon meet top Baes,
To hook a girl, you need baits,
Full pocket, they become pets,
In night-clubbing one needs efizzy,
Like the great Wizzy,
Lying at home to get cash wasn’t easy,
Partying and drugs, G.P was fleeting,
He couldn’t cheat, that is not easy,
Getting girls for politicians will keep him busy,
He got busted when missy told him she is not Bisi,
That she was an underground cop in disguise,
30years in prison for all the guys,
For conniving with ritualists,
Now behind the bars, is all regrets…
Fashion
There is nothing new under the sun,
That is one good song,
Sung by Solomon,
Have you seen your parent’s picture when they were small?
They wear a wig they call ‘old skul’, which we now call Afro,

17. And a trouser with a big mouth, we now call ‘boot cut’,
Their own soro, is now our slim trousers short,
The mafogota of those days, is now our miniskirt,
We think that there is fashion anywhere,
The only thing is that they don’t open their boobs everywhere,
Because there was dignity, even in what they wear.
Acknowledgement
I off my feathered cap to my supervisor, Professor Benedict M. Ibitokun,
From whose streams of knowledge have drunk,
He brought me from my little corner of scholarlism into Soyinka and Achebe’s colossal world,
I embrace the word of Marxism because of his little thrust,
I off my feathered cap to the Oga at the top, the Dean, Professor Bamiro,
Your little encouragement worked wonders, at the onset when it looked rough,
I salute my HOD, Dr Idowu Odebode, thank you for your support in my surf,
With your help, I finished my programme without a cough,
I salute my lecturer, Dr Aito,
I thought I can get through my studies by Auto,
You have stretched my Motto,
To believe in myself, to be courageous, to be a deep thinker and a good speaker,
My pen has been made bigger; my brain has been made larger,
My library has been made fatter,
I salute the outstanding skills of Dr. Mbah in tutoring me,
It is a privilege to be tutored by you,
As I take my leave from Mother RUN,

18. There is no better place to RUN for rigorous studies than RUN.
THE POSITIVITY OF THE AFRICAN HISTORY
Africa, Africa, the mother to all the blacks in diasporas, the land so blessed with
prestigious multiple cultures, diverse religions and people. The continent where history had been
made, a place that was once lost to the hands of the colonial masters, who suppressed, depressed
and repressed this great people, we were once exploited by foreigners who took our children for
slaves, our fore-fathers as farm workers to till the ground in the land of the white, and which later
resulted to the development of these “developed countries”, our raw materials were taken away
on ship as cargoes and brought back to the African soil as branded products sold at exuberant
prices.
This was before, but like the blind man in the Holy Scriptures said now “We were once
blind, now we can see”. We cannot allow our past to determine our future, we cannot allow the
depreciating, dehumanizing and degrading history of our past to determine the future of the
generations unborn, generations waiting to come, we cannot allow anything to tarnish the
glorious future our fathers have paid dearly for with their blood to be in vain, or else the souls of
determined and selfless fighters like; Bishop Ajayi Crowther, Mahatma Gandhi, Herbert
Macualay, Jaja of Opobo e.t.c. would call us to query.
I believe there is hope for Africa, I believe there is a brighter future ahead of you
convocants, and you must continue the fight to success like our heroes past. I have a dream that
one day Africa that was once called the “Third-World Nation”, Dark-brained People, Dark
Continent and heart of salvagers would one day rise to teach the world civilization through
intellectuals and potential world changers and world shakers like you.
We are dark coloured and proud to be, we are the envy of the world, our colour
represents our toughness, resilience and strength in the face of obscurity, it symbolizes our will
to freedom from the power of oppressors, our ruggedness, bravery, courage and our dreams and
vision of a great nation and people.

19. This is a clarion call to you Convocants to lift up the banners our heroes have passed to
you, the flag of excellence, uniqueness and originality. You must not quit on yourself, because “a
man that quit in the battle of life does not worth to be born”. There is rising a new generations of
young Africans who are refusing to accept the statuesque, young people who are disconnected
from their father’s devils, these are young men who are driven not by ideological prejudice but
by flaming passion to burn character into the soul of a nation. I announce that all the forces of
under-developments that have against us stood up opposed now are about to face the gravest and
stiffest resistance of all time because now there is a revolution in the land. We must say “NO”, it
is an intellectual turning point, a change in mindset, a paradigm shift, it is not right that we
should remain poor in a continent so richly blessed. Africa is the only place in the world where
so many resources are still up for grasp. This is a time for us to arise and take our place in the
league of continents.