Partikola!!

Babawilly tak say…

Particulars!

Not the one inside pepper soup

No. Partikola

Crazy partikola

Naija man must show partikola

Driving on the pot holed

highways of Lagos

There is a check point.

For searching, crime fighting

Show me your partikola !

They mean show me the colour

of your Naira.

Common man is inconvenienced

as the governor’s entourage drive by

at two hundred miles an hour

Siren and all.

Common man sold

his car

Deciding on emigration

At the embassy

Show me your partikola!

Show me your bank statement!

Common man was prepared,

assuming the identity of another.

Hug from mother

Prayers from father

He is airborne

onto greener pastures

Naija man in Heathrow

Check point again?

Show me your partikola!

They mean we do not like citizens of your country

Thirty nine questions for common man

then off to face the winter.

As the governor’s entourage comes by

with two hundred pieces of luggage

with after shave and all

Immigration man shouts ‘Park!’

Entourage shout back ‘we no get brake o!’

Immigration man wins,

‘Show me your partikola!’

They mean ‘we don’t fear your title’

Shock

Governor arrested

A whole above the law

African politician

A whole two hundred miles an hour

man of a million people

Common man heard and laughed

in his freezing one bedroom squat.

At least all Naija passports

are  equal in Heathrow

Laugh not for there is no joke

only twisted irony

Naija man’s car is searched at home

Naija man’s rectum is searched abroad

Wetin una dey find?

Strip you naked

Prince, Olorin,high chief, dem no care

Abi slave trade start again

dem no tell persin?

Vanity upon vanity

Everything na vanity

Charity upon charity

Everything na charity

Charity will start at home

Naija Police leave Naija man alone

25/11/2005

Babawilly

Dr Wilson Orhiunu