Valerie Vishnay. Conqueror of words and prose. Improv actor and voice impressionist. Ambassador of Street Project Foundation and member of Summit Theatre and Films. A Human being trying to make an impact on the Nigerian film industry and foster the already present reading culture in our country.
Valerie Vishnay Always willing to be excellent.
DEAR NIGERIAN CHILD
I pledge to Nigeria my country, to be faithful, loyal and honest.
But are we really honest?
Our Country says; go to school, study for five years
And don't get a job (get a job)
The police is our friend but daily we are getting battered instead
To what end? Other than to enrich their soiled pockets
Our Country says;
Dear Nigerian Child
You are the leader of tomorrow
And so you have sat idle today, waiting for the day you could show the greatness in your marrow
Dear Nigerian Child
"Our youths are very lazy and uneducated"
It has sunk into your mind
Leaving you with no will to grind
And heaps of blame on your lips
Dear Nigerian Child
You are 45 today (happy birthday)
And yet another product of your society
You have sat in the cubicled walls of your office and your mind
And prayed for the next flight that would take you to your promised Land
Dear Nigerian Child
You have a daughter with braids (yes I do)
You whisper that she will become the next great President of our country
And when she stands to contest
You tell her it is not her place or her fault but the society
That YOU refused to change
Dear Nigerian Child
We have attended your wake keep
Dropped you 6ft below our very rich soil
The mark of your legacy is the greatness you BELIEVED you possessed
And had no courage to implement
Dear Nigerian Child
I speak to you even as you still form limbs
Unsure if you have developed the ears to hear
But I will continue to declare that you are not the leader of tomorrow, you are the giant of today
That you will be the reason
Nations will hear us and cower
As we roar like lions and devour
Anything that stands in our way to greatness
But you must rise with the belief that there is greatness in yourself
You must look inwards for the potential that you have
For it will not be found on the wings of the planes that will fly you OUT of your land for treatment
You must look to your sister and brother, your father and mother
And see beyond the caftans, and tribal marks, the red caps
Or the beads they count as their lips move in worship of a supreme being you do not serve
Look to their worth and potential
This piece was originally written for and performed at the Street Project Foundation total theater performance The Play Ground in Nov 2019
Connect with Valerie Vishnay on:
Instagram: 1stvishnay
Valerie Vishnay Always willing to be excellent.
DEAR NIGERIAN CHILD
I pledge to Nigeria my country, to be faithful, loyal and honest.
But are we really honest?
Our Country says; go to school, study for five years
And don't get a job (get a job)
The police is our friend but daily we are getting battered instead
To what end? Other than to enrich their soiled pockets
Our Country says;
Dear Nigerian Child
You are the leader of tomorrow
And so you have sat idle today, waiting for the day you could show the greatness in your marrow
Dear Nigerian Child
"Our youths are very lazy and uneducated"
It has sunk into your mind
Leaving you with no will to grind
And heaps of blame on your lips
Dear Nigerian Child
You are 45 today (happy birthday)
And yet another product of your society
You have sat in the cubicled walls of your office and your mind
And prayed for the next flight that would take you to your promised Land
Dear Nigerian Child
You have a daughter with braids (yes I do)
You whisper that she will become the next great President of our country
And when she stands to contest
You tell her it is not her place or her fault but the society
That YOU refused to change
Dear Nigerian Child
We have attended your wake keep
Dropped you 6ft below our very rich soil
The mark of your legacy is the greatness you BELIEVED you possessed
And had no courage to implement
Dear Nigerian Child
I speak to you even as you still form limbs
Unsure if you have developed the ears to hear
But I will continue to declare that you are not the leader of tomorrow, you are the giant of today
That you will be the reason
Nations will hear us and cower
As we roar like lions and devour
Anything that stands in our way to greatness
But you must rise with the belief that there is greatness in yourself
You must look inwards for the potential that you have
For it will not be found on the wings of the planes that will fly you OUT of your land for treatment
You must look to your sister and brother, your father and mother
And see beyond the caftans, and tribal marks, the red caps
Or the beads they count as their lips move in worship of a supreme being you do not serve
Look to their worth and potential
This piece was originally written for and performed at the Street Project Foundation total theater performance The Play Ground in Nov 2019
Connect with Valerie Vishnay on:
Instagram: 1stvishnay
Mercy Patrick is a multipotentialite, skilled photographer, creative writer and spoken word poet.Outside the professional scene, Mercy Patrick is a song writer, idealist, resource person with unconventional methods for youths struggling with their personalities, a rapper, story teller and a rusty acoustics player. 
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