The struggling child (Ten days of March dayX)

Marking the last piece in this series Ten days of March themed The struggling Child I present to you the piece that inspired this months title. This was rendered at the Oxfam International Women Day  celebration 2020 on the 9tg of March 2020, at the NAF conference center Abuja. See link to watch perfomance YouTube....

We never seek to inspire, because this, right now, is only but a story teller...

I could tell the story of many but I prefer that of a child

At five, she had a dad, but before that, there was another and a brother and in time, she wrote a letter

Dear God,

When I grow up, I want to be a dad. To be the most feared around the house. Not to be beat and pushed around. I don't want to be shamed for my body kind. I don't want to see smelly blood from my body part or told that the one I carry is not his child. I don't want to be looked down on and be told to walk behind. I don't want to stay home on Friday nights because my hair is bad. When I grown up I want to be a dad.

My teachers say the father is the head of the family, but my mummy pays the rent, and my class  teacher Mrs. Raymond, she said the father works the hardest but my mummy's back is bent. Why does she say that when she tells miss Mary that all men are wicked? I don't understand, But my mummy, I see her only at night when I massage her feet but daddy is always home, he never ask what I eat. Dear God when I grow up... I want to read the papers and chew tobacco, I want to drink from beer cans and talk to my friends about Ronaldo.

He is the most feared, but I think he is scared too that's why he never leaves home, but he is not afraid of anything that is what he told his friends that used to come and drink with him two days ago, but if it's safe inside then I want to be a dad.

Daddy said the one before me is good for nothing and does not have a future and I will be like her. But Mummy says I am very smart and can be anything I want.

So dear God if you hear prayers do grant mine and make me a dad.

Your daughter,

Struggling Child.

She believes the society to be a world of titles

If called a dad saves her from all of its scars

Then so be it.

Patriarchy has taught us that a man should be powerful while a woman submissive

And you feel less of a man without your power

While she feels less of a woman with it.

When is the right time to fight for a woman's right.

Every woman was that little girl

Treat them right

Every child deserves a better future

Every child deserves to live their dreams.

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The Paradox of A Nigerian Child (Ten days of March dayIX)

Nnebe Chinonso Joshua known for his stage name N.C Joshua (D Wordiet) is an Abuja based Spoken Word Poet. He started writing in 2014 but never took it professionally till 2017.

In June 2019 he won An award of excellece at the PMB Oratory Contest in commemoration of Democracy Day Celebration.

NC Joshua through his spoken word YouTube videos seeks at making a positive impact and  causing you to rethink.

The Nigerian Child has a name

But no identity

He swallows his pride 

Just to raise his flag

The Nigeria Child has one true image

But disguised in different masks

He has many tongue but one voice

A voice that is never heard

He speaks yet no one listens

So he shuts up and let the elders talk

The Nigerian Child dreams but never sleep

And when he tries to snore

He is awaken by the nightmares that lie on his bed every night

He Eats but he's not fed

The Nigerian Child is hungry, poor and wretched

Yet he is very rich, rich in promises

Promises made by men with pot bellies 

The Nigerian Child has aged with little maturity

Because Gray Hair still sits in positions of power

And the young blood are learning how to chew bone from men who have no teeth

The Nigerian Child is Born and Breed in a Blessed land

But he still finds it difficult to get a Kobo from his mother's hand

The Nigerian Child is Born free

With wings that can fly

Yet everywhere he goes

He is in chains caged by men with crooked sight

The Nigerian Child is told that his future is Bright

But right now he is being sold a present that has no light

The Nigerian Child is Configured for greatNESS

But the four walls has programmed him for a life of greatMESS

He is taught that the Constitution is supreme

But in times of test...

People still cheat using the law

So the Constitution is just a Book

“Don't judge it by its name"

The Nigerian Child swims

But still drowns in his own sweat

He looks in the mirror and smiles

Then suffering becomes his reflection

The Nigerian Child is a Hustler

But the fruit of his labour even when riped

Keeps hanging away from his family tree

The Nigerian Child lives in a house

Designed by lies

He's been told that religion is his way out

Now he's finding a way out of religion

The Nigerian Child everywhere he goes

Is known for his accent

So whenever he speaks

People know that money will miss or has missed

So his tongue is like a razor blade

That cuts pockets 

Without leaving holes

The Nigerian Child has been on drip right from birth

He is engaged to the Hospital bed

And like two young lovers

They are not breaking up anytime soon

The Nigerian Child has been 

Diagnosed with a Lack of a national ideology, tribalism, disunity, insecurity,hunger,poverty, bad governance,hardship, unemployment,power outage, illiteracy, Injustice,brain drain, religious falsehood, corruption and poor social economic infrastructures.

The Nigerian Child is Sick

He is sick of being sick of being a Nigerian Child

In his last moments he wrote this

“With the least blood left in my vain

I bleed that you've not read these words in vain

Cause it will piss me off

We've been passed our past with so much pain

But rewriting our story now,will be of a greater gain,

And it starts with me and you"

My name is N.C Joshua

And unfortunately I am a Nigerian Child 

But my generation is changing the narrative!!

Connect with Nnebe Chinonso Joshua 

 YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC5R9-PDeXRQrQ--ciqoFRTA

Instagram.com/nc_joshua

Facebook.com/ncjoshua

Twitter.com/nc_joshua

Email: nnebejoshua@gmail.com

Days like this (Ten days of March dayVIII)

All plays now disturbed, the tale of a thousand years which the old man was telling now suspended

All eyes now look up, soon, a downpour is expected.

It will rain for the cloud is heavily pregnant and very soon it will give birth to that infant

Tit-Tat-, Tit-Tat- will come it's sound, the roof will sing unto us a song

And we will remember when we were Young

The cold, going  from house to house, like a visitor looking for where to lay his head

The maize planted yesterday will feel the nature's touch

And lo, tomorrow it would have grown a thousand and one grains

It will rain and we will catch some fun

The river will be overfed, flowing above it's limit

In sorrowful Joy, we will watch the miracle being performed

Thinking of it's abundance and the day to cry for our losses, refusing to be comforted, 

Even the rain cannot wash away our tears with it's abundance.

Mary Akinwale

//The crying Nigerian child

Connect with Mary Akinwale on:

Facebook: oluwajuwon Akinwale

Twitter: Oluwajuwon akinwale

Instagram: oluwajuwonakinwale

Allpoetry: Mary Akinwale

Hellopoetry: Mary Akinwale

Tears of a concerned citizen (Ten days of March dayVII)

Okolo Collins aka Ordo is an Ambassador of the street project foundation creative Youth bootcamp 2019, a creative writer and actor with a special art with words. His pieces leaves conscious questions in the minds of readers to make them question what is, why is and how is.

I weep

Not for me or the society we live in

But for the cries and wails of the failed child

I weep

Not for the incessant darkness 

But for the light slowly fading from our eyes

I weep 

Not for the wickedness of our leaders

But the average person whose opportunity is hindered 

I weep

For the terror we live in everyday 

And the deaths we witness in shades

For the cries of help ignored by those of power

And the need of fame rising above the need to empower

Above all I weep

Not for the end of world

But the souls that won't be moved by this words

Connect with Okolo Collins on

Instagram: @_blvckie.chan