In the heart of Nigeria, the drums of protest beat,
NLC and TUC, in unity they meet,
Voices of the weary, cries of the oppressed,
A nation in turmoil, its people distressed.
From the bustling markets of Lagos to the fields of Kano,
The common folk whisper tales of sorrow,
Broken promises, dreams deferred,
In a land where hopes are often unheard.
A land rich in culture, diverse in its lore,
Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa at its core,
Yet, amidst the dance of unity, shadows loom,
Of systemic maladies, casting gloom.
The anthem of our fathers, a pledge of pride,
In the face of adversity, where do we hide?
Arise, O Compatriots, yet we toil and strive,
Seeking justice, just to survive.
Our leaders’ coffers swell, while the masses weep,
In the silence of the night, their children sleep,
On empty bellies, dreams turned to dust,
In a system corroded by broken trust.
The kola nut’s bitterness, the palm wine’s sweet,
Echo the lives on the streets,
Egun and masquerade, ancient and revered,
Yet, the present is a future feared.
Oh Nigeria, land of green and white,
Where is the dawn, the promised light?
Our anthem rings with unity and peace,
But where is the solace, where is the release?
In the strike’s harsh grip, the city slows,
A melancholic river, in silence flows,
From the Niger’s banks to the Bight of Benin,
A cry for justice, a hope to be seen.
Oh land of hope, of freedom’s song,
May your people rise, right every wrong,
For in the soul of the NLC and TUC’s fight,
Burns the flame of a nation’s right.
Let our pledge be more than words we say,
Let it shape our lives, lead the way,
To a Nigeria where every voice is heard,
And dreams are not mere whispered words.
In unity, we stand, in hope we trust,
To lift the fallen, and rise from the dust,
For the heart of Nigeria, beats strong and true,
In the spirit of its people, a future anew.
By : Jide Adesina
picture: Twanda
