West Africa Review (1999)
ISSN: 1525-4488
PROPHECIES OF AFRICAN RENAISSANCE
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West Africa Review (1999) ISSN: 1525-4488 PROPHECIES OF AFRICAN RENAISSANCE |
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Jideofo Uwechia
Tomorrow go better pass today,
Me have sight it, from atop the green hills:
each new day renews the love,
the sun gets warmer
the birds are back
behold ,the earth lives again
after this spell of blanc death:
the darkness was heavy
and the waters froze a sudden death;
But lo it rises yonder
the warmth creating many wonders
the birds are back today
the fish they thrive again
O, tomorrow is a golden promise,
tomorrow shall better pass today
Me sight it already!
Babylon, I will talk no more,
I have talked until
The birds went home to roost:
The miles I have walked with you
I have nothing to show for.
Hatred you reward for my love
Babylon I will suffer no more.
Tell your people I will suffer no more.
This thing must stop my friend,
Ubi 2 counts to seven before it strikes,
Babylon you will no more steal my corn
I have donned the skin of the lion.
Ochu 3 is upon me
Uke 4 is upon me
The sleeping Lion is aroused
The dwarves must give way.
Babylon I have no more to say.
Babylon, Ebube has no more to say.
When the lion finally wakes
O do not quake
and when the Earth quakes
do not shake
there will be no quarter
on that day just slaughter
where is my daughter
you took her to the butcher
and where is my brother
done in by men tracker
I knew no hate
but you taught me hate,
rewarding my love,
with robbery and murder.
So when the sleeping Lion wakes,
and the Earth shakes,
only do not quake,
and there will no quarter
neither given nor spared.
As there was the industrial revolution
let there be the green revolution
again amongst the nations.
Truly this is the only solution
to all this toxic pollution
moral and spiritual corruption
in this age of post-industrial revolution.
Hurry lest they sing our extreme unction
be not deceived in this evil notion
of political downpression
class stratification
scientific destruction,
and material corruption.
Again let there be the revolution
social equity
economic equality
freedom of spirituality
Put an end to adult and juvenile delinquency
miseries so unnecessary
let there be justice
let righteousness overflow the nations
like the water cover the seas.
Yes, there shall be a green revolution
for this generation lost in deep confusion.
Keep justice, the Lord is the lord of justice.
Keep to the right
and you shall walk in delight.
Do ye not see
that mercy founded Creation,
Look and behold the beautiful steps of charity
waxing in creativity:
And Love is the mother of us all,
who made us to live
but we make the mother of all wars.
Do ye not see that
all these is real,
and they are true,
the testimonies of the Lord is sure
making wise the humble
Keep justice for
the Earth rests on justice
keep to the right and you will see the light.
Jideofo, maka Olisa bu nna ji ofo.
Kwuba aka i oto
ka ije bulu awele.
Ne anya: O bu ebele debelu uwa odi,
Iga asi na ifuru o ifunnanya na uwa ibi.
O bu na imaro si na,
iru di nma adiro nma itu mbo,
nwa okuku adiro alu ani na enu akwa ya
Ofo ka idide ji awa ani,
Ofo erika, ofo bu ndu.
Jideofo,
maka na Olisa bu nna jili anyi ofo
nnwulialu nma, na anya cholu nma ga afu nma
nmaji kwulu nmaji.
Forlorn and forsaken
lost in the trackless desert
of misconception:
Exiles of the mind
enslaved by their own follies,
driven like rudderless ships
by every passing wind of fashion.
Prisoners of delusions,
were you not in the rain
drenched in shame
chasing fortune and fame,
tortured by your own boundless desires;
how long will they wander
prisoners of mis-understanding.
Jetsam and flotsam
exiles of the mind.
They are lost, lost
in this landscape of every lust.
They are blinder than the blind bat
lost in bottomless darkness.
Lost children, wasted generation
the fires of their waywardness
consume their soul
in the gehenna of their own creation.
Can silver and gold
create one living soul:
freedom is better
than platinum and copper.
Exiles of the mind
pride was your first sin:
it has become your very destruction.
Seek no other solution
save the emancipation of your own mind.
Seek not in the stars
search not the seas
it has been told of the old,
it is what a man soweth,
it is that he shall reap.
Yet your redemption lies in your own hands.
That love you refused to share
the simplicity you have scorned,
and the respect you daily ignore
in them lie your salvation
O ye pitiful and pitiless exiles.
The henchmen of the western world
hold society in captivity;
corrupted in imposed poverty
humanity is pressured into iniquity;
for the smaller the hole they say
the meaner the rats will stay.
and to eat a slice of bread
the system says we have to destroy.
How long could you fool the people
with dressed-up hypocrisy styled democracy,
and fallacies of fantasy in their never never land.
See how manmade scarcity, has created poverty
just to uphold their economic chant and other social pomposities.
“Release the bread thou genocidal murderers
for in this time surely,
we shall see the end of this comi-tragedy.”
Who will go for us
who will run this lap for us;
the scions of the lion
number like the stars,
our strength standeth
the wave triumphantly;
the spots of the leopard
are not erased by the rains.
Farah will go for us
the sun shall not smith him
nor the moon strike him.
Shaka shall go with Farah
Amilcar shall go with Farah
Warriors are come from Ethiopia
to humble the godless
with iron blows.
Arise, Sons of Africa arise;
arise, Sons of Menes
roar like the waking lion.
Stand like Tarharka
the hordes of hell shall not prevail.
Ancestors will fight for us.
Behold our hands are clean!
The Earth shall swallow them
who abuse the spirit of generosity.
Fight them like Marcus Garvey
they shall leave in a hurry
Stand like Samora Machel
Win again like Robert Mugabe
I hear your sounds of fury
salutations o salutations
Son of the lion
Go Farah go for the sons
He shall run for us
Farah shall run for us.
They took poor Yasu
clothed him with in purple
crowned him with a wreath of thorns,
to bring him down with mockery,
but they could not
for Yasu was a true and believing Nazarene!
So they raised up a cadaver
on a cross,
telling my people sey
behold the Christ, behold the redeemer
that himself perished on the cross of Calvary,
filling their heads with historical distortions
prophetical mis-interpretations
so that Israel is lost to confusion
that their heritage may go to the nations.
And thus the green grass is blighted
by the touch of the barren winds.
And the peoples do not know Jah
the ever living King of Itiopia
him of whom Yasu spoke of
who dwells atop the foundational mountains
the city of peace, Zion, Ancient Itiopia.
And so they go on in that strange morbidity,
wining and dancing
before the image of an abused cadaver
pon a cross.
and chanting , behold our God.
I shall tell them again if they will listen,
Hear O Israel
Yasu was a Nazarene, just a true and believing Nazarene.
Ikenga! thou of the tranquil parts,
guiding force of my right hand
I wail for help.
See what them do to the land
wasting man length and breath
Give justice we asked them
but they gave us sorrows, tears
and blood.
Things have fallen apart
Monkey don fall from tree
Murders dressed in white robes
commit abomination in the holiest places.
Be thou aroused, be thou aroused to action
and extirpate from their roots
the Thorns amongst the Corns.
Ikenga your strength is Strength
go before me
clear the way before us
rid us the ungodly, who clog our path.
Immobilize them
Pulverize them with the Pestle
Harmattan fire burn these chaffs
to sulphur
burn them a thousand league.
throw them down that they will rise
no more;
Did you not break Iroko like twigs?
Does your roar not fill the Valleys?
Ikenga, I shall yet adorn you
with clashing cymbals and soaring chants
filled with the strength of the morning
Ikenga!
Do what you have to do
and leave the rest to Jah
Do what you have to do
and still give thanks and praise,
to HIM, the Most high;
In love He made the earth.
Consider the miracle of Colours
how pleasing is the magic of light!
Do what you know is right
Jah will grant your soul its plea.
I will do what I love always
for with abundance
HE blessed the earth.
My soul shall not be troubled
for Jah gives whole and free.
The Most high
eternally doth his love flows
and his mercies abideth forever.
Fear not while upon the high grounds
Have no fear for the raging in sea,
All that is, is the love of Jah
HE is my shepherd, I shall not want.
Take a step to HIM
HE will take two steps to you;
we must do what is right
Jah will grant our heart desire.
Thunder and storm
will rage and calm
Even heaven and Earth
will fade away
but the righteousness of JAH
shall live forever.
Good things shall be forever,
songs, children and love.
But Lo, Martha, many matters
distract you
but only one is needful.
For the sun will set
and the moon will dim,
Gold and Silver shall
return to rust and rot.
But the gift of love
shall ever be fresh.
Life is a lesson
love is the teacher
what is man but a drop of dew;
in the morning he is there
in the midday heat he is no more.
Life is a miracle of love
and the Righteous of the LORD
shall inherit the Kingdom.
Of each Soul, may it be said
indeed a good Soul, she knew how to love;
for only the good shall live forever
but the works of each one
shall judge the turn of her life.
Do you see the patient dog
he eats the fattest bone,
and the patient angler
surely goes home with a big snapper.
The way I see life
some days are rainy; some others are sunny.
Night times must come nightly
still sunshine is a certainty.
Tact is the rythmn of a wise soul
truth and patience overcome all tribulations
And in this Iration 6
know sey, those that hurry, hurry for nothing
but hasten their end with needless worries.
Every thing is a blessing;
The uphill and the valleys
because life is the greatest gift of life,
and the love of Creation continues forever.
Every story must come to pass
each test is a test of strength.
Patience, patience is the answer
surely after each storm
there comes a calm.
Who knoweth his origins
save that he came from
the sea of the womb
loved, nourished, and blessed
each step of the way:
I woke up in my dreams
and found I here,
in this strange place full of beauty,
and faces which smiled at me.
What colours,
what music
what is that ball of fire,
high up in the sky.
I shall forever treasure this gift of life.
I shall not abuse it,
I shall love and respect my neighbour:
I can only live this life of beauty, doing beauty
and this is the thanks I offer
in this iration, so mystical.
Thunder and storm will rage and clam
even the world will pass away
but the righteous of JAH shall live forever.
Martha , Martha, many things worry
and trouble you
but only one thing is needful.
For the sun will go down
and the moon will dim:
Gold and silver will go to rust.
The styles of society
are dreams of vanity,
at the summit of their success
there stalk stress and regrets.
Don't let them fool you,
human glory is but dust and ashes,
in the heat of midday
they wither like blighted flowers.
And on this earth,
rather a handful with quietness
than two hands full with much strife
and chasing after the wind.
And there is nothing better than love
nothing greater than increase
nothing will suffice but the righteousness
of the Creation,
Yes, only the wealth of love is worthwhile.
Again Martha I say unto ye
Thunder and storm
will rage and calm
Even heaven and Earth
will fade away
but the righteousness of JAH
shall live forever.
Good things shall be forever,
songs children and love.
But Lo, Martha, many matters
distract you
but only one is needful.
For the sun will set
and the moon will dim,
Gold and Silver shall
return to rust and rot.
But the gift of love
shall ever be fresh.
Life is a lesson
love is the teacher
what is man but a drop of dew;
in the morning he is there
in the midday heat he is no more.
Life is a miracle of love
and the Righteous of the LORD
shall inherit the Kingdom.
Of each Soul, may it be said
indeed a good Soul, she knew how to love;
for only the good shall live forever
but the works of each one
shall judge the turn of her life.
When they shall ask of you
what you own in life,
You shall say unto them:
All things belong to Jah
his sure mercies are my hope.
I have a song in my mouth
I have love in my soul
In the morning I the song bird sing praises
to the dazzling beauty of the eastern sun.
The earth is founded in good
though little men make trouble and glorify,
Yet I shall testify
that I came to this world empty
but I was filled with plenty.
I did not bring Yam
I did not bring bread,
yet I was fed full in due season.
Life is a pleasant lesson,
it comes of the goodness of Jah.
All is the abundance of his mercies
the evidence of his unending love.
And I is a song bird,
high up on a hemp plant,
saying again to the world
“freedom is the greatest wealth
wisdom surpasses silver and gold.”
All human is made free
all substances come free,
it would have been such a beautiful existence
but little men in petty nuisance
would do destruction
even to their own damnation.
Yet Jah would provide a way
for the upkeep of his own children.
It is all his way and wisdom
the evidence of his undying love.
Give with love,
for you have received from love,
by the signs of his power you shall know,
by the ways of his kindness you shall live.
Yes when they shall inquire of I
I shall say to them,
I have Jah,
I is heavier than lead.
© Copyright 1999 Africa Resource Center
Citation Format
Uwechia, Jideofo. (1999). PROPHECIES OF AFRICAN RENAISSANCE. West Africa Review: 1, 1. [iuicode: http://www.icaap.org/iuicode?101.1.1.7].