Let them hear…
From the hills of Isuikwuato
My sleepy hilly land.
From my newest friend Uyo!
To the ancient muds of Enugu!
From Makurdi’s Benue River beach,
To those peaked crags of Jos.
Let them hear…
As I dream of the undying
Lights of the Lagoon city.
The snake lanes of Abuja,
Cockcroachin’ thru undergrounds.
From the deserts of Damaturu!
And the grasslands of Jalingo!
Let them hear…
That I am a citizen of Owerri town.
That my Calabar is very pretty!
That Ibadan I adore so much!
That Minna is a scenic beauty!
That Kano makes much of the Suya I love so much!
That Port Harcourt is really a city of liberty!
Let them hear…
That I love you, my Nigeria.
Notes.
Line 2. Isuikwuato: A local government area in the present state of Abia. A land of hills and streams and great men known over the whole of Igboland. The home of the poet.
Uyo. The capital of the present Akwa Ibom State, known for its hospitality.
Enugu. The capital of the old Eastern Nigeria and the present capital of Enugu State.
Line 6. Makurdi: The capital of Benue State of Nigeria. A farming region renowned as the nation’s food basket. The city is perched on the banks of the Benue River.
Jos: A quiet, clean, and hilly city. The capital of present-day Plateau State.
Line 10. Lagoon city; Lagos. Abuja. The capital city of Nigeria
Line 13. Damaturu and Jalingo: Cities of the North East of Nigeria.
Line 16. Owerri, Calabar and Ibadan: Cities of the South
Minna and Kano: Cities of importance in the Northern part of Nigeria.
Port Harcourt: A city nested on the coast of the Atlantic. Its importance is linked to the production of crude oil
Suya. Skewered meat mixed with onions, pepper, and oil.
Study Question.
1. What unique features does the poem possess?
