Sunday 2 July 2023

Indigenisation Without Mind, a poem by Mamman Vatsa

Indigenisation Without Mind

I asked the teacher
To teach him
My son
All about Africa
But she says
No suitable books
See our age
See the stage
We have reached
As a continent
But visit a nursery
The books
The toys
The tongue
All are imported.

My countrymen
How can indigenisation
Survive without the mind
Africa is a jungle
They say,
Why import a ladder
Into a jungle?
Well you can now see
For yourself
The economic hypocrisy.

Mamman Vatsa
Mamman Jiya Vatsa (OFR) was born on December 3rd, 1940. He was a General in Nigerian Army and a poet. He was a member of the Supreme Military Council. Mamman Vasta was a lover of literature; he assisted the Children's Literature Association of Nigeria with funds and built a Writer's Village for the Association of Nigerian Authors. It is also noted that he hosed their annual conferences. The Writer's Village was named in his honour in January, 2013. He was executed by the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida (his childhood friend) on 5th of March 1986 after he was convicted for treason in connection with an unsuccessful coup.

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