Asewo, a poem by Mamman Vatsa

Asewo

Butu, butu, Cameroon insect.

Man wey no wan scratch him body

make e no look you for face

Like Cameroon man dey say,

butu, butu na our country ting

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.

Yamankoro, a poem by Mamman Vatsa

Yamankoro

Big like Cameroon coco yam.

If you wan dry am,

Make you buy alum

Look man wey dey hungry Dey throw way better meal.

*Yamankoro – Snail

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.

Head Na King, a poem by Mamman Vatsa

Head Na King

Head na king

And king no dey

Carry load.

Look man wan

Look me disgrace.

Yi don carry meat

Enter my house for sale

Ebin if na my shokoto,

I go sale buy am all

I go sale buy am all.

Head na king

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.

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.

Saturday at Ikok, a poem by Mamman Vatsa

Saturday at Ikok

Today na big day

Man must drink

From dis funda*

To dat funda

Woman must drink

Man from funda

To funda

*funda – Hotel

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.