Maybe It’s Time We Told The Truth
We say we want change
But we want it while protecting our own
Not entirely selfish
Though just enough to desire change
From the comfort of our homes
Without any effort at effecting it
With so much practice
We’ve gotten so good at pointing fingers
Oddly enough not willing to raise a finger
In the direction of moving our nation forward
We all cry about the intolerance and insensitivity of others
But contribute our ‘LOL’s and emoji’s
Not much but just enough to encourage the offenders
See we’ve gotten so good at not actively being the front runners for corruption
That we’ve convinced ourselves just enough to soothe our conscience with false goodness
We hate corruption terribly
But we don’t mind when it benefits us even if just a bit
I mean it’s not like we’re diverting millions of funds
We simply added a zero to the check but then ensured to give to the church and the poor
Surely that’s enough good to compensate for that ‘tiny’ spot of black
It’s when we allowed the banker skip the line and attend to us first
Well because we gave a couple of notes to fasten the Fasttrack
We just told the director we’re really good at team work and we’re a people’s person
When in truth we’re the very opposite
We just said we’d need an extra bucket of paint
When in truth half would’ve gotten the job done
It’s when we turned a blind eye to our neighbor who physically abuses his wife
And the mother who neglects her children
And the Uncle or aunt who molests the children
‘Because over here we have learned to mind our business’
It’s when we see an accident on the road
But we’d rather record the events for the timeline
Than actually make a move to help the wounded
‘Because in this country one must be very careful. People are wicked sha’
It’s when a patient is brought to the hospital with a gun shot wound
‘But Hey! We need a police report before we can help because we don’t want any issues with the police’
It’s when we sack the security guard from the office without benefits and notice
Simply because ‘I can do it, besides, who’s he going to call anyway?’
It’s time we were honest
It’s time we realize that the ‘corrupt people’ are US
It’s you and I
It’s me who turns a blind eye to injustice because of the fear of how speaking up would look
It’s you who passes the traffic light when it’s yellow because ‘I mean it was almost green anyway’
It’s time we were truthful
We clamour for fair treatment in the world space
But spit on the faces of our brothers and sisters in diaspora
We long for a united front
But vie for the very opportunities that leave us divided
It’s enough
No need beating ourselves up over errors of the past
This milk is already spilled
It’s time to get on our knees and clean the mess we all made
So we can rise together with each knowing we put in our widow’s mite to restore and rebuild
What we can truly call ‘The pride of the Nations’
