When I grow up
Child, when you grow up
What would you like to be?
When I grow up
I want to be Nigeria’s Minister of Works
I am not happy about the roads
Everyday when Daddy takes us to school
Jigi! Jaga!! Goes Daddy’s car
As it gets in and out of large potholes
In a short while
My Daddy’s new car
Has become a rickety, old jalopy
Everyday we watch on the news
My people getting killed on our highways
All due to these bad roads
I want to become Nigeria’s Minister of Works
And I swear,
By the Green-White-Green
And the strong neighing horses
Bad roads would be a thing of the past
Forever in my country.
When I grow up
I want to be the Head of PHCN
Every time we shout ‘Up NEPA’
But like ‘lala to r’oke’
They never stay up
Down and down they come
Since I knew my right from my left
I am yet to witness
One full day without power outage
They say in some lands
‘Light’ never goes
Why is it not so in my country?
When I grow up, Daddy
I want to be the Head of PHCN
And I swear,
By the Green-White-Green
And the strong neighing horses
‘Light’ will never go again
Just like it is in other countries
When I grow up
I want to be a politician
An opportunity to show my people
It is possible to be a public servant
And not steal my country’s money
Daddy told me about Julius Nyerere
Tanzania’s father of the Mau Mau revolution
He was President of his country
Yet when he willingly relinquished authority
To his humble country home he returned
No wealthier than his rightful earnings
In my country
When a man becomes Local Government Chairman
He leaves the seat a stinking wealthy man
Stinking in his own filth of stolen wealth
Generals in my country’s army
And public servants with average earnings
How do they become billionaires?
Their wealth they cannot explain
For they have looted their people dry
I want to be a politician when I grow up
And I swear Daddy,
By the Green-White-Green
And the strong neighing horses
I will never steal a dime
That belongs to my country
Nigeria, Oh my Nigeria
How I love you!
Six years in primary school
Six more years in secondary school
Neatly dressed on the daily morning assembly
I sang the national anthem
Body still, chest up
Pride on my face,
The future on my mind
I chanted the national pledge
Hands on my chest, in a solemn swear
The dignity of my nation I would protect
Any day, any time, anywhere
As long as I live
My life have I committed to this cause
I would give my all for the Green-White-Green
I am not unaware of the evil cabal
That has held my nation
In a strangle hold for ages
Feeding fat on the wealth of my people
I know He that gave me the vision
Has given me the passion
And He will see me through
For He is greater that is in me
Than he that is in the world
Naija, Nigezie, Wazobia!
Long live my fatherland!
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