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letra de we did not inherit her - iquo dianaabasi

we did not inherit her
only her contents
to till, for sustenance
to water, weed and
smile aplenty afterwards
we borrowed her
to build on and multiply
to defend, and grow our territories
to sink roots, teach our culture for posterity

no, we did not inherit this land
for she will one day become home
when the keepers of the house
shut to open no more
we borrowed her for our children
that they too may honour her
and be richly fed
that they too may have room
to build on as they multiply
that they too may extend
the boundaries of our territory
that they too may perpetuate our heritage
and borrow it to their children and
their children’s children after them

we did not inherit the land but her
bounties, which keep on giving;
we sang and praised when
she gave us oil for our soups
we rejoiced as palms ripened
enough for consumption and sale
oil for our skins, and even
tinder for our hearths
immense, the blessings of the giant trees

then came strangers with talk
of oil beneath our feet
the proof was there, though the oil was murky
the proof was dark; this was no red oil
we thought they too would borrow her
mother earth, pregnant with enough even for strangers

but these guests acted like they own her
they tilled her mercilessly with no care for rest
they watered her not…
gradually, her smiles began to vanish

these strangers shared our land
as our crops steadily withered
they made the land wail
she wept into our rivers
and bled into our fishes
they bled her, and black gold came pouring
filling their pockets while we watched
and remained hungry

they promised us oil, but took blood instead

we borrowed this land for our children
but these strangers slaughter her like a cow
then desert her for the next;
ask oloibiri, ask ogoni
desolate, hopeless, bare after their plunder

i did not inherit her
but fear that in place of land
i leave only pathetic inheritances:
blood, hunger and tears
for my children and the yet unborn
we did not inherit the land from our ancestors
we borrowed it for our children!
we did not inherit the land from our ancestors; we borrowed it for our children

- iquo dianaabasi

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