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Kere o, Kere o, Kere o
Akede oba
is here, the anointed sound from the king’s lips
I
have come to spit fire, for your king is angered
Today,
the king emits ire unto the land
So
gather your ears and lend them to your king’s voice
I
have heard you all flock like birds to the village square
Perching
on trees and twittering tales about your king,
The
kingmakers, his family and allies
If
only you all knew what I know
I
was once a bird like you all
But
I was no ordinary bird
I
was a singing bird, a canary
I
sang about those who cover our heads with umbrellas
And
pile money mansions over their heads
The
palace guards who unseated their kings
My
sonorous voice traversed this land weekly
But
that was many moons ago
You
have taunted and mocked me about the king’s second akede
Do
you not know that when a dog stands beside a lion
Idle
birds can only make sounds?
The
noise from the playing ground will not stop the throng of my gong
The
stones you hurl will not puncture my vocal chord
He
was once like you too
Your
king’s naked feet has been blistered by this rough grounds
He
once had no crown to protect his royal head
His
parents could not afford the white man’s books
For
he is but a descendant of fishermen
Yet
he is king today
These
are troubled times
It
is true that our land is fertile
Harvest
is plentiful but the village is hungry
Do
not be quick to cast aspersions on your king
Do
not be deterred by the Pandora’s Box the chiefs’ committee on harvest has
unraveled
Food
will abound in the land soon
The
king only needs another 4 years
You
all know your queen was taken to a faraway city
The
tales you spin about her condition
Might
just put Mogaji Enudunjuyo’s story
telling skills to test
Luckily,
he is but Fagunwa’s creation
Let your queen be!
She
will be back when she can
Her
employer, the baale of Bayelsa is her
fan
My
job is not an easy one
But
it is what I must do
So
that when the king becomes oba ana
I
will have a smorgasbord on my table
