BIAFRA - SONNETS ON POST COLONIAL AFRICA'S FIRST GENOCIDE V

 I

"No victor, no  vanquished" - cruel-eyed haughty

Nigeria’s victorious anthem. “No

Victor, no vanquished. Th’ clarion call snotty

Arriviste victors flung at th’ cry of ‘woe!’

By th vanquished. ‘No victor, no vanquished.’ Yet

Compare this with the vision that brought down

The Union Jack ,  raised Nigeria's  forget-

The-past new flag: what a comedown no-gown-

For-the-vanquished Ezi-Nne! No victor –

Th’ vanquished? Lost Biafra’s  starving or dead

Children.  You? Nne? Nigeria’s stern,  stricter

Than ever victors came out of th’ war fed,

Rich, fat - your favourite son fled with bank

Accounts,  jet. Ojukwu. Th’ children’s bones stank

 II

Where were you Nne? Th’ only vanquished - th’ lost ones

Of Biafra were hungry, - each  a ruckle

Of bones. Skeletal, dying as the sons

Of Biafra raced for exile. Dying t’ suckle

On th’ teats of Biafra while dying on

Camera. Dying right before the gaze

Of the world's seeing eye - all hope forgone,

As the world's cold camera eye surveys

The wrecks, then clicks away." "I did what I

Could to save the children!" "Yes Nne - now turn

The camera's lens. Ojukwu’s here." "Eye

Of heaven upon me - I did - take th’ urn! –

What could  be done to save you child, to save

All. Your ashes are here. What more?” “My grave.”