If common grievances  

Are banned from uttering

The wave of voiceless youth

Burns the roof of the state, left smouldering.

If peaceful protesters  

Are answered by guns

The sleeping crowds rise up

Demanding democracy’s turn.

If local entrepreneurs  

Are cruelly robbed, bullied

The job market shrinks

And youth are sullied.  

If those journalists  

Are threatened on the way

Access to the real news  

Gets blurred and delayed.

If even hospitals are chased

Bombed and massacred

Then ‘the sum of humanity’

Tends to clear zero.

If only our militaries  

Are not corrupted

They defend the right cause

And bombs stay hidden, interrupted.

If radical change  

Is carelessly driven

Next generations will rise  

And protest likewise.

Poem Description

This poem reflects a universal yearning: every citizen desire peace and progress for their homeland. African citizens are no exception. Yet when governments fail to uphold basic rights, freedom of speech, access to essential needs, the silent majority may rise in protest, demanding justice. Besides, the poem critiques the misuse of military force to suppress democratic expression, a tactic that deepens societal wounds and obstructs peacebuilding. It portrays a cycle of crisis, persistent, corrosive, and often ignored. In its closing lines, the poem issues a sincere plea: for careful, radical transformation. It urges nations to break free from this vicious loop and embrace a future rooted in dignity, equity, and genuine reform.

Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php ?id=100092274851549