Symptoms of Nigeria's Governing Arms

Joseph C Ogbonna

Executive- My powers are absolute,
                    thus I am totalitarian.
                    The legislature and judiciary
                    are each subservient to my whims.
                    I pass my bills with attendant
                    compliance, and interpret my own
                    terms as the law.
                    I shut the doors of compassion,
                    I am very deeply elusive.
                    I give no room at all to dissent.
                    I get bloated with the treasures of the nation.
                    In a leap year's tenure I bulldoze
                    my way back to my incumbent status.
                    And when four multiplies two, I impose
                    a minion to cover my ills.

Legislature- To obnoxious decrees I give my consent.
                       I inflate yearly forecasts to become opulent.
                       I am gratified for the cabinet servants' affirmation.
                       I always my selfish treaties ratify.
                       I am undoubtedly slavish to executive excesses.
                       I seek the redress of constituents' grievances
                       to enlarge my pocket's size.
                       And above all else, I am largely rubber stamp.

Judiciary- My evasive justice is yours' to reap
                   if you are a top notch,
                   whilst I withdraw the distributive
                   and restorative from insolvents.
                   I base my interpretations on business
                   interests,
                   and make laws for the interests of
                   a cabal.
                   Equity and rights are only in my
                   constitution stated.
                   But in reality they are no more
                   than abstract twins.
                   The sacred laws of our national prospectus
                   I serve as a weak custodian of,
                   and weaker still in the face of political
                   heavyweights.
                   But with all the lofty responsibilities
                   I am reverently saddled with,
                   I can do nothing more than
                   empower bigwigs because I am weak,
                  and they are powerful.

  • Author: Joseph C Ogbonna (Offline Offline)
  • Published: August 18th, 2023 18:09
  • Comment from author about the poem: The inherent issues with Nigeria's three arms of government.
  • Category: Reflection
  • Views: 6
  • User favorite of this poem: Eugene S..
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Comments2

  • Parisab

    Thanks for educating with your poem! I was hearing that they will be intervening in Niger too! Besides keeping peace in the region, I wonder what else…?

    • Joseph C Ogbonna

      Thank you so much for the review. I'm sorry my reply is coming quite belatedly. I don't have regular access to the web due to the inconveniences that we suffer in my country. The proposed invasion of Niger is absolutely dumb on the part of West African leaders, especially the Nigerian president who is the chairman of ECOWAS. Nigeria is faced with a myriad of problems like Boko Haram, ISWAP, herders' terrorism etc. Her armed forces are overwhelmed to tackle these issues, let alone invade Niger.

      • Parisab

        Thank you again for educating through poetry…

      • Eugene S.

        Sounds like America. The whole world seems to follow the same road. Good write.👍



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