Ayade to Entrench Achievements beyond Newspaper pages, Popular Poet Announces

Efio-Ita Nyok|14 December 2016

Sequel to the 9th December 2016 historic judgment of His Excellency the Governor of Cross River State, Mr Ben Ayade, at the Supreme Court of Nigeria in the just laid-to-rest suit, Joe Agi SAN Vs CRS PDP with Governor Ben Ayade as third respondent, a popular poet of Cross River origin, politician and the Executive Chair of Cross River State Sports Commission, Mr Orok Duke, has written a beautiful poem in honour of his principal.

Duke’s poem titled the ‘Challenge in Paradise’ comprises six stanzas. In the first stanza you find a bold declaration being that of the Governor ‘Hoping to entrench his achievements beyond newspaper pages’. In the second stanza the poet under review confesses to being previously ‘silent’ but was now moved by ‘determined mouths’. This silence was prior to 9th December when uncertainties held sway. We therefore understand when the poet in emphatic lines in the succeeding stanza states, ‘I will now sing my song’. Poet Duke says his song is to ‘the itinerant people’ that is Cross Riverians, ‘the indignant ones’ that is those on the other divide with the appellant Joe Agi SAN, striking teachers, civil servants, the streets and the markets.

Poet Orok labels his poem a triumphant song that heralds the ‘light of tomorrow’. And the question begging for attention is: will Ayade deliver on campaign promises? Is this what our poet refers to as light. Duke concludes his poem by saying those who would come and sing with them will have their names celebrated or in his words, ‘And your name will be worn on attires’. Hmmmmm… This phrase is significant.

However, Cross Riverians will hold Duke to these phrases: ‘Hoping to entrench his achievements beyond newspaper pages’ and ‘Come and sing along with us…And your name will be worn on attires’.

*THE CHALLENGE IN PARADISE
(For Governor Benedict Ayade)

He was inundated by different cases –
And vulgar exhibition of guilty pleasures in certain places.
But there is a return of smiles to their faces,
At a time that he still stands on the stage,
Hoping to entrench his achievements beyond newspaper pages.

I have abandoned the silence,
Moved my determined mouth to
Bring forth these blessed words
And render all that is in my mind.

I will now sing my song.
I will also sing to these itinerant people and
The indignant ones beyond our desolate stable.
It would be sung in the classrooms where the teachers strike,
In the offices where the jobs are few,
Along the streets where the potholes hold sway,
And in the markets as the hungry men slave.

Our triumphant song should be better
And more resounding than our sorrows,
Chasing away the weak light of the night
To herald the brightness of tomorrow.

He who sings to God prays twice.
With shapely birds chirping along,
Dancing and serenading my song,
Joining me now would be nice.

Come and sing along with us,
Sing to foes and friends you trust,
Use it as the pendant for our desires
And your name will be worn on attires.

Orok Otu Duke
Supreme Court,
Abuja

Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger, the Editor & Publisher of NegroidHaven.org