When they ask me
Who are you?
I’m a liar
Was my response
I lie to earn my living
I call the morning evening
And the evening morning
I call black white
And white black
They thought I was lying
But I was truthful
When they ask me
What do you promise?
I promise tarred roads
Was my response
Like the roads of paradise
I promise electricity
Like the rays of sunlight
I promise table water
Rushing like River Niger
I promise each man
A car fully equipped
With the breeze of harmattan
They thought I told the truth
But I lied
When they ask me
What is this paper that you pay?
I’m a charity giver
Was my response
I give to the poor
I give to the fatherless
I give to widows
And their dead husband
‘Cos I’m the sent saviour
When my drummers beat
The cacophony of my evil drum
They danced, they celebrated
But I lied
When they ask
At quarter to my term’s termination
Where is your promise?
Our tarred roads
Like the roads of paradise
Our electricity
Like the rays of sunlight
Our pipe borne water
Like River Niger
Our cars
Equipped with the breeze of harmattan?
Then I gave them cutlasses
To clear their bushy backyards
I gave them brooms also
To sweep their dirty room
Olatubosun David is a Nigeria writer and poet. A graduate of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State (2013), in Office Technology and Management. Currently works as a confidential secretary in the department of Mathematical Sciences, Achievers University, Owo. Ondo-State, Nigeria.