By Inaju U Inaju
The Quadrant Dance
The modern town crier will announce the next quadrant dance, publicly
The faithful, the meek and the believers will troop out, publicly
Under rain, under blistering sun, stand they patiently and publicly,
Taking turn to stain their finger with the blue blood
Of the quadrant dance that is performed every four years, publicly
Proudly, they will bear the mark of the quadrant dance, publicly
On their heart and on their index finger publicly
The unbelievers and the sceptics will watch from the sidelines, publicly
Hoping and praying to be proven wrong by the kingmakers, publicly
Both the believers and unbelievers want one thing, publicly
That their dance be recognised as the only dance to the throne, publicly
For now, all they have, in common, is the hope of recognition, publicly
Yet, like the sceptics, even the believers spread their doubts, publicly
Will the prayers of the faithfuls be answered for once, publicly?
Or will the unbelievers and sceptics be right again, publicly?
Or will the believers suffer another unanswered quadrant prayer, publicly?
The answer is floating in the air, at sea and in the crevices, publicly
Like the show that the quadrant dance is, the kingmakers sold tickets, publicly
As usual, smile and smile to the banks the kingmakers, publicly
Anointed kinglets, with gusto, kick-off another shameless quadrant dance of loot, publicly
With one hand on the Bible, and another on the Quran, they swear publicly
To loot our common patrimony while feeding us crumbs and daring us publicly
Oh Africa, when shall your children find leaders with love and shame, publicly
Who will make the quadrant dance meaningful and useful to all in public
The gold, the diamond and the oil, the sun and the rain may not last forever
The faithful and the unbelievers will jaw-jaw. Tired, they would rest publicly
Hoping against hope for the next quadrant dance that will bend to their wishes, publicly
So many shattered hopes in the quest for a better tomorrow with every quadrant
As the faithfuls disagree to agree, they must build a bridge to the sceptics publicly
The sceptics and unbelievers must speak of what they know of the quadrant dancers, publicly
Until the death of current quadrant dancers and their drummers, whither thee Africa
(on board KLM from Entebbe to Amsterdam 29-30 August 2017)
