I was talking to a friend the other day about the suffering in Cote d’Ivoire and Libya, and my friend said “hush, we should be grateful that this is not happening in our country.”  I was dumbfounded, as I was thinking, how could somebody just rejoice for their lot, instead of helping the others? instead of doing something?  the least we can do is talk about it, cry, do something, not just watch and rejoice about our silly existence which could go down in flames in a day as in Cote d’Ivoire or Libya which were under fire from France and NATO (the mighty armies of the world) for their oil, cocoa, and gold. Then I found this really good poem by Kelvin Karani, talking about the things we all see in Africa, the things that hurt, and the things that tire. Enjoy “No More.”

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No more
Taking of silly slogans
Of change from the corrupt politicians
We need statesmen and stateswomen
People who see beyond elections

No more
Sitting back as others suffer
Saying that we are blessed
Happy that we are not in pain
In common bond united
We’ll rise or fall as a people

No more
Taking the aid of Aids
Which makes sick and
In perpetual need.

No more
Class divisions in Africa
Imperialism of whatever nature
White evils or black ones either
For time has come
For Africa, my Africa-our Africa
To dust herself and move on
Undeterred, unhindered
To show the rest of the world
What humanity truly is.

 Kelvin Karani