EDUVESTMENT BY PAUL WORD

The truth can be hard to swallow

cause the pill is bigger than that of Panadol,

Yes i know

like Graciano

that this is not malaria but investment.

So save me your comment

cause I know what I meant

when I said

the truth can be hard to swallow

It’s about that time when our printed thumbs

will stain ballot papers,

papers that holds the key to the control of national power.

So let us run to those in power,

and tell them our schools are nothing but an abandon tower.

Tell them

cockroaches are now the occupant of books in the library

cause it has been destroyed beyond repair

yet they have no intention to relieve of it despair.

Tell them

due to unpaid salaries and poor remuneration the prestige of the teaching profession has been made to look like a sinner’s confession

filthy, dirty and unworthy.

Investing in education now looks like bad business.

You think I’m lying?

Let’s look at this statistics

Big Brother Africa N48million,
Cowbell Mathematics Competition N100,000.00.
MTN Project Fame N7.5million
Lagos State Spelling Bee N50,000.00.
Maltina Dance All N10million,
School Scrabble Competition N25,000.00.
Nigerian Idol N5million,
War Of Words (Slam Poetry)…..

Oh! I better keep my words

before this painful truth erupts to War Of Words,

followed by grenade of fists thrown at me.

For they accept not the truth that their

non-educational interest has become their only investment,

forgetting that an investment in a country’s education pays the best interest.

I told you the truth can be hard to swallow

so choke on this message you MESSed-age

cause democracy we no longer see

but corruptocracy.

So I stand solo

not to stoop so low

to tell you

our graduate now have a job in the unemployment line.

This is not a lie

a BSC holder is now a

Bus Service Conductor

read between the lines,

and tell me if I lie.

Our school constitution favour those who have come-to-steal-tuition fee,

and not to improve the system

making the purpose of education gradually slip away.

Most Students now get high on weed not high on book

cause the government fail to provide enough books

to make them understand that weed is not what they need.

I believe if this issue is not addressed urgently

and investing in education is not taking seriously

then our leaders of tomorrow

will be robbers of tomorrow

on the highway pointing a gun at your head

demanding for your hard earned money or worst of all, your life

Are we pretending not to know the amount of money flowing like a menstrual period in their swiss account?

For their unborn children?

This is absurd

confusing like the mathematics topic Surd.

Please let us talk

cause if we don’t

illiteracy will become our children school leaving certificate certified by our supposed wisdom

in not demanding for education be made the foundation stone of the country.

I told you the truth can be hard to swallow

So choke on this

Cause the pill is bigger than that of Panadol

 

Written and performed at War Of Words Season 4 Slam Poetry Competition 2014 by Paul Word (Winner of War Of Words 4).

SEE AN EXCERPT OF PAUL WORD'S KIND ADVICE PUBLISHED IN 2023, NINE YEARS AFTER HIS DEBUT 2014 PERFORMANCE BELOW:

 DON’T MAKE THIS MISTAKE I MADE

If I had one thing to say to the younger me who started performance poetry in 2014, I would say

“Know your audience”

One thing I didn't know back then was that my audience isn't everybody. Not everyone would relate to my poem. Not everyone would snap at my poems. Not everyone would say my poems are the best.

These made me write poems that were mostly not true to me and true to the kind of audience I wanted.

But as I grow and I began to learn and come to an understanding of my voice (not the sound that passes through my vocal cord) I began to understand who my audience is.

Have you ever thought that maybe the reason why you’re struggling with your craft is that you don't haven't found your voice?

Your voice brings into perspective who your kind of audience is.

Find your voice and you'll find your audience.