Here’s a a poem Banky W wrote and recited earlier today at an MTN event in Lagos. Read below…
Verse To The Girl Child
What frightens the extremists and really gives them the spooks?
There’s nothing scarier to them than a girl with a book
Not a soldier, or a bomb, or a gun, or a landmine
There’s nothing more dangerous than her enlightened mind
So they kidnap, and enslave, and try to stand in her way
And they rape, and oppress and try to make her afraid
Because they know, that for sure, she’ll grow up one day
And when that day comes, she’ll be strong enough to bring change
So respect to the girl child, you’ve got grown men scared of you
Salute to our future Chimamanda’s, and our Tiwa Savage’s too
To our future Oprah Winfrey’s and our Maya Angelou’s
Because we know you will grow, and your success is inevitable
They can try to fight it, and they can try to deny
They can kidnap at night, and they can try to terrorise
But may nothing and noone ever succeed in snuffing out your light
And that little light of yours, will one day shine bright
They say the truth will set you free, well this is the gospel truth
There’s nothing more powerful than a girl with a book
By Banky W
Inspired by a quote from UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon