THE NIGHT SANGO CAME TO UJAGBE. By Suleiman Agbonkhianmen Buhari (Nigeria)
Electricity and Firebrand Christianity came hand in hand
To my village, “Spirit of Fire” churches and electric poles
Were erected simultaneously throughout Ujagbe.
And in their bid to prove that our old gods were made of myths,
Clay and nothing more, a group of recently converted fanatics,
Doubly charged by Real-life and Television preachers, ran through
Our sacred shrines, smashing figurines and declaring an end to paganism.
Our people impressed by their audacity and emboldened
By the lack of retribution joined the insomnic fanatics
As they marched through the streets declaring “Ujagbe for Christ.”
A few nights after the desecration, Sango came down to Ujagbe
In a blackout-preceding surge, in a vandalistic thunderstorm
Whose howling winds swayed trees, unthatched roofs,
Pulled down poles and mangled antennae.
Some say Sango’s robes were red, dyed in the blood of sacrifice,
Others said he looked fluorescent clad in a lightning emitting white
Some say the Orisha walked alone,
Others said because he was an Alaafin of Oyo in life,
A regiment of howling horsemen still heralded his coming
In death and it was the prancing of this cadre of Ethereal Equestrians
That made the holes in our roofs through which
The windswept water came neighing into our rooms.
Some say they saw Sango axing down the electric poles,
Others say the poles Doba’led; laid prostrate in his presence,
As he calmly strolled through Ujagbe, towards his desecrated shrine sildenafil citrate 100mg.
And when he got there he ascended in a bolt of Reverse Lightning,
Whose reverberating thunder rippled through our village
Shattering windows, Drinking glasses and Television screens.
Leaving behind a trail of Glittering glass and the seamlessly
Reassembled figurines our people bowed to in the morning.