The Slave Drivers, by Ibrahim Chiroma (Ba’aba)

The Slave Drivers, by Ibrahim Chiroma (Ba’aba)

Who said the Slaveships are gone?
That slavery is dead.
The slaves are free
I saw a slave ship standing tall in New York
I saw a glass slave ship in Hong Kong
I saw a concreate ship of booty
Standing above all
Daring everyone and everything.

The Slave Masters are alive
Clothed by tailors of Savile row
In the best wools of Africa
The finest cotton of India.
Silk neck ties from the worms of Japan
Smoking the finest tobacco of Cuba
Drinking the great teas of China.
Laughing at the fools below.

The obedient working man.
The just sufficiently educated man.
The man Friday of Industry.
The modern slave of capital
Just smart enough for labour
Just smart enough to be conditioned
To be programmed and controlled.

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Daily watching the T.V screen
Eager to see the latest celluloid fantasy
The new chains of slavery
pounded and perfected in Hollywood.
The mind benders of poor souls
Lost to consumption and freedom
Trapped in the Eateries of gluttony
Double, Triple Dekker sandwiches
Pizza’s of fat, salt and sweets
Even their palates drools
at the sweet tongues of the salesman.
Selling death disguised as nourishment
Glamourised life of consumption and acquisition

The Masters of the Universe
Had taken away their lives
With a plastic card
Card for everything.
Cards of debt
Cards of despair and control
Cards of slavery.
Oh yes the slaves are very much around.
Only now they are of all hues
Junketing happily to their slave masters
Zooming back and forth from slave labour.

Living in the delusion of freedom.
Eating too much, drinking too much.
Living for the Slave Master, Sales man and Doctors.

The Slaves are well fed now
Rotund, Heavy, Sluggish
Full of fat and Junk
Automated to work, eat and work
Living the illusion of a superior
Life style.
The slave Masters are thin, slick and healthy.
Eating the best dishes grown from the
humus of Africa.
Watching the slaves from Glass and
Golden skyscrapers.
watching the index of their wealth
Scheming the distribution of neo slaves.
Scheming how to steal souls and nations.
How to steal the stones, sands
And resources of Africa.
The Super Powers
thrive on the blood of other nations
the toil of humans.
The robbery of labour and resources.
Extinguishing any life of resistance.

Ba’aba Ibrahim, a former Director PRS and Budget in the Federal Judicial Service Commission, writes from Abuja.