The Poetrium of the New Bini-Verse

Lyrics

NIU BINIVAX The Poetrium of the New Bini-Verse A Folklore with Ancestral Proverbs THE SIX ROADS: POETRIUM CHAIN Proverb: "The river that forgets its source will soon forget its flow." Before di road, before di load, before di drum learn hand, Memory hum low, di seed dey grow, she dey seed di land. She kneel for red clay, press seed to stay, bronze dey sleep below, She say, "Walk forward, my children, but carry di root as you go." Beginning find di spring before di praise take flight, Believing hold di dream and keep di spirit bright. Becoming learn to bend, to listen, and to grow, Building turn memory to bridges wey tomorrow go know. Belonging lay di table, make room for every face, Bequeathing plant tomorrow, leave di young ones shade and grace. Proverb: "A tree is known by its fruit; a people by what they leave behind." THE SOVEREIGN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT To GOD, the First and the Last. Dedicated to the fallen heroes of the Lekki Toll Gate. I. THE INVOCATION To di First and di Last, we bow before Your throne, Source before di seed, before di dust, before di stone. Keeper of di dawn, Hand wey hold di night, Be di lamp for di ones wey lost dia light. (For di fallen heroes of Lekki Toll Gate) Evening fall, di sky turn gold, young hearts bold, Flag dey wave, phone dey glow, dreams dey grow, Dem wan see Nigeria learn to flow, Di song wey dem carry, di whole land go know. II. THE GATHERING Proverb: "However long the night, the dawn will break." Lord, hold di wounded, hold di ones wey wait, Hold di ones wey fear, di ones wey carry weight. Make truth walk open, make justice stand tall, Make mercy and memory answer di call. IIILEAD: When dem lock di gate and dem try to silence di sound, who go write di name wey dem bury for ground? CHOIR: JUJU’S MAGNUM POETRIUM! LEAD: With a pen for a weapon and a prayer for a shield, I go carry di truth through di hurt wey dem feel. CHOIR: Memory no dey die—memory dey rise! Truth no dey sleep—truth dey open eyes! LEAD: From di pain to di page, from di page to di flame, I no write for revenge—I write to reclaim. CHOIR: Magnum Poetrium—carry di light! Magnum Poetrium—write through di night! ALL: From Lekki to di world, make di echo remain— di names, di hope, di truth, di pain. One pen, one people, one memory strong LEAD: When dem lock di gate and dem try to silence di sound, who go write di name wey dem bury for ground? CHOIR: Proverb: "A home without its child is a drum without its hand." One plate dey wait, one door dey face, One family dey search for an empty space. Mama hum di song her child sing at di table, Silence dey heavy, di future unstable. No photograph fit measure di depth of di pain, But love dey call through sunshine and rain. Hold every mother, make every father know, Dia children's dreams still deserve to grow. IV. THE NAMES Proverb: "A name spoken with love is a lamp that cannot be put out." Sons and daughters, dem get names, dem be flames, No be numbers, no be shames, no be games. Speak dia hopes, make dia humanity remain, Let truth outlive di grief and di pain. V. THE PRAYER Proverb: "The elder's word is a bridge; cross it with care." Father, heal di hurt, make justice draw near, Give comfort to di grieving, give courage through fear. Let mercy bring healing, let truth speak plain, Make Nigeria learn from di sorrow and pain. VI. THE RECKONING Proverb: "Where there is no witness, the wise become the evidence." Dem say, "Forget am!" We say, "We owe di debt," Di debt of answers, di truth we no go forget. Make document speak, make testimony be heard, Make evidence stand, make justice keep its word. Corroboration before conclusion, No false account, no rushed solution. We no seek revenge, we seek truth and right, Make accountability stand in di light. VII. THE PUNCHLINE Proverb: "What is buried in faith does not die; it grows." Dem try to bury di brave, but dem bury seed, Seed grow, truth show, di whole land go read. No gun fit shoot di song, no night fit hold di dawn, Di ones wey fall dey rise in di lives we carry on! VII-B. THE LIVING TESTIMONY (READ-ALOUD) Proverb: "What the community remembers, the community becomes." (Low voice. Bass only. Breathe at every slash.) Come close, / sit low, / make I talk small, No beat, / no noise, / just di truth for all. If you see di mama, / hold her hand, If you see di young one, / help am stand. No let di story / sleep inside di grave, Say di name, / tell di tale, / na so we save. (Whisper) Di ones wey fall... / dey rise. (One drumbeat. Silence.) VIII. THE SEAL Proverb: "The path of the ancestor is not a cage; it is a lamp for the traveller." Sleep well, young hearts, di song go stay, We go sing am gentle till di break of day. Beginning, we remember. Believing, we commit. Becoming, we evolve. Building, we create. Belonging, we unite. Bequeathing, we continue. Let JiNG & BiNG be JiNG & BiNG. Because GOD is in love with JiNG & BiNG! GOD IS IN THE WORK AS AFRO-JUJU CONTINUES.