why must we be shrouded
    perforce in strange syllables
    whose morphology is gartered 
    in inconsistency?
    why should one of two rivers 
    of the same vigour 
    coerce the other 
    to stoop 
    
     it is forbidden, strange
     for an Iroko
     to grow out of Apa
     why must we crucify 
     our sanyan
     for the whiteman's linen
     forgeting that
     our house is found
     beside the river

   And like the cow
   to the slaugther house
   we are dragged on ...
   in borrowed morphemes
   and we changed our tongues
   to poseurs of inconstant syllables
   where man's plural is not mans but men 
   and pronounce must we
   like one suffering from a tongue disease
   before our Egungun is certified
   by his acolyte

   God grant us the strength 
   to see ourselves... 

******
Africans let's develop our languages

                 Note
  Egungun  Masquarade
  Apa      A type of hard wood
  Iroko    A type of hard wood
  Sanyan   A very thick cloth