~by Goodness Felix-Adebayo.
Ever seen a martyr before?
Laughs in the face of danger, and speaks his mind.
Everything a martyr means, except the death part.
He is the tale as bold as time.
Ever seen a revolutionary?
Revolts against the injustices without being awry,
Ready for the losses, so he saves the best for a will.
He is the tale as bold as time.
Ever seen a torchbearer before?
Lights up the torch himself without a care that he might also get burnt,
Often setting himself ablaze so that others can see the light!
He is the tale as bold as time.
Ever seen a reformer, dissident and liberator?
His words freely get everyone in formation,
His being we pray every salvation.
He is the tale as bold as time.
Boasts of smartness must follow with the confrontation of the abuse of power.
What other thing to do than speak up against social inequality?
The pyrate confraternity, although mis-managed as cultism.
He is the tale as bold as time.
Do you remember his voice at the radio station?
How passionately, urgently refusing manipulation.
Winning the voters’ choice for audacity in the election,
He is the tale as bold as time.
Locked away in a cell for choosing diplomatic dialogues,
Locked away for acts that could have erased an historical loss of love,
Locked away, but oh! Well, he made the prison an intellectual cell.
He is the tale as bold as time.
Denied his instruments of voice, and isolated his pen.
The truth-teller must always find a way to set himself free.
Using scraps, packets and toilet tissue; eventually birthing more instruments for creative speaking.
He is the tale as bold as time.
Activism and empowerment so loud, neighboring countries became free.
Every violation of human rights, a violation of his every being.
Apartheid, racism, political repression, colonial rule, religious extremism or even as much as bat an eye.
He is the tale as bold as time.
“A society without a free press cannot remain free”,
One thing you got to love is the fact that he speaks the truth to every government.
Concoct another tenure in your grey hairs, you are still not his mate.
He is the tale as bold as time.
Imprisonment, solitary confinement, censorship, political attacks, assassination threats, years of exile and a death sentence.
The price for patriotism was his freedom.
Yet he did not stop, yet he survived them all.
Long Live The Tale As Bold As Time!