The Maafa (Slave Trade Twist) By St Chidi Poem by Saint Chidi

Hands chained
Feet fettered
Emotions battered
Hope barracooned
Identity shattered
Homage marred
Families left behind

They marched for days, barefooted
From Dahormey to Badagry
From Calabar to Bonny camp
Until the stop of the unfamiliar sea
And they wonder if they'll ever see home again
But as they turned to at least say goodbye
Their heart completely broken
Only to see that those who help to sell them out
Were people who looked exactly like them

It is true that our history is complicated
Because no one ever told us the complete truth
They said the white men came with their blackness
And took us slaves to a no man's land
But how come, no one never talked about
The greed of the Oyo Empire
And their raiding army
The Agojie soldiers of Dahormey
And their captive bait
No one talked about the Great Benin kingdom
And the marchandize of Brass manilas
In exchange for those they call their own

It is true that the white men built the ship
But it was our own that helped to fill it up
So before you point at the white man
For taking us slaves from our tropics
Let's not forget it was our own who sold us
All for the gold, silver, and ivory
Before we change the narative
Let's not forget
It's the same blood we spill over
We would finally step on