Let’s care for our tomorrow, “The African Child’ – A poem by Fatai ADEWUYI

Let’s care for our tomorrow, “The African Child’ – A poem by Fatai ADEWUYI

“The African Child” is a poem by Fatai Adewuyi, (not to be confused by “The African child,” an autobiographical French novel by Camara Laye published in 1953). This poem is written to sensitize Africans on the need to consider the plight of the African children, in order to prepare them for the crucial task of the future.

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The poem has six stanzas:

Vulnerable and completely neglected, eft and found African child in this part of the world African as products of circumstances, they are abused and subjected to defilement, early hands in marriage, teenage pregnancy, female genital mutilation, trokosi, street hawking, trafficking and kidnapping. Yet they are our hearts desire, God-given gifts to be cherished and catered for. To them belong the kingdom of God.
With this gentle smile let us show them love, with these kisses let us remove their tears. An injury to them is an injury to us. Whoever loves them loves us. And whoever hates them hates us.
Let’s look inside their minds to find the roots causes of their behaviors. Let’s provide them with appropriate moral training and learning experience for them to assume their rightful positions as future leaders. For they are our present joy and future hope.

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NGOs, opinion leaders, government agencies and every discerning mind, the plights of the African child should be our ultimate concern. Let’s awake from our slumber and start caring for the African child.
A nation that neglects its young folks toys with the law of extinction. As the future looks bleak if the present is mortgaged. A nation develops by the quality of its young folk. For a porcupine sucks the breast of its child at old age.
Let’s care for the African child for a candle loses not its light by lighting another candle.