Beginning from the popular bus stop, there was no attempt from the government to rehabilitate. Even the road that link to other neighbouring communities including the bridge under construction, has been abandoned.
All the houses and neighborhood are all painted with red sand, because the government has for years write off "Ifo" and other related areas the poor settled; from anything that has to do with development.
People are seen as bones in the plate of "politicians" whenever they need them, they go for them like KFC. This has created a deep cut in the mind of hundreds, thousands, residing in the community.
It has left them to continue licking their sore immediately the hawks left for the palace. The whole story becomes ashes people eat day and night, using their saliva to write ballad songs to heal their soul.
Four years is a big wound "Ifo" can't hardly forget. How Politicians have used in the name of politics to pave way for themselves. This has created a perception that people hardly believe who says this or that.
And beginning from the "flag off" ground, they marched in the red dust, which has made cloud over them. Holding flags and posters of the face of a party in Socialist Party of Nigeria. Calling out people to vote this socialist fighter nicked name "Soweto".
To vote the programme of the Socialist Party of Nigeria. To vote for Ifo to be free from impoverished policies. Most importantly, to build an alternative to wrestle power.
The echo of this shook a lot of people who doesn't have the appetite to listen to any political talk, because of past sweeten words that yield nothing. Many in the thick red sand, were only interested in their petty trade.
They watches the faces of those circulating paper, holding posters, and chanting songs to awaken the area. People especially at one popular market, wanting to, at least, listen to what they have to say.
While this tore the veil of Ifo, from street to street, houses to houses already painted with the angry dust, where faces there sworn to stone words to those who had dug grave for Ifo years ago; abandoning to do the needful.
An old woman who heard the sound of this chanted songs, walked out of her house to know what was it all about. She thought it was the usual noise or those politicians, who come only when they need the people abandoned.
The woman, whose age will be around 75, was overwhelmed with what she saw. Groups of people: women, men and the young circulating piece of paper, talking to people about why they were here.
Saying things she thought might not be new to her. Why "they" must fight to free Ifo. Telling them about the country failing and what is breaking it. What must be done to rescue it and how to combat it?
Where she stood, she strife to see the face clearly (probably age telling on her).....not until a copy of the "paper" was given to her. After reading it, the woman of 75 called the attention of one of the supporter to vomit her heart in their palm.
Omo omi, jo mofe be re iko ni? Quickly a mic was given to her to ask her question. She started with....."I have read what you distributed about what your party say they will do if.....".
But I have a question to ask the person standing as face of this egbe. "please, who is the person standing and for what?" A reply was immediately offer to her from where the van was, where the candidate was with other supporters, fighters: socialists.
Iya, awo re. She stood in front of her house (I guess), across the other side of the road, the van was. In her sharp and eloquent voice she ignite her speech.
In her angry eyes she spoke....since 1979, this road was last constructed. It has been the last. What we have seen are "politicians" coming around to harvest for the farming period. They tell us lies about what they can't do.
They tell us the impossible. You can see, she said. "this road had long been abandoned. Your party, with what I read as its programme.....I will support. I will support because I see light in it". She says this with fire in her eyes in native language.
While she broke the kernel with her voice. Why already she has given her "support". The 75 year lady speaking with pain shown all over her body, rain the bitter side of politics, of how they the mass has become "bones" for politician's dog.
According to her. "Awolowo ti sope. Da ba ja fu rawa. Ani lo any where". She says this believing on these words, which the "socialists" also punches that Ifo must fight to free itself and the country at large to have equal plan society.
By
Davy Fidel
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