Stranded assets, a nation in jeopardy
Stranded assets, a lost generation of youths
Stranded assets, elders gone mad and sold off the national assets
Stranded assets, given away the Oil blocks, divvied up Oil subsidies
Stranded assets, in Dubai, London, New York, Geneva, Cape Town
I was born in Enugu, the city on the hill, Eastern Nigeria, 1956
My baby brother was born in 1960 his name is Nigeria
I was born full of hope and a bright future
I witnessed the birth of my baby brother Nigeria
He was full of hope and a bright future
Stranded Assets, a nation in jeopardy
Stranded assets, a lost generation of my people
Enugu the city of Coal, Coal the fuel of the Industrial Revolution
Coal that powered the Steam engine, grew a city, a nation
Coal that powered an economy, started the engine of planet Earth
Coal our first stranded asset, replaced by natural gas and diesel
Coal our dirtiest fuel that coined the phrase Stranded Asset
Stranded Assets, a nation in jeopardy
Stranded assets, a lost generation of my people
Then 1963 happened, Oloibiri happened
Port Harcourt awakened, Warri awakened
Niger Delta happened, Oil industry happened
Everyone abandoned the farm for the Oil derrick
We became a nation of Oil marketers, Oil hucksters
Stranded Assets, a nation in jeopardy
Stranded assets, a lost generation of my people
Then the Civil War happened
The Igbo man in a Yoruba body left for Ifon, then Ibadan
Left for Adeoyo, then Jericho, then Warri
Then Federal Government College Warri
Places of healing, redemption and education
Stranded Assets, a nation in jeopardy
Stranded Assets, a lost generation of my people
Then Corruption was born in the womb of Nigeria
Oil blocks were divvied up, Oil Subsidies were invented
Those who had no Oil blocks got Oil subsidies
Those who had no Oil Subsidies had a party to join
The Party spread the goodies in suitcases full of cash money
Stranded Assets, a nation in jeopardy
Stranded Assets, a lost generation of my people
With the nation gone mad we prayed for the Oil to dry up, 1983
Then The Almighty answered, I can do better than that, June 2014
Stranded Oil, Stranded Assets, Stranded Nation
After 7 years of plenty Crude Oil at $100-150 per barrel
Now 7 years of famine Crude Oil at $25-50 per barrel
Stranded Assets, a nation in jeopardy
Stranded Assets, a lost generation of my people
The Elders have wired the Oil profits to Dubai, Johannesburg
They have invested the Oil profit for themselves in Spain
In America, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Canada
Stranded Assets, Stranded Future, Stranded Economy
Stranded Development, Lost Opportunity, Lost Generation
Stranded Assets, a nation in jeopardy
Stranded Assets, a lost generation of my people
Then with no investments at home in Nigeria
With no jobs for the Youth, the future of the nation state
Yahoo Yahoo Boys, Blackberry Boys, Emergency Contractors
Advance Fee fraudsters, Internet Café Mavens
Corruption on steroids, high-octane corruption
Stranded Assets, a nation in jeopardy
Stranded Assets, a lost generation of my people
What to make of a Stranded Nation 2016
What of to make of Corrupt Justices, Judges, Magistrates
What to make of Corrupt Churches, Pastors, and Imams
What to make of Corrupt Principals, Teachers, and Students
What to make of Corrupt of Generals, Field Marshalls, and Commodores
What of make of Corrupt Presidents, Governors, Senators
Stranded Assets, a nation in jeopardy
Stranded Assets, a lost generation of my people
Oil is a Curse, Oil is a loadstone 2016
Oil is like beauty it is ephemeral
Oil is not an economy, Oil is the new coal
Oil is the new Stranded Asset
Oil is being replaced by Alternative energy
Wind, Solar, Thermal, Wave energy
Stranded Assets, a nation in jeopardy
Stranded Assets, a lost generation of my people
Stranded Nation, Stranded Economy
Stranded Youth, Lost Generation
Stranded Development, Lost Opportunity
Stranded Elders, Gone crazy and invested offshore
Stranded People, Lost in a haze of finger pointing.
Josh Kafanchan
La Selva Beach, California
