Banky W surprised the audience at an MTN Charity Event this morning by reciting this poem entitled “Verse to the Girl Child“. The verse was inspired by a quote from UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon. The poem and the way Banky delivered it elicited an emotional response from the audience at the event so we thought to share with you.
VERSE TO THE GIRL CHILD
What frightens the extremists and really gives them the spooks? There’s nothing scarier to them than a girl with a book Not a soldier, or a bomb, or a gun, or a landmine There’s nothing more dangerous than her enlightened mind So they kidnap, and enslave, and try to stand in her way And they rape, and oppress and try to make her afraid Because they know, that for sure, she’ll grow up one day And when that day comes, she’ll be strong enough to bring change.
So respect to the girl child, you’ve got grown men scared of you Salute to our future Chimamandas, and our Tiwa Savages too To our future Oprah Winfreys and our Maya Angelous Because we know you will grow, and your success is inevitable .
They can try to fight it, and they can try to deny They can kidnap at night, and they can try to terrorise But may nothing and noone ever succeed in snuffing out your light And that little light of yours, will one day shine bright They say the truth will set you free, well this is the gospel truth There’s nothing more powerful than a girl with a book.
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