Say a prayer
for that father who just
got his sack letter handed
over to him by his pot-bellied
boss because he refused
to change the figures on
the company's payroll.
Who now returns home
to face four hungry looking
faces and a nagging wife.
Say a prayer
for that mother who just
returned from the market
with foodstuffs, ready to
prepare dinner for five
starving children who rejoice
at her return unknown to
them that dinner was a result
of the sale of mother's only
wrapper to her best friend,
because her name had not
appeared on the workers
payroll because her salary
had already been paid to a
ghost worker.
Say a prayer
for that university final
year student who will
not be proceeding to
law school with his mates
because her project work
and academic file could
not be found since she
had refuse to meet up
with her project supervisor
at his private hotel last night.
Say a prayer
for that child coming
home from school at
8:15am because he has
been driven home for
fees after his name had
been switched for that
of the village head's son
since his poor widowed
mother could not afford
to grease the palms of the
government scholarship
officier.
Say a prayer
for that pregnant woman
screaming in pains at home
because the government
hospital had no equipment
to perform a c.s. on her and
had transferred her to nearest
private hospital, who in turn
turned her away because she
could not pay the hospital
bills as provided by hospital
policy.
Let's all come together
devoid of tribe, tongue
race, colour, religion, sex,
ideology, belief and ideas
to say a prayer for all those
who have come under the
painful whip and lashes of
the faceless monster called
CORRUPTION.