Published:

Sep 2, 2025

· 2 min read

Poetry

YOBE

Salamatu Habu Bida

1 Publication

View author

The voice of my grandmother,

Firm and eternal in my mind,

Sings mirthfully of a land,

As peaceful as the dew-mist of an evening sky.

She called it the mother of lands

A cradle of beauty, strong and kind.

In those days, I was a toddler,

Lost between dreams and daydreams.

Was it a memory, or mere imagination?

For in my mind’s eye lay a land,

A realm of pride, the Pride of the Sahel,

Green and alive, where the soil breathed in abundance.

I saw a united broom,

A tapestry of Fulani and Hausa,

Badawa and Kanuri,

Ngizim and Karai-karai,

Dancing to the rhythm of shared heritage.

The land of dry savanna,

Yet, rich with beauty and grace.

There, River Yobe flowed with ancient whispers,

The mighty Komadougou cradled life along its banks.

Fishes swarmed like bees,

And the desert held its quiet hope,

Tulo-Tulo Oases wrapped in palm trees,

Caravans tracing the paths of trans-Saharan trade.

But no longer am I a toddler,

Nor a soul lost in dreams.

I now see Yobe as it truly stands,

Its treasures buried beneath neglect,

Its skies heavy with an unfulfilled promise.

The gypsum of Fune lies untouched,

Trona and limestone of Fika forgotten,

Kaolin rests unnoticed in Gulani and Gujba,

While potash and bentonite whisper in vain,

Calling out from the sands of Geidam, Yunusari, and Machina.

The laughter fades,

Replaced by hunger’s echo at every door.

The schools stand crippled,

The smiles dim,

And the spirit of the land, weary.

Yet still, I dream.

Yobe, my pride, my home, my hope,

You are a phoenix in waiting,

Your riches will rise, and our people will bloom.

The hands that steal your soil will unite,

Turning your dust to gold,

Your youth to builders,

And your pain to power.

Oh Yobe, the mother of lands,

Your tomorrow is a seed,

Planted in the hearts of your children.

We will rise with you,

Breathe life into your

hidden treasures,

And cradle your spirit, firm and proud.

Salamatu Bida is an educator and an aspiring writer (poet) with a passion for storytelling that drives social impact. She is a graduate of English and literary studies and also a tutor. Her hobbies include reading, henna art, and organising youth-led conversations.