Back in Doddan barracks, I stood so tall,
A young soldier, answering the war’s call,
With dreams of honor and valor, I embarked,
On a journey that forever left its mark.
No Victor, No Vanquished, the battle cry,
Through gunfire and fear, we’re bound to try,
The guns may blaze, the bombs may explode,
But deep in our hearts, courage bestowed.
Through fields of sorrow, my comrades we marched,
To face the unknown, where shadows were arched,
With each step, the weight of duty pressed,
A soldier’s heart beats, fueled by fierce unrest.
No Victor, No Vanquished, we held our ground,
Amidst the chaos, hope could still be found,
Through bloodshed and loss, we stood side by side,
Together we fought, with courage as our guide.
Gunshots echoed, piercing the silent night,
As we waged our battles, in darkness we would fight,
Comrades fell, their lives taken away,
Their sacrifice remembered, till my dying day.
The smoke cleared, the enemy defeated,
But victory was bittersweet, our souls depleted,
For in my veins, a price I had to pay,
A handicapped leg, a reminder every day.
No Victor, No Vanquished, the battles won,
But scars remain, etched beneath the sun,
We return home, with pain we carry within,
For in war, there are no victors, only kin.
I stand before you, with a limb that is now weak,
A symbol of sacrifice, where words cannot speak,
But I am a soldier, steadfast and strong,
Though I bear a burden, I will carry on.
No Victor, No Vanquished, the war is past,
But memories linger, a shadow they cast,
In the face of adversity, we’ll rise above,
For in unity and love, we’ll find true love.
No Victor, No Vanquished, let peace be found,
In the hearts of all, where wars are unwound,
May my journey serve as a timeless refrain,
To remind us that humanity must always remain
© Ifedolapo Ogunniyi
NB:
The Biafra Tragedy lasted thirty months and ended in January 1970. In accepting Biafra’s unconditional cease-fire, Gowon declared that there would be NO VICTOR and NO VANQUISHED.
Ifedolapo Ogunniyi 