Ifedolapo Ogunniyi

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.

In the golden hues of yesteryears,
Where memories whispered and shadows danced,
I found you, my love, after all these years,
And now our souls intertwine, hand in hand.

Reminiscing upon our days of old,
When innocence painted our youthful hearts,
We roamed through fields of stories untold,
In a world that forever set us apart.

Do you recall those endless sunny days?
We chased the butterflies in fields so wide,
Laughing freely, lost in childhood’s maze,
As our spirits soared, side by side.

Oh, my love, let me take you back,
To the secret places we used to explore,
Where the river’s laughter flowed along its track,
And the fragrant meadows embraced us once more.

We will revisit the old oak tree, so grand,
Where we carved our names in eternal pledge,
As we promised, hand in hand,
To never let go, on the edge of life’s ledge.

And do you remember the hidden cove,
Where we built castles with shells and sand?
Our dreams washed ashore with the tides above,
As we wished upon stars, hand in hand.

The whispers of the wind will guide us anew,
To the hill where we gazed at the setting sun,
With hearts entwined, our love forever true,
Our souls entangled, two souls made one.

I promise you now, my dear childhood love,
I will never leave you again, come what may,
Through life’s tempests, we will rise above,
Together, forever, in love’s purest display.

So let us dance upon memories’ stage,
And write a new chapter in our tale,
With love as our guide, an eternal gauge,
We will embark on a journey, beyond any veil.

In this reminiscence of dreams once held,
I have found my way back to your tender embrace,
And through the echoes of time, our love is compelled,
To dance, to soar, in an everlasting chase.

© Ifedolapo Ogunniyi

Living in a world full of tempests and thunder,
Two souls found love, their hearts torn asunder.
Hand in hand, they vowed to brave the strife,
Through the storms of life, together, for life.

(Chorus)
Oh, they made a promise, firm and true,
To face the trials, no matter how they grew.
In this sacred union, they took their stand,
United forever, hand in hand.

He bore a secret burden, heavy and deep,
A truth he feared would make their love weep.
Sterile, he was, unable to bring forth a child,
Yet, their bond remained strong, their love never defiled.

(Chorus)
Oh, they made a promise, firm and true,
To face the trials, no matter how they grew.
In this sacred union, they took their stand,
United forever, hand in hand.

Together they weathered the judgments and doubts,
The whispers that echoed, casting shadows of clouds.
But she, with unwavering love in her heart,
Promised to stay by his side, never to part.

(Bridge)
For love knows no bounds, nor limitations,
It transcends life’s trials and expectations.
Their journey continued, as a united force,
Facing each tempest, staying on course.

(Chorus)
Oh, they made a promise, firm and true,
To face the trials, no matter how they grew.
In this sacred union, they took their stand,
United forever, hand in hand.

Through the years, they found solace in one another,
Creating a home, filled with love like no other.
Though their path was different from what they’d dreamed,
Their love burned bright, a beacon it seemed.

(Chorus)
Oh, they made a promise, firm and true,
To face the trials, no matter how they grew.
In this sacred union, they took their stand,
United forever, hand in hand.

(Outro)
So let their story be a testament to all,
That love endures, even when barriers fall.
For in the face of storms, they remained unswayed,
Together they triumphed, come what may.

© Ifedolapo Ogunniyi

A peep into my soul, a lion resides,
Beneath a calm exterior, where sweetness resides.
But mark my words, dear ones, and take heed,
Never mistake my kindness for a gentle breeze.

I walk with grace, a lamb in this realm,
But hidden within, a fierce fire overwhelms.
For within this heart beats a powerful force,
A lion’s spirit, unyielding and untamed, of course.

Beware, those who underestimate my might,
For when the lion in me roars in the night,
A blaze ignites, fierce and ablaze,
Reducing my foes to ashes in its fiery haze.

So, remember, dear friends, with caution you tread,
For the lion in me will rise from its bed.
Respect my kindness, for it is not weak,
For when the lion roars, devastation it shall wreak.

Never take for granted this lamb’s gentle tone,
For beneath it all, a lion fiercely roams.
And when the inferno is unleashed, my foes shall see,
The power and strength that reside in the lion in me.

© Ifedolapo Ogunniyi