My Father Invested A Lot In Our Formal Education

 My Father Invested a Lot in Our Formal Education

My father invested a lot in our formal education;

He paid with income from his low-cadre civil service job,

Each term, with more than four children at his beckon and call.

My father invested a lot in our formal education;

But the dividend of education I'm earning is far less,

Yes, the gap between my father's pain and my gain is far wide.

My father invested a lot in our formal education;

A super father, a hero every child deserves to have,

But never had the chance to inquire how he was able to do it.

My father invested a lot in our formal education;

We resumed each term with resumption payment slips and receipts,

We resumed each term with local government tax receipts.

My father invested a lot in our formal education;

Fifteen exercise books, fifteen textbooks, plus storybooks added,

Plus pencils, pen, drawing book, cleaner, crayons neatly added.

My father invested a lot in our formal education;

With new socks and water bottles, plates and spoons for every term,

Plus new baskets and brooms and cutlass and hoe for every term.

My father invested a lot in our formal education;

From Common Entrance, Junior WAEC, to WAEC, GCE and JAMB,

The burden grew too heavy and at last he passed away too soon.

My father invested a lot in our formal education;

In a country that devalues academic and intellectual growth,

In a country that prioritises poverty and mental slavery.