SHE IS…

By Jasper “Kido” Sabuni (@KidoJapa)

She may have never been
More of an intellectual
Like Rosa Luxemburg, Mama Demere and Dada Marjorie,
But an intellect she has always been
And her intellectual gene
Definitely, super-flows in me,
She obviously wore no beret,
She was no Nina Simone and Angela Davis
But she’s definitely more of a fighter
A panther, of her own
As she wore her khanga
And still conquered the world,
She definitely didn’t rise
To the talent and artistry levels
Of Siti Bint Saad,
Nor did she have the splendid voice
Of Miriam Makeba, Carola Kinasha and Dada Jide Jay Dee,
But she sang to me songs of comfort and praises
That thrilled and ignited my passion
And filled me with eternal bliss,
She might not have had the magnificent hands
Of Martha Mutasiwa and Frida Khalo,
But she is more of a painter
As she canvassed my eyes
With images of possibilities
And those gave me the strength to move on,
She has never stepped foot
On the greatest platforms,
The UN General Assembly and so forth,
Like Asha-Rose Migiro and Gertrude Mongella,
But her footsteps have blossomed
The ordinary lives
Beyond the heights of Beijing and Geneva,
She might not be
Bibi Titi Mohamed and Emma Mashinini,
Lakini…
She has been more of a strategist,
An organizer…
Who hated and condemned oppression
Within her locality,
She surely hasn’t been any kind of
Assata Shakur, Rosa Parks or Winnie Madikizela,
But fierce and fury she was
And ever has been,
At times even more than Stella Nyanzi,
Never would she compromise
In the question of rights and justice,
She never was a guerilla,
Never was she a Josina or Sakine Cansiz,
But for nine months and beyond
She has always been
My Commander in Chief
In all times of war and peace,
She might not be…
Saluted, Celebrated and Elevated
Like Mama Samia Suluhu Hassan,
But one thing I know is…
She is my Mheshimiwa
And I respect her, for who she is,
She is my Hero
She is my Shero,
And she is none other…
She is My Mother!

©2020 Jasper “Kido” Sabuni
@KidoJapa