| Urhobo Historical Society |
Who
will be like Salubi?
By
Ochuko Tonukari
Where
is that butterfly?
Who
is fastened to his flowers
Who
took energy in giving the best
nectar
Who
showed her the best path to
tread
Where
is that single son
Whose
wisdom and wit
Is
more than a thousand proverbial
tortoise
Salubi�s
absence
has been felt
Since
he breath his last
His
words were like balmy breeze,
His
passage remained evergreen like
trees of the rain forest
His
love was like fluvial waters
that flows from a flavoured fountain
His
face, shining like the sun,
His
strength like that of a
hundred horses,
His
vision pierces all mountains of
difficulties,
His
feat, who can fathom?
Handling
task
that took many men to
do!
His fervour,
fuelled by force from within
Where
was triumph without him?
Where
was wisdom and wit without
him?
Where
was home without him?
Where
was joy, peace and laughter
without him?
He
was everything, Salubi,
And
every good thing comes from God
As he
came to earth by a cradle of
flesh
Kept
warm by a saddle of love
Nurtured
by
a heart of care
Waiting
in
earnest for the crack of
dawn
For
he knew he had the real blood of
Urhobo in him
For
as he ventured through the
darkest mountains,
He
leant on the thought of Urhobo!
Who
would be like Salubi?
Who
would die like Salubi?
Who
would fight like Salubi?
Who
would think like Salubi?
Who
would dare like Salubi?
Who
would shepherd like Salubi?
As
fear grips my gentle heart
Failure
stares
me in the face
Loneliness
surrounds
my place,
And
sadness chase me in the race,
Of
this present case and craze,
I
realized the loss of Salubi!
Who
would be like Salubi?
As
tomorrow nears and I lead Urhobonation to
light
giving
instruction
of wisdom to all,
Though
I
have no background of
value,
And
no beauty of speech and gait,
I
call on the name of Salubi!
Tell
me, who is like Salubi?
His
hope founded on love for us all,
By
his love he bore our pains,
By
his love he believed in us,
By
his love he absorbed our tears,
By
his love he gave his all for us!
Where
is that beacon of hope And
pillar of yesteryears!
Where
is that hero who have laid
down a fine legacy for us to follow?
What
an excellent precedence by a
president!
And
yet, see what comes after!
Where
are the willing hands?
Where
are those who will not only
look out for the gains?
Honestly,
tell
me what is greater
than the love of Salubi,
It is
only similar to the love of
our Lord,
Who
sits on the throne forever
Praise
be
to his name! Salubi!