PHENOMENAL AFRICAN YOUTH – TIME FOR CHANGE

IF I WERE TO WRITE MY SONG
TO A PLACE WHERE I BELONG
A PLACE SHIELDED
OF ALL THE PAIN YIELDED
THE LIVES OF AFRICAN PEOPLE
THE VOICE OF YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN
I STAND TALL TO LOOK INTO THEIR EYES
AND NOT FEEL A DISGUISE
THAT THESE DREAMS WE’LL REALIZE

BORN AND RAISED
IN THE HILLS OF LONGONOT
DARK AND BEAUTIFUL
BACK INTO THE HEART OF OUR MOTHERHOOD
STRUGGLE IN SCHOOL
AT TIMES NEVER HAD A SHOE
THE CLOTHES ALL THAT WE COULDN’T AFFORD ALL TATTERED
THE STRUGGLE TAINTED IN OUR SKIN
THE SUN SCORCHING
BUT NOTHING CAN STOP AN AFRICAN WOMAN AND MAN TO GET THINGS DONE
SAT IN THE STOOL LISTENED TO OUR GRANDPARENTS
ABOUT LEGENDS AND STORIES OF OUR HEROES
OUR COLOUR RUNS DEEP
STRONG WITH TALENT
BOLD AND ADMIRED
LUPITA NYONG’O
IN HER SPEECH AT THE OSCARS:

‘NO MATTER WHERE YOU FROM YOUR DREAMS ARE VALID’

OUR HEROES OUR LEGENDS
I SEE MYSELF AND STAND TALL
NELSON MANDELA
A LEADER OF STATURE
IMPRISONED AND TORTURED IN ROBBEN ISLAND
WITHOUT FEAR HE MADE HIS WAY TO FREEDOM
LET OUR LEADERS HAVE THE HUMILITY
AND BUILD OUR AFRICA
I STAND FOR THE OPPRESSED WHOSE VOICES ARE LOCKED WITHIN
ITS YOUR TIME TO BE SEEN
FOR GLORY AND MIGHT
SHOULD NOT DIMINISH YOUR SIGHT
BECAUSE EDUCATION IS THE ONLY WEAPON THAT CAN CHANGE THE WORLD

I ASPIRE TO BE BRAVE AND STAND FOR WOMEN AS AN ASPIRING LAWYER
THE PORTRAYAL OF THE BEAUTIFUL AND AMBITIOUS WOMAN AND NOT OBJECTIFICATION
FOR REALIZATION OF A BETTER AFRICA
OUR DEVELOPMENT STANDS IN OUR OWN HANDS
AS A KENYAN I CAN BUILD MY COUNTRY
HAVE FUNDS MAKE PLANS
EMPOWER YOUTH
PRESERVE CULTURE
TO MAKE OUR VISION 2030 ACHIEVED
NOT BE RELIEVED OR DECEIVED
THE FUTURE RESTS IN US
AND OUR ROLE TO PLAY IS TO ENABLE THE ECONOMY TO GROW

I STAND TALL
AND I BELIEVE THAT I WILL ACHIEVE
I STAND FOR DEMOCRACY AND REALIZATION THROUGH INTEGRITY
THE FRESHNESS OF OUR MINDS
TO BE THE BEST WE CAN
AND LIVE TO OUR POTENTIAL
DEEPLY ROOTED IN OUR CULTURE
OUR DREAMS WILL NURTURE
WOMEN LIKE THE LATE WANGARI MAATHAI
WE SHALL BE WOMEN OF STATURE
FULL OF OUR NATURE
MY DREAM IT IS
THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
WOMEN WHO HAVE CONQUERED, SIR ELLEN SHIRLEAF
WE ARE WOMEN OF STEEL AND WILL STEER THE WORLD WITH OUR MINDS

THIS LIFE HAS GIVEN CHANCE
BOTH MALE AND FEMALE
AND IT IS HIGH TIME
SINCE WE ARE IN OUR PRIME
AND GO GLOBAL TO PROVE WE ARE
ONE AFRICA
FOR AFRICA

About Ruth: Ruth Rotich is a female of 21 years of age born on 2 November 1995. She is a passionate poet and has been writing since the age of thirteen.
She is also a fourth-year law student at Kabarak University, Nakuru, Kenya and has already also earned herself membership to’ LUDWIGS’, a law society in Kabarak. She has participated in moot court competitions as well as debates at university. Ruth, an ambitious lady, aspires to one day work in organisations like the United Nations and International Arbitration.
In her stay at Kabarak, Ruth has adequately participated in moot court competitions and debates at the law school. She has certificates and recommendations too to evidence her ambitious nature.
Currently, aside from her studies, she writes law articles and law reviews for the Kabarak law school journal.