Poetry is one of the best ways to teach kids. And this 64-line poem about Nigeria will get your mind off the sad realities of the coronavirus pandemic.
Do you remember nursery rhymes? “Rain, rain, go away…come again another day…children want to play…rain, rain, go away.”
I recall singing this to my son while it rained heavily at noon today. Another nursery rhyme that I love is “the itsy bitsy spider.”
Irrespective of the words or tune of the songs, these rhymes are all forms of poetry. And poetry is common to many languages in the world.
Unfortunately, kids are at home with their parents when they should be preparing to get back to school.
In some other parts of the world, there won’t be school activities until September.
Now, I celebrate educators, teachers, and parents who have begun distance learning, online teaching, or even homeschooling.
It’s a major shift we all have to made. But we’re doing okay.
As a gift to every Nigerian parent or parent who loves or is interested in Nigeria, I have written this informative poem.
I’ll tell you a little more about it shortly.
The 64-line Poem about Nigeria
In this poem, I captured specific aspects of Nigeria. These include:
- The Nigerian Flag (Green, White, Green)
- Notable Rivers (e.g the Niger River)
- Historic and tourism sites (including Obudu Cattle Ranch)
- Our festivals and carnivals (like the Calabar Carnival)
- Iconic personalities (including Wole Soyinka and Dora Akunyili)
- Our clothing (Dansiki and Kampala, for example)
- Geopolitical zones
- Delicious delicacies
- Our popular markets
- Past heroes – including Nnamdi Azikiwe and Tafawa Balewa
- The unity in our diversity
- Commuting and traveling
- Our resources and abundance
- The different social classes
- Pidgin’s role in our society
- The Nigerian anthem
- The Nigerian pledge
- Our freedom and hope.
Download this Information-packed 64-line Poem about Nigeria
Now, if you were wondering why it has 64 lines, you’d be convinced that it’s definitely worth it.
So, go ahead and download the poem. The idea is that you can teach this poem to your children (from age 3 to 17).
Of course, adults will also find it valuable. But I have designed it mainly for kids, to help them appreciate their Nigeria.
The poem title ‘My Nigeria’ is meant to help children see themselves as a part of a whole.
Rather than focus on everything that is wrong right now, let’s stay positive.
Help your children feel positive during this lockdown.
It’s okay if you can’t homeschool them the way you would have loved. It’s okay if you decide to take it slow as well.
Just remember that poetry is a beautiful way to look away from sad realities. Also, it entertains and informs the mind.
More importantly, each line of the poem has the same rhythm. So your child will love the consistent beat.
How to teach your Kids the 64-line Poem about Nigeria
Here are some ideas to help your kids learn this poem:
- Click on the image to download
- Select ‘download image’
- Read it from top to bottom before you share with your child
Next, take the following steps while helping your child learn it.
- Pay attention to your child’s age and current learning abilities
- Introduce the learning of the poem in stages
- Think about learning the 16 stanzas in at least 16 days
- Refer to online sources such as books, websites or articles that clarify the information on different aspects of Nigeria
- Visit the websites of Obudu Cattle Ranch, Wole Soyinka or other notable places or people
- Teach your kids the Nigerian anthem – sing along
- Read aloud the pledge
- Watch YouTube videos about some of the delicious meals common to Nigeria
- Show your child a picture of the Nigerian Flag
- Listen to pidgin on stations like Wazobia FM.
My Final Thoughts
I know that reading a poem about Nigeria may not seem like the wisest thing under the present conditions.
But I’d like you to see it as a solution to managing social isolation and its effect on children. With they being unable to go to school and relate with their friends, life isn’t the same any more.
Hence, I hope that this 64-line poem about Nigeria will bring some hope, joy, and information about our heritage to your children.
Finally, I’m convinced that educators, teachers, and adult learners will also find this poem insightful and fun.
Do you have any ideas about the poem that you’ll like to share with me? Contact me here; let’s talk about it.
And I’d love to read from you as you share the poem with your kid(s) or student(s).
