There is Fire on the Mountain

THERE IS FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN

There is fire on the mountain, hear the warning drum's vibration,

A storm is brewing softly through the veins of every nation.

The vultures draw their circles in the twilight's crimson light,

While brothers turn on brothers in a tragic, senseless fight.

The map was drawn by strangers with a ruler cold and thin,

Yet now we guard the fences as though they grew beneath our skin.

Berlin's ghost still whispers through the corridors of pain,

Sowing seeds of separation in the fertile fields again.

The baobab stands weeping where the rivers used to sing,

Watching sons of one inheritance forget their common spring.

From Lagos to Johannesburg, from Cairo to Cape Town,

The crown of African brotherhood is slipping to the ground.

Who taught the lion's children they were strangers in the den?

Who taught the eagle's offspring not to trust their nest again?

The chains that once were iron have become a state of mind,

Invisible yet powerful enough to make us blind.

The fire is not accidental, it was kindled long ago,

By hands that understood the art of making hatred grow.

They planted walls where pathways stood and watched suspicion bloom,

Transforming fields of promise into gardens filled with gloom.

Now passports weigh much heavier than ancestry and blood,

As kinship drowns beneath the tide like villages in flood.

The Niger greets the Orange, and the Congo greets the Nile,

Yet politicians trade our peace for profit all the while.

Africa, awaken from the slumber of deceit,

The enemy is not the one you happen to meet.

The stranger that you curse today may share your ancient song,

May carry fragments of your past that with your roots belong.

No African is foreign where African hearts reside,

The continent is not a cage where unity has died.

Let Ubuntu be the lantern when the clouds obscure the way,

Let solidarity become the dawn that births a brighter day.

For every tongue and tribe upon this sacred, ancient land,

Was fashioned by the same Creator's wise and loving hand.

The mountains may be burning and the skies may darkly cry,

But hope remains a phoenix that no hatred can deny.

So let the drums of unity resound from shore to shore,

And let the walls of Afrophobia divide our hearts no more.

For Africa is one house beneath the heavens wide and free,

One heartbeat, one inheritance, one shared destiny.

Wake up, Africa, wake up before the flames consume the plain,

For divided we are wounded, but united we shall reign.

Prince Adeola Goloba 2026

Wednesday 17th June 2026 - 3:24am

Ejigbo, Lagos Nigeria. 

#SayNoToXenophobia

#ICondemnAfrophobia

#OneAfricaOnePeople

#HomeBeyondBorders

#AfricanUnity

Statement and Reflection

THERE IS FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN

"There Is Fire on the Mountain" is a poetic response to the growing wave of xenophobia, Afrophobia, and social divisions affecting parts of the African continent. This work draws inspiration from contemporary events and the historical realities that continue to shape relationships among African peoples. Through vivid imagery, symbolism, and rhythmic language, the poem examines how colonial-era divisions have evolved into modern forms of exclusion and hostility among people who share a common ancestry, history, and destiny.

The recurring image of fire serves as both a warning and a metaphor. It symbolizes the spread of fear, hatred, misinformation, and intolerance that threaten the ideals of Pan-African unity. The poem references the lingering shadow of the 1884–1885 Berlin Conference, where colonial powers partitioned Africa without regard for indigenous identities, cultures, and communities. While those borders remain, the poem challenges Africans to reject the psychological and social barriers that continue to separate them.

Throughout this work, nature imagery including rivers, mountains, baobab trees, lions, and eagles is employed to represent Africa's interconnectedness and shared heritage. These symbols remind us that before artificial borders, African communities were linked through culture, trade, kinship, migration, and mutual coexistence. The poem questions the notion of "foreignness" among Africans and calls for a renewed commitment to Ubuntu, solidarity, and collective progress.

As a writer and advocate, my intention is not merely to criticize acts of xenophobia but to encourage reflection on their deeper causes and consequences. The poem seeks to provoke dialogue about identity, belonging, and the future of African unity. It asks readers to consider whether hostility toward fellow Africans serves the interests of the continent or perpetuates historical patterns of division.

Ultimately, "There Is Fire on the Mountain" is both a warning and a call to action. It urges Africans everywhere to recognize their shared humanity, reject narratives of exclusion, and work collectively toward a continent where dignity, freedom, and mutual respect transcend borders. In a time when division threatens to weaken our common aspirations, the poem stands as an appeal for unity, empathy, and the realization of a truly interconnected Africa.

"No African is an alien on African soil."