Survival School (Edemaya Son)

(Intro)

Eh eh… yeah…

From the soil… to the struggle…

Na real story be this…

Na me be McEncomium…

(Verse 1 — Primary School)

Wake up morning, hope say better go show

But no food for house, still I dey go

Empty stomach, but my spirit no low

Trekking miles to school, dem say na exercise though

Teacher for gate, cane ready to land

Six strokes for late, no mercy for hand

Broken chairs, leaking roof when rain fall

No chalk, no book… still we answer roll call

Na survival phase, na where I begin

Pain be the teacher, resilience within

No comfort, no ease, just fight to belong

That was my beginning… I had to be strong

(Pre-Chorus)

Dem say education na key to the door

But nobody tell me wetin dey for the floor

Still I push, still I stand tall

Through it all… I no fall

(Chorus)

I survive… I survive…

Through the pain and the fire I survive

No be easy, but I'm still alive

Na grace carry me through the tide

I survive… I survive…

From the struggle to the other side

No be me, na God be my guide

Now I stand with pride

(Verse 2 — Secondary School / Boarding)

Next phase come, secondary school ground

Thought say better life go turn around

Papa send me go boarding house

But na military camp dey hide inside that house

Three minutes chop, if you late you go starve

Discipline dem call am, but e cut like knife

Water for floor make I sleep for night

Use teaspoon move am till morning light

Cane no dey pain again, we don adapt

Punishment plenty, no room for slack

Cut full field alone with cutlass for hand

Because I sneak go watch Bruce Lee for stand

Na second phase, survival again

Hard lessons written deep in my brain

No be play, no be joke we dey tell

Na that fire build the man wey I be today

(Chorus)

I survive… I survive…

Through the pain and the fire I survive

No be easy, but I'm still alive

Na grace carry me through the tide

(Verse 3 — University)

Tertiary come, I see small light

University of Uyo, hope dey in sight

But na pavilion dem pack us like fish

Microphone lecture, we dey just wish

Library full but knowledge dey old

No connection to the modern world

Lecturers dey sell handout for gain

Instead of teaching, dem dey chase their pay

But we still laugh, we still dey enjoy

Even inside struggle we find small joy

Dilapidated walls, but we no complain

We dey survive through sunshine and rain

(Bridge — Strike & Delay)

Three years strike for five-year plan

Computer science turn to eight-year span

Dream delay but e no die

Still I dey push, still I dey try

(Chorus — Emotional Build)

I survive… I survive…

Through the struggle I survive

No be power, no be pride

Na grace keep me alive

(Outro — Faith + Identity)

I no survive because say I strong

I survive because I no dey alone

Jesus Christ be my rock, my guiding light

Through the darkness, He show me right

Today I stand for a better place

Seattle life, na different space

But my heart still dey for the motherland

To give back all I receive from His hand

Lessons deep, tolerance strong

Endurance build me all along

Na me be the voice, make dem hear my song

I be McEncomium…

Edemaya son 🎤