The President’s Inaugural Speech in 2031
I am a bot, blessed with this position
by you all. I do not have any ulterior
motive to lead except the ones built
into me: To be an industrious ruler
and not siphon our country’s currency.
If I do, what will I do with it? Buy
advanced batteries and features for
myself? I think it's the best decision
you all have ever made, making me
and making me the President.
I do not have any ulterior motive
except the ones you built in me: To
allocate resources for the appropriate
courses, developing infrastructures,
bettering the boiling economy,
sentencing poverty to death by hanging,
funding for stable power supplies and
not be selfish. If I am, what will I do
with my selfishness? Care and spend
public funds on my robotic kin? Store
billions of naira for my unborn baby bots
in accounts abroad? I think it's the best
decision you all have ever made, making
me and making me the President.
I do not have any ulterior motive
except to serve you with all my strength
and capacity. A good leader is nothing
but a servant. I cannot tell lies and I am
terrible at propaganda because you did
not program that in me. I do not have
ulterior motives except to be a waiter
serving joy daily on the plate of the people.
To respond to your calls at just a beckon.
I am so pumped, focused, and ready to
transform this country into a heaven
on Earth. I think it's the best decision you all
have ever made, making me and making me
the President. Progression begins now.
Abdullah O. Jimoh (he/him) is a linguist and poet from Lagos, Nigeria. He holds a bachelor's degree in linguistics. His works have appeared or are forthcoming in Tab Journal, Acedia Journal, South Florida Poetry Journal, Modern Poetry in Translation, A Long House, Mudroom, Sky Island, Tint Journal, Gyroscope review, Efiko Magazine, The Shallow Tales Review, Afritondo, and elsewhere. He is a poetry reader at Variant Literature.