AISL 60th Anniversary Gala

THE AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF LAGOS POEM
For 60 years
We have been the home of the Eagles
Who landed in Éko
Here we nurture the children
Like the seedling by the windowsill catching the sun
They have been sprouting.
We transplant into the world
With autonomy and roots buried deep
They flourish beneath the earth
Branches strewn across the world
Fruiting with boldness and bravery
Here we teach the children to swim
Mr. Action with each stroke
Is a lesson in mastery
They brave the tide
Between grit and graft
Kicking through a field of footballs and freedom
This is how we make champions
Here we are the architects of dreams
Beyond the facade
Through the stairwells and classrooms
470 taking flight
Souring with wings
Gliding through obstacles
Trademarking the city skyline
Once an Eagle always an Eagle
And this is how we catalyze the future
We start from a courtyard blooming
With the smell of legacy and history
Teaching with tenderness
Inside the Innovation and Design Center
We calculate the physics of aeronautics.
Through spicy Suya and Puff Puff
We fuel the imagination
We build community
For 60 years
We have blasted coal into diamonds
In growth and change
An homage to a continent and culture
Annan, Okonjo, Mandela, Ekpo
For 60 years
Across many waters
60 shades of skin
60 mother tongues
Cheering each other on
A confluence of nations and countries
Hand in hand
Boys and girls
Dab each other
Friends who become family
Bound by home and humanity
For 60 years
We have been the home of the Eagles
Who landed Éko
We say Ekáàbò
You are welcome
This is your home
Even when you take flight
You can return
Again and again and again
Because once an Eagle….
Always an Eagle.
By Wana Udobang