THE WOMEN ARE COMING   by Bev Grant

Only a creek separates their village from the terminal of Chevron Texaco
Pumping oil for 40 years, the village watched the oil empire grow
As life for them got harder, the women’s discontent grew every day
So they wrote a letter to the corporation hoping someone would listen to what they had to say.

Around the corner – the women are coming
 Around the corner – the women are coming
 Around the corner – the women are coming
 Around the corner – the women are coming

Letters, letters we get lots and lots of letters said the Chevron CEO
They get lost in the shuffle and the bustle. We’ve got a business to run, you know?
Mama Ayo felt insulted. She’s the one who wrote the letter. To disrespect her made her mad
So she called upon her neighbors, and they discussed the options that they had.

Woman to woman, shack to shack
From dugout canoe, across and back
The rivers and creeks that cross the land
The women of Ugborodo made a plan

Around the corner – the women are coming
 Around the corner – the women are coming
 Around the corner – the women are coming
 Around the corner – the women are coming

Hundreds of women gathered by the riverfront before sunrise on July 8
And they watched the Chevron boat approach the dock to take their men to work that day
It took the captain by surprise when the women came on board and left the men behind
Sailing past the Chevron guards they set foot on company grounds for the very first time.

Woman to woman, shack to shack
From dugout canoe, across and back
The rivers and creeks that cross the land
The women of Ugborodo took a stand

Around the corner – the women are coming (4x)

You’ve been getting rich for 40 years off the oil from Nigerian land
We don’t think it’s fair and we will stay right here until you answer our demands
For 10 days and nights they bargained hard ‘til the company agreed
To build schools and roads and hospitals and to provide electricity.

 Woman to woman, shack to shack….

 Around the corner – the women are coming (8x)

©2003 Bev Grant
 

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