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Wake Nicodemus, Keyamsha the Awakening is Happening!

This blog is all about one thing: Documenting Kiamsha or Keyamsha the Awakening of Black people of African people…at home and abroad from centuries of miseducation and misinformation about who we are, where we are, how we got here and where we are going. This song shows that the spiritual, mental, emotional and psychological awakening of Black people has been long anticipated and is therefore long overdue.

Nicodemus, the slave, was of African birth,
And was bought for a bagful of gold,
He was reckon’d as part of the salt of the earth,
But he died years ago very old.
‘Twas his last sad request, so we laid him away
In the trunk of an old hollow tree.
“Wake me up!” was his charge, “at the first break of day,
Wake me up for the great Jubilee!”

The “Good Time coming’ is almost here!
It was long, long, long on the way!
Now, run and tell Elijah to hurry up Pomp,
And meet us at the gum-tree down in the swamp,
To wake Nicodemus today.

He was known as a prophet – at least was as wise –
For he told of the battles to come;
And he trembled with dread when he roll’d up his eyes,
And we heeded the shake of his thumb,
Though he clothed us with fear, yet the garments he wore
Were in patches at elbow and knee,
And he still wears the suit that he used to of yore,
As he sleeps in the old hollow tree.

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Lyrics to Wake Nicodemus by Henry Clay Work

Nicodemus was never the sport of the lash,
Though the bullet has oft crossed his path.
There were none of his masters so brave or so rash,
As to face such a man in his wrath,
Yet his great heart with kindness was filled to the brim,
He obeyed who was born to command,
But he long’d for the morning which then was so dim-
The morning which now is at hand.

‘Twas a long weary night – we were almost in fear,
That the future was more than he knew,
‘Twas a long weary night – but the morning is near,
And the words of our prophet are true.
There are signs in the sky that the darkness is gone –
There are tokens in endless array,
When the storm which had seemingly banished the dawn,
Only hastens the advent of day.

By Nnamdi Azikiwe

The Mhotep Corporation uses its Keyamsha The Awakening brand to heighten perceptions and expand awareness. By producing content that engages, entertains and educates we create value for value relationships with our audience for mutual benefit. Mhotep is derived from the name of the architect and builder of the first pyramid in Kemet, so-called ancient Egypt. I formed the Mhotep Corporation in 2003 to produce and distribute 3D animation videos based on traditional African stories. Since then it has evolved to being a media production company including books. In a previous life I worked as a systems analyst developing solutions for government and multinational organizations. Born and educated in Washington, D.C. I have traveled to several places including Haiti, the Bahamas, Mexico, Canada, Nigeria (several times), Ethiopia (several times), Benin, Togo, and South Africa. I am married with three children.

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