In the heart of Africa, on the Nigerian terrain, from my world of experience, comes scenes and incidence which cannot be aptly told, only better seen. Anyone who has been too much on the high side of life may find these exaggerative but believe me when I say we sometimes don’t gratefully acknowledge the gift of hope. While there are thousands of us out there mailing, surfing, researching and what have you, there are more individuals out there who wouldn’t mind having these few bucks for a week or two weeks allowance. I’ve realized life really is good when majority could attest to it.
Sometime ago, while studying in one of the classrooms in the evening with keen interest in what I had to cover, there came a soft voice that broke the silence that hung on the air; “excuse me ladies and gentlemen…” This young man’s pathetic story went on for about sixty seconds with articulate grammatical construction, he appalled us all. What I really could not fathom was his being able to speak eloquently with intelligence and still beg for alms. If I remember clearly Wow! Was my misused exclamation for “ah!” or a solemn dear Lord! Showing his left thigh which needed medical operation and it being his reason for having to beg, he walked around collecting individual donations. Feeling uneasy when he approached my seat, and choking with emotions I picked up my wallet to make my own contribution, looking straight into his palms rather than face I let my note make an addition to the meagre sum he already had. He was prompt to express appreciation in the most remarkable way as that which befits a university graduate which he earlier claimed to be. With this and a million thoughts coming, I gently picked my pen up and the rest is what you read.
Earlier the previous month, while chatting with friends in the morning, an old man approached us although he was in search of used cans and bottles, dressed in tattered trouser and smeared shirt, he walked up to my friends and I asking for alms! At such a time as this, I felt the reason underlying this was beyond human comprehension. First he spoke in the native language, and when he switched to well accentuated English Language we were surprised. Seeing the look on our faces he was quick to recite his past achievement. Once a lecturer, formerly a successful contractor, truthfully he mentioned a few other things that I couldn’t register because at that moment I was deep in thought. When he was leaving he left behind two things; emotions in me, and an advice for the future. Life some say is good, but at such a time like this when you see the downfall of the mighty you might be forced to think on what made some better and happier and more confident than the others. Wondering if this old man’s ordeal was as a result of consequence from a wrongly placed decision or choice, then if that was it, could I clearly remember the number of times I’ve made the right choices.
Stories of this sort may seem normal, but being confronted with alms in different places all around my domain, meant something was wrongly placed. From the young graduate who walked into the classroom, to the ex-lecturer who walked about picking empty cans, and bottles alongside begging, then to middle-aged woman living in an uncompleted building next street with no mattress, blanket out there in the cold alone, no family, home, food supply and other things that may be necessary for life.
At moments like this, one could easily pass the blame rather than bear it. The government most times is the accused, but how many times have we poured out the remaining portion of our meal into the dust bin, or bought a snack out of fun not hunger pang this time only to throw it away. I see leftover meal as often as possible, meanwhile there could be a woman next street or a neighbour next door in dire need. Early during the last political dispensation in Nigeria, there were poverty alleviation programs but to my surprise, I realised former Mr President could not alleviate poverty in his ward (locality)! So why wait on the government. I’ve realised for every child in the begging business, old men and women in the trade, long as their reason for doing it is out of no better option or choice we all get daily chance of alleviating what the government cannot completely solve because out there somebody needs me to survive!
I’ll tell you what, where I come from (Nigeria) begging is no joke and so when on the second day I saw a young man with clubbed foot limb towards me anticipating that I’d drop him a note on the carved wood he used to enhance mobility, I just smiled and politely turned him down but here is my reason for smiling, I don’t have money to give but I’m going to tell the world that where am from, its something new everyday and we just might need help.
So, really what have you got in your mind? Let’s read it! We all need each other to survive.
Sometime ago, while studying in one of the classrooms in the evening with keen interest in what I had to cover, there came a soft voice that broke the silence that hung on the air; “excuse me ladies and gentlemen…” This young man’s pathetic story went on for about sixty seconds with articulate grammatical construction, he appalled us all. What I really could not fathom was his being able to speak eloquently with intelligence and still beg for alms. If I remember clearly Wow! Was my misused exclamation for “ah!” or a solemn dear Lord! Showing his left thigh which needed medical operation and it being his reason for having to beg, he walked around collecting individual donations. Feeling uneasy when he approached my seat, and choking with emotions I picked up my wallet to make my own contribution, looking straight into his palms rather than face I let my note make an addition to the meagre sum he already had. He was prompt to express appreciation in the most remarkable way as that which befits a university graduate which he earlier claimed to be. With this and a million thoughts coming, I gently picked my pen up and the rest is what you read.
Earlier the previous month, while chatting with friends in the morning, an old man approached us although he was in search of used cans and bottles, dressed in tattered trouser and smeared shirt, he walked up to my friends and I asking for alms! At such a time as this, I felt the reason underlying this was beyond human comprehension. First he spoke in the native language, and when he switched to well accentuated English Language we were surprised. Seeing the look on our faces he was quick to recite his past achievement. Once a lecturer, formerly a successful contractor, truthfully he mentioned a few other things that I couldn’t register because at that moment I was deep in thought. When he was leaving he left behind two things; emotions in me, and an advice for the future. Life some say is good, but at such a time like this when you see the downfall of the mighty you might be forced to think on what made some better and happier and more confident than the others. Wondering if this old man’s ordeal was as a result of consequence from a wrongly placed decision or choice, then if that was it, could I clearly remember the number of times I’ve made the right choices.
Stories of this sort may seem normal, but being confronted with alms in different places all around my domain, meant something was wrongly placed. From the young graduate who walked into the classroom, to the ex-lecturer who walked about picking empty cans, and bottles alongside begging, then to middle-aged woman living in an uncompleted building next street with no mattress, blanket out there in the cold alone, no family, home, food supply and other things that may be necessary for life.
At moments like this, one could easily pass the blame rather than bear it. The government most times is the accused, but how many times have we poured out the remaining portion of our meal into the dust bin, or bought a snack out of fun not hunger pang this time only to throw it away. I see leftover meal as often as possible, meanwhile there could be a woman next street or a neighbour next door in dire need. Early during the last political dispensation in Nigeria, there were poverty alleviation programs but to my surprise, I realised former Mr President could not alleviate poverty in his ward (locality)! So why wait on the government. I’ve realised for every child in the begging business, old men and women in the trade, long as their reason for doing it is out of no better option or choice we all get daily chance of alleviating what the government cannot completely solve because out there somebody needs me to survive!
I’ll tell you what, where I come from (Nigeria) begging is no joke and so when on the second day I saw a young man with clubbed foot limb towards me anticipating that I’d drop him a note on the carved wood he used to enhance mobility, I just smiled and politely turned him down but here is my reason for smiling, I don’t have money to give but I’m going to tell the world that where am from, its something new everyday and we just might need help.
So, really what have you got in your mind? Let’s read it! We all need each other to survive.
1 comment:
this is great...and these are the words we need to hear daily...raise our awareness to a whole new level...and when anyone tells me to my face that there isnt an iota of hope for Nigeria, I'd laugh back in such a person's face and say, we've got Temmylade, we've got Titi, we've got Leke alder, we've got Biodun Kolawole. We've got Rotimi, we've got Osas, we've got empowered youths. We've got the Nigerian pride flowing in our veins. We won't be put down. We'll overcome...
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