HOMe aNd wHAt it HaS BeCOme

Nigeria is a place I call home. It is where I am free to do whatever I want to, go wherever I want, eat whatever I want, etc. But in recent times, home has become a living nightmare. Growing up, I was shielded by loving parent who did all they could to give me the best. I lived in the best part of Nigeria and went to the best schools this land had to offer. I thank God for my parents. God bless them.

Now I'm on my own and I have come to see what my home has become. Its really hard seeing what manner of poverty and hopelessness Nigeria has been thrown into. The youth go around with hollow looks in their eyes, betrayed by the very ones who reaped the best the land had to offer in its blossoming years. I can't fathom what Babangida, Obj and their likes were thinking about when they raped the country blind. The very country that gave them everything for almost free. Free education, scholarships, accommodation, feeding, etc. What manner of greed would make a man steal more than he can manage in 10 lifetimes, lived in perpectual idleness and bliss?

I saw something 2 weeks ago that tore my heart out. As I left my street and was on my way to work, I saw a bare-chested young man behaving in a funny manner. On close-up survellance, he had an abnormal goofy smile on and acted in a crazy manner. If not for his weird conduct, one would have mistaken him for a manual labourer going about his duties. It didn't take me long to see that he had just gone nuts no longer than 48hrs ago. I wished I had the antidote for his condition. Another young soul lost to the black-hole of lunacy. I thought about what manner of emptiness would make a young man take up cannabis to fill in the void in his soul. It doesn't help to know that the cannabis business in this city is done openly without control or regulation.

Its a hard life we live in this country. Recent times have brought about a sharp spike in the rate of suicide among the youth and it all reflects back to the ruined economy and society.

I'm still trying to find the meaning to this life and put a few smiles on a few faces. I do ther latter by not witholding my helping hand from anyone, be it in aid or financially. Giving seems to be the only thing I can do which reduces the heaviness I feel in my heart almost everyday. I just want to contribute my quota to life in the best way I can within my given means.

I hope for better days.

tHe seEkinG miNd