WHAT WOULD THEY SAY?

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Many people who were doing very well in life before until some sort of misfortune happened are suffering in silence today, not because there’s nothing more they can do to at least have three square meals a day but because they are dwelling too much on “what people would say”.

Who cares about what the people would say?

If it’s the same people who would not give you a dime are the ones who’d always laugh when they see you trying to fight poverty off by doing some ‘humble’ legit jobs? Then let them laugh.

Nobody has any excuse to die of hunger!

You may not have that luxury car or other luxuries of life at the moment, but you have no excuse to die of hunger if you are not physically impaired,  ill, bedridden or something.

Just the other day, I boarded a bus but got held up in one ‘terrible’ traffic for almost an hour. Yes, an hour! Which shouldn’t be news for many in this part of the world.

Anyhow, the core of this post is not about the traffic but about the conductor of that bus.

While in the traffic, I engaged Tunji (by far the most respectful conductor I’ve ever encountered in my entire life) in a discussion.

First of all, I got on the bus; he greeted me and then asked if I was “okay”, properly settled on one of the seats before he asked the driver to move. Then he proceeded to collect his money in a very good manner “aunty please, your money”. I gave the money to him and he gave me my change and said “thank you”.

After a short drive, another passenger boarded and he extended the same courtesy towards the passenger, it was at this point I took an interest in him.

Unlike the many bedraggled ones seen on the roads, Tunji was well dressed in a simple traditional ‘ankara’ attire with hair well cut and of course no mouth or body odour, as I was seated next to him and furthermore well-spoken too.

In the course of the journey, I found out that he’s not only a graduate who had at a time worked in one of the blue chip organisations in this country but also a father of two.

He talked about how things went from ‘very awesome’ to ‘very appalling’ and then couldn’t stand to watch his family get hungrier than they later got so he decided to take up the job of becoming a conductor until something better comes up.

Of course by the time I disembarked, I was convinced without doubts that not too long from that moment, Tunji would get back on his feet again given some of the plans he talked about in the short journey with him.

What am I trying to say here?

Don’t die of hunger simply because of “what would people say”?

What is that thing you can start doing right now? Start from wherever you are and with whatever you have. There is nothing to be ashamed of.

It will pay off in the end.👌

©Stella Ene - Inyang

YOURS MAY BE BETTER IN MANY WAYS, BE GRATEFUL

I woke up this morning and for some reason beyond any form of explanation or description, I just found myself smiling. Yes, smiling.

Despite the economic situation and whatever circumstance I find myself, I have learnt to continue giving thanks to God for his many little blessings while standing strong in the hope that with time he will do the mighty unspeakable miracles that will shut the mouths of the enemies completely never to reopen again.

Did I hear someone say “sounds like you are preaching today girl” *laughs*. Yeah! You can say that again.

I smile because no matter how bad you view your situation, go out there, see things and hear things, then you would agree with me that you have a lot to be thankful for after seeing worse situations of other people even though there would still be many others whose situations are far better than yours. Anyhow the case, I bet, you would still bless God for your life.

I don’t know about you but I still hold the belief that God indeed makes all things beautiful in His time. So with that at the very conscious point in my heart, I strive daily knowing that someday “I go hammer” like we say in our local parlance. 

 

As much as many of us may think that we are toughing it out given the present situation in the country, it is now very official that many people are already dying of hunger; hence for some of these lot, they would do whatever it takes to get food including stealing and ‘high level’ begging, a situation where supposed respected individuals in the society start seeking help from those who called them ‘boss’ in the past in order to get food on the tables for their now hungry families.

High level begging is no news as it has always been in existence. Many people call it ‘corporate begging’ but ‘high level’ begging is like two steps ahead.  Nevertheless, it has become very rampant, irrespective of what you call it.

Recall that I wrote about a well-dressed man who was begging to be bought some melon what we call “egusi” in order to cook soup many weeks ago. Right? That encounter left me wondering about the level of hunger ravaging the economy.

Now, that encounter of begging went sour in my mouth yesterday when I got robbed of my packs of ‘macaroni’ pasta at a superstore last night. Gosh! People are really hungry!!

Last night while on my way back from my ‘power walk’ routine, I stopped at a superstore to get a few items.

Before then, I had earlier bought two packs of macaroni from a smaller shop and then decided to stop at the superstore on my way since it was still opened to customers at the time.

Yours sincerely got to the superstore and was asked by the security to drop the bag of macaroni, which was very transparent in one of the opened lockers which I did.

Long story cut short.

After paying for my items, I decided to go pick my bag from the locker, then lo and behold! The bag and everything in it was GONE!

After much  talk by those in charge of affairs at the superstore. I decided to leave because they seemed as though they were heading nowhere near resolving the issue and besides it was getting very late already, so I left in anger.

However, this morning I work up smiling with the thought that even though whoever took that bag was very wrong in taking it, perhaps I saved a lot of people in his/her family from going to bed hungry last night because for anyone to risk getting caught in such a place for stealing two packs of ‘macaroni’ was a high risk taken. But then, it shows how hungry the situation. And so I forgive him or her knowing that my situation is not so bad after all.

Even at this very moment, I’m still smiling and thanking God for his faithfulness knowing I cannot be stranded.

You can do same by just smiling and thanking him in your heart as well, even as we pray for things to get better in the country.

Cheers!