Travelogue 6

Busayo Fakunle NSI in Chinua Achebe's Room @ Ebedi

 

Travelogue 6

I am not sure of the one that is more difficult in either trying to get to the top or staying at the top. Living and pursuing one's dreams can be so challenging that at some points one feels so tired, frustrated  to keep dreaming. In such situations, hope is buried and there is nothing beautiful in life. A clear instance of such is those who committed suicide. They lost hope and never saw the likely light at the end of the tunnel. But wait, are there always light at the end of the tunnels in life? I have heard of individuals who were hardworking, loving and highly religious yet ended up dieing a pauper. Perhaps they didn't get to the end of the tunnel before death got them or before they met death, timely or untimely? Hm, is any death timely? When? 

This is one of the many thoughts I woke up with and my heart became so heavy. Heavier when I thought of the struggles our parents went through when we were growing up and the hopes of greater future that harboured their hearts which we too now nurture. They hoped we would someday grow up to build mouth-watering houses, take them out for vacations abroad, buy expensive cars, be well known everywhere and carry out multiple rites during christenings on foreign lands where they enjoy the luxury life has to offer. Hopes! Dreams! When will they come? When? 

I grew up and spent most of my teens age in a rented apartment that housed four families of many children. Call it a barrack. I saw their challenges and their trials and one can't but respect their doggedness and resilience. Unfortunately in Nigeria today, some of these kind of parents still house and feed their children despite being graduates. They toil to have daily needs and live in uncompleted buildings. Perhaps this come to mind because of what I saw. 

While on my usual evening stroll yesterday, I saw one old man trying to fix the challenges the rainy season brings because obviously he is yet to construct the needed drainage beside his house. As a well morally brought up man, I greeted and prayed. He was quick to discover that I'm a stranger. I didn't wait for him to guess. I am a proud Ibadan man. 'ara Ibadan, ekaabo o'. His smile didn't look like a worried man. 'You should have tried using bricks sir, I said politely as if I am unaware of the present economic challenges.  'I will but at this age, food comes first and then my children's education. In fact those two are possible because we have a state governor that cares about pensioners.' So obviously the man has children in school (public or private ). I shook my head because to have even one child in a public tertiary school is a serious task. 'It is well sir', I said as I moved on. After few steps away from him, I looked back and saw a young man, probably in his early 20s coming towards him. His son I guessed. ASUU strike. 'But why didn't he allow the boy to fix it?' I laughed. I laughed at the question basically because I have one too at home who doesn't wait for you before she cleans the whole house. Trust me, my grandma is one special being with a touch of impeccable character. 

I will cut this conversation short because sleep is gradually 'slipping' towards my eyes. However, there seems to be little or no attention placed on older people in this part of the world you know. One of the fellows too noticed it, using gaurds as example. 'Why is it that it is always older people that communities employ as night gaurds?' Choice, I replied. I knew he wasn't satisfied with my response but what else could I have told him? But sincerely 'typing', I doubt if we have functional national policy specifically devoted on the care of elderly ones. Did you say trader money? Mtchew. Government has since broken that social contract. What happened to sick benefits for citizens? Why should government totally leave the care of the elderly ones in the hands of their family members who themselves are unemployed?  Have you not seen that as war? 

My other fellow felt that's injustice too on behalf of the elderly ones because that's even the age they need rest the most as they easily get to sleep anytime they are inactive. 

I continued the interaction within me as we departed for our  rooms. After active years in service, civil servants will get peanuts as pension and gratuity while a politician go into office and suddenly become wealthy even without doing justice to the work he or she was elected to do which is to openly serve and or make life comfortable for Nigerians and there would be nothing we could do.  Have you seen their retirement benefits? Honestly, it is either that these leaders do not have clear sense of leadership, moral character and fear of God or are naturally wicked set of nation builders.  Nation building demands executing significant and landmark projects, some high level of meaningful transformation to include sincere steps towards fairness to all and  entirely incomplete without building a good moral character. I mean without reservations, past leaders of this country do not possess the morality anywhere to condemn our present ridiculous situation largely because they are poor managers and great 'poverty-pit diggers'. 

What more is demeaning than being a citizen of a country where nothing works in reality except on papers? Tell me what is really working? The reality is that individualism, the mother of corruption has robbed us of good governance. Our leaders have lost their reasonings to selfish interests and personal gains. And it is heartbreaking to see around that these their nefarious acts have continued to place us all in perpetual poverty (agony).

Are we going to ever be free from their firm dangerous grip? When? How soon?

 

The atmosphere here is lovely. The silence is deafening. The sights are lovely. The lovely environment inspires. They also put of freezers here. The people are friendly and I'm waiting for my wife's call to request for Iyawo. 

See you tomorrow by God's grace. I would be attending 60th World Theater Day celebration organised by Ado-Awaye Tourism Heritage Development Initiative (ATHDI) and the Oyo State Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN). Association of Nigerian Authors, Oyo State chapter will be holding this month's reading there too. Awesome package. 

Enjoy your evening. These fingers are weak.

Busayo Fakunle writes from Ebedi International Writers Residency Iseyin, Oyo State.