MY COUNTRY

The current economic situation in the country has given birth to an increase in various social ills.These  ills are plaguing our society that once valued the sacredness of life and the dignity of human gave room for various social vices in a country I love so much, reflecting on the dreams of my father and his  ancestors.

A country with positive cultural values that are now disregarded at the expense of materialism and  corruption. I ponder on the evils that have plagued this  lovely country called Nigeria, with its beautiful endowment. I sometimes ask myself if it is ‘a sin’ to be a Nigerian. Nigeria has become a country which wages war against itself, where there is  lack of love, moral decadence and religious hypocrisy. Child abuse and a variety of social vices confront us as a nation and the deadliest of these is corruption

because this is the seed that has been germinating for decades and is deeply rooted. This malaise is extremely difficult to uproot though various governments have tried. "What is the essence of trying to prune the branches when the roots are so deep"? This was the question my mother often asked in the course of her several discussions with me

My Family

I was born into a simple family and we were happy with what our parents provided. I was the tenth child and the ‘baby’ of the house. I have three sisters and six brothers. My mother married my father at the age of eighteen. According to her, the marriage was arranged, based on her family history and background of having a good name. A name that one could be proud of as regards to good deeds and morals. My father had asked his mother to search for a girl with good morals, from a good and responsible home. A family that valued reverence and had the fear of God. My mother said these qualities in our present day society were far reached.

There are a number people with misplaced priorities. The ‘get rich quick’ syndrome, seems to be a dominant factor in the lives of many young people. Mother was right on this, as she was on many occassions. I treasured my discussions with my mother, as I learnt a lot about life from her. Her teachings would later on become my strength and guiding force, particularly in difficult moments.If only I could have foreseen the future, I would have prayed, rejected and cancelled the destiny ahead of me. Somehow, with much faith and hope in God, and my mother’s guiding spirit, my dream was eventually realised but at a cost that no child should ever have to pay.