The Love Of A Nigerian! By Akunna James-Ibe
Sometimes it gets so dark one can hardly imagine the possibility of stars being suspended in the skies. Still, that doesn’t null the fact that somewhere beneath the depressing curtain of darkness, the stars do exist. When I first saw the theme for this contest, I was torn between disbelief and worry. Here was a contest that did not require me to give solutions to the spate of insecurity in the country or wipe out poverty with a flourish of my pen. Here was a contest that needed me instead to put the spotlight on the other Nigerian realities that have been cowering beneath more aggressive realities. It was like I was being asked to harvest apples from a Briar bush. Then I remembered this young barrow pusher I met at Ogbete market in Enugu, who was patient and helpful when I was confused and took the trouble to carry my heavy goods beyond the agreed point to the park, at no extra costs. I also remembered the good lady I met in Aba, who despite my foreignness let me take shelter in her shop and was instrumental in helping me direct my uncle to where he was to pick me. I remembered these people who didn’t have much but were willing to give the little they had to a stranger and I realized that though much had been lost in Nigeria, our ability to love as a people still thrived.
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