YOUR LETTERS
Giving hope to the down trodden
Poverty is a disease that has seeped through the pores of Nigeria. Wherever you go, on the streets, under bridges, you find people lavishing in poverty and wallowing in penury. These Nigerians are masked in different disguises some as beggars, some as mad people, some as rif-raffs, hooligans. These people roam about the streets of Nigeria, begging, harrassing those of us who have come to believe that we are better off through hard work.
We view them as never-do-wells, who roam about the streets with no focus in life and no dreams. The truth is that these people have built a wall round themselves believing they are okay with the way they are, they have embedded this fallcy into their psyche and appear to be content with it. But the question is that are they what they seem to be? A life of no hope, no focus, no plans for the future?
In Nigeria the giant of Africa,we complain of problems and poverty in the country but we ignore the causes or pretend not to have noticed them. The truth is that most of them are in such situations because of depression, frustration and the likes. Some resulting from mild psychosis and feelings of helplessness. They are humans like us, with a heart and mind of their own and brain, in their skulls. Why don’t we extend an arm of care and concern and help these Nigerias?
Instead of watching them waste their lives and strength of their youth, why don’t we give them something modest, decent to do. How many of us Nigerians have ever sat with them and discussed with them? If we sit down with these people and talk to them, share ideas, dig deep into their minds and thoughts, we would be surprised by the outcome. These are people we see languishing in confines of misery, vulnerable to every pain in life, these are people who need a pat on the back and hear someone say, go for it, you can do it, there is nothing impossible in life all you need is patience and perserveance. These are people who need to be shown the way and be led by the hand, these are people who need to be encouraged that their past experiences should not be their source of misery.
How about the homeless? They are called homeless because they have no homes and they need one. Where are our religious leaders who preach love and brotherliness? How are they viewing the situation? Where are the so called rich who forget that they are just privileged but no better than them?
They go about begging for money and food but how many of us have ever gone to them with money, clothing and food? How many of us have called them to ask after their backgrounds? These are children who need to be given education, which is man’s ever lasting asset. Give it to them for it is only when these kids are educated that they become conscious of their obligations. Their chances in life are not infinitestimal. These are children that need care, attention and love to sharpen their minds and thoughs about realities, instead we watch them to waste away.
Lets face the glaring truth, we believe we are what we’re not, we are filled with greed and selfishness, we want better lives only for ourselves at all costs. Our lives revolve round ourselves and our state of insanity rotates around our beliefs and ignorance. We pretend not to see the little foxes that spoil our vine yards. Let us dig deep into the situations of those who are tagged prostitutes, or whores. These are women marketing their sexuality for a fee, they are into this trade because they need the security it provides them. The bone of contention here is the fee paid to them when patronised. Not only has the business or trade flourished and spread round the country, but it has come under different names still with the original root name as prostitution.
The so called respo-nsible men of our country patronise these women who are as old as their daughters, wives and even mothers. Why don’t these men practice the old adage of “do unto others what you want others to do unto you, where is their sense of responsibility that they cannot instill in these women.
I call on all Nigerians, men and women, to help put a smile on these faces, to give them hope and a better choice, love and care for them and most of all, to see them as brothers and sisters.
Halima A.Mohammed
Department of Mass Comm University of Maiduguri
NEXT.....
|
|
