Hello beautiful people!
It’s been 10days since I last posted here and it seems like forever. There’s so much I want to say and talk about but I do not have the words yet; I know I’ll write about them one day because one thing is sure; dying with an untold story inside you is a big loss.
I’m an angry person but before you judge me I want to let you know that the average Nigerian is angry.
I take Revenue law also known as taxation law as an elective in school. The essence of taxation is that when administered properly it comes back to the tax payers by way of social amenities; but in Nigeria, the reverse is the case.
We take revenue classes in the moot and mock court, the classes aren’t enough. Writing is difficult here; but we write anyway.
It’s a shame that we are told to pay taxes when we don’t see the rewards; we were fanning ourselves with our books because no light. And yet you want people to pay taxes? Two big standing AC’S in that class but they’ve never been put on. In Nigeria, we study under heat and still manage to pass our exams. I’m typing this post with a 14% battery and hoping they bring it soon.
Usually with Fifty Naira only, I could get to the school gate and back and use the remaining Ten Naira to buy two sachets of pure water. But now, I need Sixty Naira to get to the school gate and Twenty Naira for two sachets of pure water. And instead of taking a cab from the faculty to my hall directly, I take a cab to the gate then to the hall because the fares have been doubled no thanks to the fuel scarcity.
Mother has not been paid since the year began but apparently the Governor of Rivers State just bought two large tour buses.
My Jurisprudence lecturer keeps talking about the conspiracy of silence and how we never speak up in the face of injustice or when necessary. But a guy in school joined a protest (very peaceful student hostel protest) last year for light and water, he was bundled to the Student Disciplinary Committee and given an extra semester.
I think a lot these days; about my future. It’s terrifying, some days I close my eyes and get lost in thoughts, with tears streaming down my eyes,I cry a lot. I think of my best friend who is long gone; I know she’s in a better place. I think of the void and emptiness I feel within, I think of how lonely I feel in the midst of so much laughter. I think of the fact that at age 22 I’ve not achieved a thing.
To stop myself from thinking like a mad woman I signed up for a wonderful creative writing class, It’s been an eye opener. My writing sucks and I’m hoping I get better with every task. I have read short stories by John Updike, John Cheever, Junot Diaz, Antonya Nelson etc and I’m in awe. I love that I’m learning a lot, I love that I stepped out of my comfort zone to do this. I love that books and stories help my wandering thoughts.
I have a knack for saving a lot of online pages simply because school activities are overwhelming and I hardly have time to read them. I had a free moment today and so I stumbled across one of the many saved pages, I read it but it was the comments that made my heart melt. I love what stories do to us, they go straight into the heart, rattle, and make you speak up. This story reminded me again of the plight of women and how they go through life dealing with assault, Rape, Molestation. It’s sickening. PLEASE READ : http://www.bellanaija.com/2016/02/bn-prose-the-fight-by-titilayo-olurin/
Despite our anger in Nigeria we still have a heart for charity. I’ll be supporting the OUT ON A LIMB CAUSE by walking a mile this Saturday, It’s a charity walk aimed at raising funds for people who have lost their limbs.
Finally, a girl without her kinks is like a Leopard without its spots. I’m talking about my hair now. It’s doing really well, I’m trying my best to take care of it, it’s literally the closest thing I have to a lover.
I guess I’ll be rocking my hair this way for a while. It’s called twist lock – the style. I got my friend to twist my hair, before every twist she would apply Lock and Twist Gel on the cutout section. After that, I tied a silk scarf and the next day I loosened the twists without combing. The Afro is growing, I’m happy.
***
It’s depressing living in Nigeria, the hardship is becoming unbearable but we have an anchor in Christ Jesus. Yes, I do not know what we would have done without our faith.
Thanks for reading….
Love xoxo
Adriel©2016
April 7, 2016 at 12:30 am
Two weeks ago, on Sunday morning to be precise, the minister said “Everyman’s success story is in their daily routine”.
I am still exploring the depth of truth in those little words, yet it has triggered lots of “do’ s” and less of “talks”, more actions and less comments, expunging compromises and it’s appearances. I’m still on it and will be for a lifetime with track-records to show for it. I know this now, not for some word a preacher said, but because the Truth confirms it in Prov. 22:29.
Why the Tale-of-two-cities? Keep at what your doing + a little more and you’ll be convinced of success, so much you’d wonder how you made it this far.
Kings await, hurry nations need the healing your voice proffers. 🗽
April 7, 2016 at 7:40 am
This is very encouraging. Thank you Ikay. Thanks for your encouraging words. They keep me going.
April 7, 2016 at 2:55 am
Hey. I get you. I do. And I was president of the Tax Club in my school.
I can’t tell you to stop thinking dark thoughts, but I can say that you’d feel better if you reminded yourself of the many things you have done.
Don’t get down on your writing. It’s alright to appreciate someone else’s writing but your writing is your voice. You can refine it. You can take lessons to improve the way you speak. But don’t obliterate it, if not you doom yourself to a life of silence. Copyright Obianuju Ayalogu.
By the way, I hope you read this-https://insearchofperfecthair.wordpress.com/2016/04/05/happy-mishmash-tuesdays-week-6/
Take care of you.
And I like the term Afro Attorney. The alliteration is everything.
April 7, 2016 at 7:45 am
Tax Club? That’s so cool. What school, I’ve been meaning to ask. I think I read UNILAG once in your blog post.
Thank you Uju. I’m trying daily to improve myself. Actually, I’m in a member of Toastmasters and Dinamica Public Speaking Club. Those classes especially the later has improved my life a great deal. (Thanks to Sanmi Abiodun my wonderful teacher). God forbid that we would be doomed to a life of silence.
Thanks Uju. I’ll stop by your blog, expect my comment.
🙂
April 7, 2016 at 8:53 pm
Yes, Tax Club Unilag. The first of its kind, if I do say so myself.
Good for you; 2 speaking clubs!
You’re welcome.
April 8, 2016 at 6:02 am
First of its kind obviously. What exactly do you guys do at the club?
April 8, 2016 at 8:36 pm
Educate people about Tax, have seminars, have an annual Tax Club debate. Stuff like that
April 7, 2016 at 7:48 am
And the line, Afro Attorney, was gotten from an acquittance. She has a blog too.
April 7, 2016 at 8:54 pm
Really? What’s the blog address?
April 7, 2016 at 10:27 am
I remember during my undergraduate days, it was not a written rule but every student knew that if you applied for remarking, you were getting an extra year. So if you failed an exam, you just apply for a resit even if you are sure there was a mistake from the lecturer (i was a medical student: the resit stuff).
A funny thing happened during our last exams, when the results came out, a smartus who was supposed to be in the top 20 best graduating list failed but she knew it was impossible that she could have failed so after much crying, she went to the dean’s secretary who had the result broad sheet and asked to see her score (as our scores are not posted, just pass, fail or distinction); only to realize that there was an error in summation. So she actually passed. She told some of her friends and others who failed rushed to the teaching hospital to be sure there was no error. After another student found the same summation error, the dean came in and pulled the broad sheet. And gave specific instruction that no student was be shown even the photocopy. So only the first two
Students got corrected. Others were not allowed and had to repeat.
I’m also angry, my dear. And each i get angrier
P.S: Im lovin the name Afro Attorney
April 7, 2016 at 1:52 pm
I think this story has only made me more depressed. And you know in Nigeria when you tell a story, a sad story also has to support that sad story. So I’ll tell you mine. In 200level I offered a course, NLS, NIGERIA LEGAL SYSTEM. So when the results came out I saw 39! I died. Automatic carryover. But I knew I read so hard, it couldn’t be. I was freaking scared. And so I summoned up courage and went to the Lecturer, I wrote letters… After plenty insults from the lecturers (they were pretty sure I was a dumb head or didn’t write the test and said I should pray I was right) they found out that my continuous assessment wasn’t recorded. Apparently I wasn’t the only one, but since I was the first to report they worked on my stuff…. It was something else then..
It’s a daily struggle surviving in Nigeria let alone breathing. Thanks for sharing your story Chidi. We are all angry and may this anger bring a serious REVOLUTION.