By Dauda Taoheed
The day was so hectic after unstopping strenuous ten hours work at the office. Leaving the office tattered and shattered, I boarded a bus to my domicile, having in mind to answer the impromptu call of the worms inside my womb.
The bus comes to a halt and I stepped out with my legs trembling, standing in front of my house, it comes to me unconsciously as I yawned and yawned until it was threefold. Then, I realised the hunger has vanished but in its place is the call to sleep.
I quickly summoned the strength in me and I walked in, in such an imbalance state that I don’t even know whether am walking with my legs or head. I landed on the bed without removing my shoes but managed to untie myself. I traveled into the land of dreams.
In the journey of unconsciousness but a state of relaxation, a man appeared before me putting on a cloth not different from a rag, his hair was bushy to that of a mentally derailed person, the look on his face was so worrisome, on his hands were hoes and cutlass which quickly gave me the introduction as a farmer.
In short, poverty was written all over him. He called me, oh my son! I have a story to tell you. That first expression corrects my erroneous thinking that he was an illiterate. We sat down under a tree and he took me through the story lines.
There was a land full of honey; OLODUMARE has blessed them that everything was just in order. HE bequeathed onto them arable lands in large quantity for grazing, fertile lands everywhere for cultivation, no matter what you put inside, germination will surely take place. The climatic condition is also favorable that all seasons are being witness by this land. Be it rain, harmattan or dry season.
This underscores the fact that every agricultural produce has their season of plantation. Fortunes reside in the land, the man exclaimed! I breathed out heavily as a sign of affirmation. He changed his sitting position as he pinpointed another important resources bestowed upon the people of the land.
He said, these people have in their land petroleum, coal, zinc, iron ore, copper and among others. Is this not enough for a country to developed, the man advanced in a sorrowful voice? I responded by nodding. The man looks into my eyes and said are you aware of the waves asia leading tiger is making as regard her population?
He opined further that, this asia chief is the most populous country in the world and she is making positive use of her teeming population in developing the country by absorbing them into all sectors of the economy and creating opportunities for them to explore.
In contrast, the human resources at the disposal of this land are subjected to unemployment and other inhumane acts from the gatekeepers. The populations that supposed to be the agents of development are thrown into dark pit of sufferings for their own selfish interest. Will she develop in that way? My inordinate looks answer the question.
The land derailed from the path of progression into the track of retrogression. Many have lost faith in the land and many have lost their lives and have become physically challenged as a result of the security system of the land.
He burst into tears with the condition of the security system of the land that is deteriorating day in – day out. He gave reference of the military base that was attacked recently which led to the killings of some soldiers.
The casualty figures were held confidential. He said in an unpleasant voice that if the security system has gotten rotten to the point of maggot that the lives of security personnel are not safe any longer, I doubt if we haven’t been mortgage as a dog to the gods of Iron.
A murmuring sound was sent forth from the sky and in its company was a lightning, the cloud changed its colour into a grey black pattern, and alongside the cloudy atmosphere was a cold breeze air which portrays a few moments to a dense pour.
He grabbed my hands and we went for shade inside a hut adjacent the tree. We sat down and he proceeded with the heart shaken story. The educational system is about to collapse as BRAIN BUILDERS striking is perceived as something normal in an oblivious state of these monsters called gatekeepers.
The inconsistency of those in power in handling the problems of the educational system has resulted into the failure of the system. The graduates of the land are not equipped with the prerequisite skills to face the real world challenges; the brain builders are not motivated; most of these institutions don’t have in their possession the necessary facilities to carry out a world class research.
But, in return, they think of increasing the school fees of these institutions. Have they forgotten when the great man and the hero of the WEST launched a free educational system alongside is the CENTRAL POWER scholarship programme in which most of them were beneficiaries and that doesn’t deprive them the series of allowances they are entitled to during their schooling days, the man lamented?
Thus, securing the best legacy for one’s child now has turned into a game of the throne. Is this how to express their gratitude to the land, the man yelled? My eyes are already swollen as I felt sorry and displeased with the land.
The modality of the story changed into the land workforce. The old man put his pitiful voice into the minimum wage in which the public servant has been clamoring for. It was saddening to hear from the prince of some fortresses who claimed not to be financially buoyant enough to meet the demand of the public servants who has been oiling and greasing the wheel of development of the land.
However, the prince river were flowing of gold and silver when the heir to his throne is about to knot the tie of UNIONISM. Hence, the whole province will be shut down for the heir wedding and they subjected the workforce into a non-obligatory fast by denying them their right.
Their sea of riches never dry up when they embark on global tour with zero benefits for the people of the land, squandering the public fund. Did you know my child that the prince keep acquiring more estates, his vault size keep expanding but he was unable to concede to the minimum wage?
I responded ignorantly. How can the salary margin of a public servant and that of a prince be so glaring when they have the same degree? The man outcry! The zenith of inequality as I murmur to myself.
The man sat erect and he called my attention to listen carefully as he was about to disclose an important but sardonic historical event which is nothing but the truth about the KINGS, QUEENS, PRINCES AND PRINCESS of the land. Have you heard of CEMETERY OF HISTORY he opined? I gave a negative response. The old man said, the cemetery of history can be traced to Vladimir Putin of Russia. He was quoted verbatim that the black race is nothing but a vast of cemetery.
When a black man becomes wealthy, his bank accounts are in Switzerland. He travels to France for medical treatment. He invests in Germany. He buys from Dubai. He travels to Canada, USA , Europe for tourism. If he dies, he will be buried in his country of Africa. Africa is just a cemetery for Africans. How could a cemetery be developed? On hearing that, one could notice the anger written all over my face but I later realized it is nothing but the truth. Africa is seen as a failure continent and as a graveyard to the people of the land.
Africans don’t value their continent but they prefer to run after the white who has nothing to offer if benefits are not forthcoming. When what we have doesn’t have value before us, why should an alien value it on our behalf?
My attention was distracted by a chick crying for his mother, looking back to the old man position, he was nowhere to be found. I stand up looking around the hut for the old man, calling old man! Old man!! Old man!!! Coincidentally, I regain my consciousness from the land of dream as my neighbor made in china generator wakes me up.
Taoheed writes in from lagos via Dawood.taoheed94@gmail.com
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