Sounds of laughter went round funke's house that Friday morning as her younger brother argued over his brand new wrist watch that funke wore to her school party since the previous term and hasn't returned it -- saying, she still intends wearing it for the inter-house sports week after which she would return it.
Unfortunately the evening turned sour as funke fell ill. It rained heavily that evening till the next day, leaving the entire house flooded.
The following morning, the report of Funke's illness was brought to the principal's desk. So after school that hot afternoon, we all matched down to her house. Some were gisting, some were grumbling (especially those who weren't close to her) wondering why they should pay her a visit when they don't even talk, while others were engaged in serious gossip. Finally the long talks came to an end as we arrived Funke's gate after much questioning trying to locate the exact house.
The head boy knocked and her brother came to welcome us shouting "senior welcome to our house". First we were amazed because the house didn't seem like the one Funke described to us. "She said her house was a big mansion - 2storey building , with high security gates, and trees planted in and outside the compound". We began murmuring as the class prefect called the small boy and asked if he is Funke's cousin. The boy stared at him for some moments feeling confused. Finally he answered .... No! This is our house! You think am lying? Okay na, if you even come inside you'll see our family pictures on the wall and table...then you'll know am not lying.
At this point we still weren't satisfied until we met Funke's mum sitting on a plastic stool beside the front door. So we greeted her and asked to see Funke.
After some minutes she showed up and all of a sudden we heard a girl from behind( her rival in class) shouting...Hmmmmm.... Fuuunnnnkeeee! Hey! Funke oooo ... I thought you said your house is like governor's lodge? It was so embarrassing and humiliating. Funke was just quiet, feeling so ashamed of herself and never came back to our school after she recovered.
After some minutes she showed up and all of a sudden we heard a girl from behind( her rival in class) shouting...Hmmmmm.... Fuuunnnnkeeee! Hey! Funke oooo ... I thought you said your house is like governor's lodge? It was so embarrassing and humiliating. Funke was just quiet, feeling so ashamed of herself and never came back to our school after she recovered.
Often times we end up living a fake life trying to please the world, thinking the world even cares. You forget that real people don't have time to notice you because they are too busy thinking of their own problems. Its unfortunate how one suddenly grows up to forget his root - who you really are.
You begin to live unreasonably while your parents still live in a shabby house, your younger siblings are chased from school everyday because they can't pay their school fees, worst of all your family can't feed 2square meal...and you're spending extravagantly - misusing the little fund you manage to get, instead of using it to empower yourself so that you can be of help no matter how little to your family, No! You rather prefer to spend on clothes, shoes, bags, accessories, evening outing, drinking, birthday parties and the host of others.
To crown it all, some come on social platforms to flaunt "please borrow me" shoes, cars, hand bags, clothes, sunshade, etc just to convince the world that they are classy. Some go out on dates pretending to be who they are not. But in the end, who is deceiving who? Who is actually the fool? Thousands of ladies do this on daily basis thinking its smartness.
It's a pity that our social platforms have been messed up and as such, lost its authenticity.
Again, as a student, you can't be flaunting cars around school, clubbing every Friday, going shopping every weekend and attending lectures whenever you wish with Sandra whose parents are well to do. Who receives pocket money every 2weeks, has never tasted poverty -- one who was born rich! Whose parents had already secured a job for in an oil company, waiting for her to graduate so she can start working there or had already prepared a visa for her to live in the US after school. And above all, one who knows her source of income; rather than you who's parents look up to- expecting you to train your younger siblings, buy a car for them and build a family house both in the city and in the village. Worst of all, you who is training yourself in the university, knowing how you struggle before you get one naira and how much insults you receive before getting help.
Don't get it twisted! I am not of the opinion nor the class of people that says one should mingle with only those of the same financial background or not mingle with the high class either. But my point is this -- If at all you must mingle with one whose wealthy background is 10times higher than yours, and so doesn't know what it means to struggle for survival, then you should do so with reasoning!
Instead of associating with Sandra for just fun, why not get her involved to host a program with you, then you can use her influence to pull dignitaries to the event and make cool cash.
Seriously, you'll never realise what you're doing to yourself going for parties every weekend, when you know how you manage to get a kobo, until the day you graduate and path ways or the day she leaves that vicinity or work place to reside somewhere else - that is the day you'll realise where you came from.
By then it may be too late because you didn't use that opportunity well. The future of many has been shattered because of this reason of not knowing your root, especially in the university life.
A girl whose parents can't afford 2square meal living like a queen and a young man riding cars to lectures, telling girls his mother is a commissioner, buying launch for them, taking them out every weekend, has 30inches plasma in his room.... Living like a king, yet his mum is struggling to pay his siblings school fees. After all the pretence who are you deceiving? Or do you think those friends of yours will last forever?
Of course someday you will be done with school and you will have no other option than to report back home. Then your suffering will continue from where it stopped because you can't run away from it.
Some students don't even go home during long vacation. Use your head! If you're the son of a palm wine tapper, be proud of it and live according to your means. Stop trying to fake your life for someone who will not even matter in the end, people who will only be there for few years.
Some students don't even go home during long vacation. Use your head! If you're the son of a palm wine tapper, be proud of it and live according to your means. Stop trying to fake your life for someone who will not even matter in the end, people who will only be there for few years.
Stop living a pretentious life for someone you don't even know if he is going to die the next minute and you're there trying to impress him/her. If as a student you're opportune to be close friends with the ministers son/daughter, you can get him/her to invest in your life - not necessarily by giving you money but you can use his influence to organize programs, sale a product or start up a joint business instead of going clubbing, riding cars around school, hosting birthday parties claiming big boy/big girl in campus when you know you're not actually a big girl/boy.
Its true that if we were all given clay to mould our lives the way we want it to look like, everybody without exception will choose to be wealthy. But for the fact that you weren't given such opportunity and have come to meet yourself in such state, learn to acknowledge and appreciate who are you; no matter the present situation. Even if you're the poorest of them all, be proud of it and live according to your means while you work hard to improve.
