“Black people”. What’s that? Anyone?
On Moving Forward!!!
Why do we even see that as a thing that should exist? “Black people”, “white people”, “class system”, “MY friends”, “My clique”, “MINE”, “OURS”, “US”, “THOSE PEOPLE”, “THEM” “Fulani”, “ijaw”, “infidel”, “North and south”, all of that.
Don’t you see that that’s the problem? That’s the tool being used to fight us. Open your eyes. They said divide and conquer and we’ve been asking them every single day into how many pieces? No more.
Even if there’s been years and years of damage done, it can be undone! Everyone just needs to get in on the program. As much as possible, denounce wickedness and every form of selfishness.
Understand that the concept of love is that of selflessness. I’m putting this out there so that it can go out and multiply. That’s the mentality; and knowing this alone draws you back whenever selfishness rears its selfish head.
The first time I knew that I wanted to work in the community- and I mean out in the field!! — was one day while I was in JS2. On a random afternoon or maybe early evening, prefects were sent as they usually were to go to all classes and get every one seated. If this had happened in senior school, we might have just wondered among ourselves what was going on. But as JS2 little rats that we were, we just stared at the door, waiting for who was gonna walk through the door.
Tick tock tick tock tick tick and we heard the sound of a bag being dragged to 🤔our corridor? 🤔our class? 👀 oh wait, the sound is coming from everywhere in the school. Bags were being dragged down every corridor. Next thing we each received this (teens) magazine that had been put together the teams at one famous NGO.
It was about the girl child in Vietnam, Mexico, Rwanda, Congo and everywhere you could possibly think of. Bits and pieces of sensitizations, outreaches, trips into many communities!
It blew my mind! And to think that I got to have one to myself was the icing on the cake. I read that magazine from cover to cover more than 100 times. I am not exaggerating.
The stories! The designs of different sections! The way the stories were told- the words, Jesus- I mean the places my mind travelled to every time. Young and old, African and Asian, struggling and happy, terrified by the weight of their lack, everyone was in those magazines. These prints were also littered with prints and activities from role models and activists. It was beyond wholesome; it was the most wholesome experience. The feeling I had for weeks was like the one an ugu (pumpkin) plant gets when the gardener points the hose of the watering can at it in the morning and showers it. It was good and I want that for as many JS2 girls and boys as possible.
I don’t think it’s impossible to achieve. Class systems and poverty don’t scare me (I’m not saying that they aren’t scary, or that you shouldn’t recognize the size of their role is in this conversation). I’m only scared of ignorance, of having no access to access and of what will become of a generation that refuses to learn and unlearn. A stuck mind scares the sheet out of me. We have enough already to make it work; we just need the hands and the minds and the legs ready.
Happy valentine’s my darling. Be still and know that God is God. You want to create value, trigger positive change, empower people but you don’t see a way yet? Be still, surrender your self and commit your plans to God’s all-powerful hands, genuinely trust him. Trust yourself too and the continued efforts you’re making. If you’ve been blessed (especially by generational wealth), please bless others.
I’m hoping you already know this but today, the kind of love we (the world) need from you is the kind that isn’t selfish; Therefore, consent is key.
Blossom! I cherish you❤️❤️
Also, giving my Secondary school her flowers💐💐 for how intentional and progressive the system was (is). No idea if it was only thanks to the influence of the Nigerian Armed Forces. I only hope I can give it back soon.
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Images are from Pexels.
