Walking on the busy road around the motor park along roadblock this morning, I take in my surrounding, a dirty drainage filled with several forms of human defecation and environmental polutions, nylons of various rotten substances litters the whole surrounding, making the supposed to be "beautiful road" a dunghill.
Yet in this dunghill of a surrounding, I sight this group of young boys (ages 7-12) roaming the streets in their dirty clothes in search of the day's meals. Among this group of boys, a certain young boy caught my attention, he can't be more than 8years of age, he lacks his left arm (a testimonial to the northern Sha'riah law of arm amputation for stealing), he's dirty from head to toe, yet he is happy, he happily and enthusiastically follows his group around waiting for a good Samaritan (or in this case, a good Tarabian) who is going to pay for their breakfast.
Saddled on his shoulder is his plate which is being held by a long and is slung over his shoulder along with his waist, this is the one major equipment these boys have, and they don't ever joke about it, they guard it jealously.
All of a sudden, I see them all running and forming a queue in front of a young lady who has her wallet out, prepared to buy food for as many boys as she can afford, it was at this moment I noticed a food seller who has been waiting for this exact moment, as she hurriedly stood up from the spot she was spotted, dragging her heavy cooler with her ready to be of service to the children at the expense of the lady getting the food.
All I could do at this moment is to walk home settle down and start ruminating on my life, the complaints I've made to God and my parents, my dissatisfaction when my folks couldn't do as much as they used to, and I felt really ashamed of myself, for everything I've taken for granted, and for not realising sooner enough that my life is a gift meant for great purposes and that I'm greatly privileged to be able to eat whatever I want when I want.
And as for you the reader of this article, believe me, you're privileged, at least you have a browsing phone, this proves that you can actually afford some of the life's necessary things, and with all this, you still grumble? I believe it's time for you to think and give thanks, trust me Nigerians are suffering, but you're still better than most.
And if this has really touched you, do something for someone today, somebody that needs help.
Daniel Faith
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Editorial