MY BEST BIRTHDAY GIFT

Birthdays for me have always been a period of sober reflection and retreat where I carry out self evaluation, take up new resolutions, drop recurring bad habits and look forward to the future under the guidance, protection and direction of God. As the date approach in 2015, I was chocked up with chain of activities involving traveling to rural communities in Kano, Zaria and Kaduna that I lost track of the date. Going to bed late and waking up early; forgetting to eat; spending less than five minutes in the bathroom and always on the move were activities that crowded my schedule in the last one week. There was so much to do in a very little time and the day (9^th October) came as to me as another normal day filled with activities.

On returning home after a hectic, energy sapping and long week, I had time to  go through my call records on Saturday morning (10^th October), I realized that I responded to some calls between 2 am to 3:330 am on Friday 9^th October which unfortunately I do not have a full account of (I was most probably deep asleep). Looking over the day and what went on, I consider 9^th October 2015 which was a half day (a Friday) as the busiest day of my life in the last four years crowded with activities. But on this same day, an experience I had gave me the best birthday gift in my existence on earth over the past two decades plus years.

On 9^th October 2015 while on the field and getting to one of the rural communities in Kaduna, I was informed that the safest way of getting into the community was with a canoe through the river. To meet up with my expected deliverables as outline by my scope of work and to take up a new adventure (since I have never entered a canoe before) I entered the canoe with some of my colleagues.

 In my mind was the struggle between fear and courage each trying to get the better of the other but an enveloping spirit of zeal and determination for success covered them all and kept me sited on the canoe with my hands firmly holding on to the edge of the canoe and a faceless smile aimed at hiding my fear.  My eyes were fixes on the bank of the river with some much anxiety as that of a hungry little boy on a long queue waiting to be served lunch that was likely to finish before his turn.

Finally we got to our destination and we were welcomed into the community with open arms and treated with outmost courtesy. The resident of the community were predominately farmers and cattle rearers, they were all looking happy as they go about with their activities exchanging pleasantries with all and sundry. The community had no hospital or even a clinic; no pipe born water and there were a few shops that had basic things for sale; there was a dilapidated building structure of six classes the community use as their primary school which I found under lock and key and which appeared to me as unused in over the last four years.  The community had no secondary school at all which made it a culture that girls in the community are either sent hawking food items or into marriage soon after their primary education (if the make it that long). Interestingly, the community had power supply and network reception (even thou both were epileptic in supply)

While in the canoe on our way into the community, we were joined by three adolescent girls who were returning from school, the eldest of them was between the age of 14 to 16 years of age and in SS2 while the other two were between 8 and 11 years of age. I urged a female colleague of mine to engage them in a discussion primarily to find out how they were fairing in school and secondly to distract the fear that was growing stronger in my mind as we were in the middle of the river and everyone was just sitting quietly.

The eldest girl told us she wants to be a lawyer when she grows up, she narrated how she has to cross the river every school day for the past five years just to get to school. According to her, a lot of her friends and age mate were married and some had (a) child(ren) already which is a prestigious thing in their community but she wanted to finish school and go to the university and become somebody in the future even thou there is a suitor willing to marry her and her parents will be happy to see her married off as that will save them the money they use in paying her school fees.

As the girl narrated her story, I could see determination in her, I could see courage in her voice, I could see strong will in her dreams, I could see her struggling against the waves of the river, I could picture how the future of that community will be if this girl becomes a lawyer. This stirred a thought in me and I reflected on how life has been less stressful for some of us, we had the luxury of been transported to school every school day and the leverage to choose what we wanted to be in the future or which university to go to. This young girl may not have half the privileges that some of us had while her age but she has a strong will and determination and that am sure will make her succeed.

Unknowingly to the young girl, she gave me my best birthday present I have ever received which included the ability to empathize with the struggles of others, the courage to strive harder despite the unfavorable circumstances, the grace to appreciate all that we have despite its shortage in quality or quantity, the value and transforming power of education and the ability to overcome my fear of water (hydrophobia).

What started to me as a long hectic day ended up as a very inspiring day, I wish all my birthdays will be like that.

Bijimi Daniel Meindous    

 

To be or not to be

To be or not to be

To hold on and struggle or let go and quit

To follow the same old path or try a new now

To hold the bird in hand or go for the two in the bush

To be or not to be

To accept it as fate or deny it with faith

To follow the status quo or to create a new history

To join the bandwagon or take an opposite direction

To be or not to be

To earn a living or to make a living

To get wet in the rain or to feel the rain

To live on earth or to exist in the planet

To be or not to be

To be contended with the bone received or to agitate for the meat as well

To be driven by reasoning or motivated by emotions

To contribute to common goal or to pursue self accomplishments

Bijimi Daniel Meindous

WHEN IS ONE WITHOUT SENTIMENTS IN POLITICAL ANALYSIS?

As I sit back to reflect over the last few months, it occurred to me that from January to May of 2015 the frequent word spoken that have captured my ear-time and my reading time through discussions and interactions with friends, colleagues, commentators and other wish wishers  have been the word “sentiments”. From the sunrise of the political struggle on the journey to Asso rock characterized by campaign, accusations and counter accusations from different factions to the mid-day of queuing at the polling units and resting with the sunset of the inauguration of Nigeria’s current president, most discussions have the statement “let us keep sentiments aside” when an individual is about to drum support for his candidate. This prompted me to ask when an individual is objective in a political analysis.

An attribute common among some Nigerians that constitute the “so-called minorities” in northern Nigeria moments preceding the presidential election based on my observation was that when an individual drums support for President Buhari, he is termed objective, patriotic and has the love of country at heart while if another does same for former President Goodluck Jonathan he is term as sentimental, biased and subjective. Despite being among the Nigerian population that contributed to the present government coming into power with a mindset that as it was in 2011 so shall it not be in 2015, I do not consider myself more objective, more patriotic and less subjective than other Nigerians that wanted continuity with the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan. I feel Nigerians were protecting their interest and they all have right to do so as my preference for “pate” over rice does not necessarily means the later is better than the former but has more to do with personal choice.  

As a social scientist I was taught that objectivity indicates the attempt to observe things as they are, without falsifying observations to accord with some preconceived world view. It is the ability to perceive or describe something without being influenced by personal emotions or prejudices and the fact or quality of being accurate, unbiased, and independent of individual perceptions. However, Karl Gunnar Myrdal a Swedish Nobel Laureate economist, sociologist and politician opined that total objectivity is an illusion which can never be achieved because view points are guided by subjectivity. The Spanish painter and sculptor Pablo Picasso using his profession to define objectivity said “Painting is a blind man's profession; He paints not what he sees, but what he feels, what he tells himself about what he has seen”

In the natural science where inanimate objects are primary targets, objectivity can be achieved while in the social science where animate objects are used complete objectivity is not guaranteed. We may align ourselves with any of the above school of thoughts but in my opinion, telling an individual not to use sentiments is a calculated attempt to guide that individual towards an expected pattern of analysis or response. Hence as the saying goes that refusing to take a decision among a range of options available to an individual is a decision itself, I would say telling an individual not to involve sentiments is sentiments itself.

Bijimi Daniel Meindous

@Dmeindous

MY HUGE WEEKEND PLANS

The night was hot and dark, the noon and stars were on vacation and NEPA (PHCN) were asleep leaving the ability to use our sight at the mercy of the security lights from houses that could afford a generator and fuel to make it work. As we walked down the streets to where we could rest our heads for the night, arguments on which player was at his best or worst and how the officiating went clouded our discussions. Among us were three groups, those jubilating that Juventus are through to the finals and those visibly disappointed that Real Madrid could not progress to the next level and people like us that were indifferent on the result and only enjoyed a good football match.      

The group became smaller and smaller as the journey progressed when individuals reached the junction leading to their destination and bid the group farewell, soon I was left alone with my thoughts as I walked into my compound and opened the door heading straight to the kitchen to satisfy a slight hunger harassing my system before getting down to continue writing the report of an activity we just had in the office. At least I enjoyed watching the champions league semi final second leg match between Real Madrid and Juventus so I did not feel I wasted my time or energy.

As the plan to satisfy my hunger progressed arithmetically, my plans for the remaining days of the week and the weekend ran through my mind; I had a tailor to see to prepare my uniform which we are to launch in church on Sunday, I had promised visiting some friends whom I have not seen since we all traveled for the election break in March, I planned cooking “pate” on Saturday, I needed to do a little sanitation as dust and cobwebs covered my room, I needed to do some laundry and I had three societal meetings to attend at the weekend.

My thoughts was suddenly interrupted, my phone was ringing. Who was calling I wonder? It is 10:02 pm who could this be and what does he/she wants? I reluctantly moved to the phone but with the speed of light my reluctance was transformed to anxiety as I saw the caller; it was my employer. Did I do something wrong? Is there any emergency? Why is my boss calling me at this hour? To satisfy my curiosity I picked the call and the following conversation took place

Me: Hello, good evening sir               

My employer: Bijimi, how are you? Hope I did not wake you up

Me: no sir am still awake

My employer: can you join us tomorrow by 7 am to go to Abuja to conduct some interviews? We will be gone for six days? We can pick you up at the office.

Me: yes sir, I will be in the office by 7am

My employer: ok thank you, see you tomorrow

Me: thank you sir, good night     

The news swallowed my hunger and my appetite suddenly travelled, I thought of the plans I made and I had to immediately place a call to everyone we had an arrangement with and tell them I cannot make it or will not be available.  From some, the response was “okay safe journey” while others was “anyhow sha, you are always traveling” and the third group were “you will miss our activity on Sunday”. I had a few hours to prepare, I had laundry to do and taking it to Abuja is not necessarily a good idea but I knew I would find a way out.

By 12:37 am I was set, all pack and ready to sleep, as I laid on my back staring at the dark ceiling enduring the hot environment and dusty breeze dancing around my neighborhood, I thought of how a few hours ago I had different plans with what I have now and how I will be in a different environment than what I earlier planned for. Then it occurred to me and I asked myself, what if it was God that called me? What if it was death that knocked on my door? What if it was the saying that man proposes and God disposes? The thoughts returned my hunger as it came back jumping and making its presence felt.      

I said to myself that is how death comes; it takes you by surprise without warning or prior notice and one will never have the time to bid friends and family farewell. Surely then, death should be a major plan in our activities as Gods plans and the laws of nature will always prevail.

  

May we be ready when God calls and death comes knocking. Amen.

By

Bijimi Daniel Meindous  

AS IT WAS IN 2011 SO SHALL IT NOT BE IN 2015

As the political drama is unfolding and the struggle for vote continues to gather momentum, I remember with “mix feelings” how we mounted our tents and supported our candidate four years ago.  On the cold Saturday morning of 16^th April 2011, I joyfully joined the queue in my polling unit to perform my civic responsibility and give my mandate to a man I believed had the potential and will-power to lead our great country.

In him I saw a man with experience in contemporary government and Nigerian politics that within a decade he has been a deputy governor, governor, vice president, acting president and president. Surely he was the best man for the job; he knows the problems of our country (I thought) and had gathered relevant knowledge, experience and skills needed.    

Using sentiments, I saw him as one like us. A man bless by God from a humble background enjoying the benefits his name connotes. I thought of him as the Moses of our time who will lead us through the red sea away from the domination and dehumanizing treatment we suffered under the so called Pharaohs. 

Base on his educational attainment, I was over-joy that we will have an academicians piloting the affairs of our country. I shared in the sentiment that a better educated person with a PhD can salvage Nigeria and elevate us from the economic quagmire we were into.

Four years have come and gone and I will be queuing again to exercise my civic responsibility.  I keep looking for reasons to place my thumb print the same way I did four years ago but the more I search for propelling factors, the more I discover inhibiting factors. After four years I cannot look at myself in the mirror and say my expectations for a better Nigeria under the man I voted for has been met.    

What happened to the experience? What happened to the academic qualification? What happened to the man with a humble background? What happened to the man with a burning desire to change our country? What happened to the slogan if I can do it then you too can do it? What happened to the Moses of our time? I had hoped that after four years we should be seeing development and not listening to promises.

As been said “the devil you know is better than the angle you do not know” I have decided to place my hope in the angle I do not know as the devil I know seem unable to captain the Nigerian ship. I have decided to let go of my bird at hand in search of two in the bush, I will follow this part covered with uncertainties but having a ray of hope to ensure that AS IT WAS IN 2011 SO SHALL IT NOT BE IN 2015

Bijimi Daniel Meindous

Twitter handle @Dmeindous

Blog site www.dmeindous@blogspot.com