ShortStory I A Trip to Italy

A TRIP TO ITALY

       Ada just caught sight of Bunmi afar in the departure room of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos State, Nigeria, walked hastily towards her holding a brief luggage, nudged her and kept quiet.

       Bunmi whom equally held a luggage involuntarily turned to her left in response to the nudge. “Oh my God, who am I seeing?” she shouted. “Ada, it’s a lie…!”

       Both were course mates during their university days. Six years had passed, they couldn’t see, nor hear from, each other. They had probably lost contact since after graduation.

       Ada smiled. “Bunmi, so it’s you?” she said. “I can’t believe it.”

       They hugged each other tightly. “So, where are you coming from?” Bunmi inquired as they freed themselves.

      “My dear, it’s a long story.” Ada replied, looked exhausted.

      “Long story?”

       Ada nodded. “And you, where have you been?”

      “I am just returning from Italy.” answered Bunmi. “I have been there for five years now.”

       “Are you serious?’

       “Yea.”

       “That means you left this country immediately after youth service?”

       “Yea.”

       “Interesting.”

       “Let’s not prolong our stay here.” Bunmi suggested. “Please, how do we see?”

        “When are you going back?” quoth Ada.

        “I will be around for about three to four weeks.”

        “Hope your family is still in Lagos?” Ada added.

        “Yea.” responded Bunmi. “What about you?”

        “Mine is still here.”

        “That makes it perfect.” Bunmi enthused.

        “You can say that again.”

        “I don’t have any Nigerian number to give you.” Bunmi informed. “Do you have any?”

       “Hmm…” said Ada. “No, but let me give you my mum’s number.”

       “So, you base abroad too?” Bunmi stylishly inquired.

       “Please, let’s talk about that later, okay?”

       “Nah wah ooh!” exclaimed the Italian babe.

        Ada managed to smile. “Let me give you the number.” She reminded, collected Bunmi’s phone, typed the number, and returned it.

        “So, this is your mum’s number, right?”

        “Yes.” replied Ada. “It’s always available.”

          They departed for their respective destinations a few seconds after.

      * * * * * *

        “So Ada,” said the 36-year-old Bunmi as they were seated at a public lounge in a popular locality in Lagos State at about 4.05pm. “Tell me the long story.” She landed, staring at Ada.

        It was barely forty-eight hours after their previous encounter at the airport. They sat opposite each other at a white plastic roundtable sited at one of the corners in the lounge. Since their last meeting, Bunmi couldn’t wait to hear the ‘long story’ Ada cited when asked where she was coming from; in fact, the suspense really told on her. They were already emptying a bottle of red wine ordered by the former.

        “I know you can’t wait to get the gist?’ quoth the equally 36-year-old Ada.

       “Wait keh?” said Bunmi, placing her arms on the table. “Since that day you told me your trip was a long story, I haven’t rested.”

       “Sure?”

       “Of course.”

       “My dear,” said Ada. “It’s really a long story.”

       “I am listening.”

       “That very day you saw me,” she began hesitantly. “I was actually deported from the U.S.” she eventually disclosed.

       “You don’t mean it?”

       “Honestly,” she continued. “They just threw me back to Naija.”

       “This is not funny.”

       “My dear, it was really a tough experience.”

       “What actually happened?”

        “They said my papers were not complete.” Ada clarified. “This Trump regime no be small thing ooh.”

        “Hmmm…” Bunmi sighed. “When did you travel?”

        “About four months ago.” Ada answered. “After all the years of joblessness, I decided to try my luck over there.”

        “Nah wah ooh…!”

         There was a moment of silence. “My dear, let’s forget about it.” Ada broke the silence.” So tell me, how is Italy?”

         “Italy is hot.”

         “Hot..?”

         “Yea,” said Bunmi, sipped the wine from her glass. “I mean, very sweet.”
        “You said you have been there for five years now?”

          Bunmi nodded.

        “My dear, you need to help me ooh.”

        “What’s it?”

        “I need your connection nah.”

        “You mean, to Italy?”

        “Yes, of course,” Ada said. “I can’t continue like this.”

        “Is that what you are saying with small voice?” quoth Bunmi. “That one na small thing.”

        “Are you serious?”

        “Am I serious?” quoth Bunmi. “Just tell me when you are ready, and you will see yourself in Italy immediately.”

       “Oh, I no fit shout oooh.” Ada exclaimed elatedly in vernacular, sipped from her glass again and again.

        The two spinsters spent almost two hours in the joint before they left for their respective homes. Bunmi firstly drove Ada to her residence in her (Bunmi’s) Honda SUV Jeep before leaving for hers.

       Two months later, Ada found herself in Italy as planned via Bunmi’s assistance. Days on, she understood prostitution was what her friend did for a living. She was left with no choice than to join the chorus having been persuaded. As weeks unfolded, she comprehended the intricacy of the occupation, thus needn’t be told that she could indulge herself in any other dirty game in addition to the commercial sex-work. “So this is how Bunmi made all her money?” she thought. “I must shine my eyes ooh.” She added.

       At the moment, Bunmi had already built duplex both in Lagos and her ancestral home, and could boast of any car of her choice. Even there, in Italy, she harboured many Nigerian ladies including Ada who just came in.

        Afterwards, the game was all fun till one certain night Ada stole from an Italian business mogul who lodged in a hotel with her. Over five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) was involved in the scandal. The victim reported the case to the police who went in search of Ada in every nook and cranny of the country with the aid of her portrait that was handed over to them by the victim.

        Few days on, Ada was clamped down at an Italian airport as she was about leaving the country for Nigeria in disguise. The money was recovered from her at the airport. Thereafter, she was charged to court, and four months on was sentenced to fifteen years in prison with hard labour.

        Bunmi who was at the court when the verdict was served couldn’t believe her ears. Prior to this time, she made every possible effort to see that Ada was released unconditionally or at worst serve a less-severe sentence, all to no avail.

        On their part, Ada’s parents almost ran mad the moment the news filtered in. They were totally taken unawares; no one informed them regarding her apprehension let alone court trial, not until after the sentence was pronounced.

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Today is Int'l Mother Language Day!

PROMOTING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MOTHER TONGUE AS THE 2017 INTERNATIONAL MOTHER LANGUAGE DAY IS MARKED ON TUESDAY FEBRUARY 21

          

Today, the world over is commemorating the 2017 International Mother Language Day. The day was proclaimed by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in November 1999. The date – February 21 –represents the day in 1952 when the Pakistani students who demonstrated for recognition of their native language, Bangla, as one of the two national languages of the then Pakistan, were shot and killed by the Police in Dhaka – the capital of what is now Bangladesh.

          

On 16^th May 2007, the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution called upon Member States to promote the preservation and protection of all languages used by peoples of the world. By the same resolution, 2008 was proclaimed as the ‘International Year of Languages’, to promote unity in diversity and international understanding through multilingualism and multiculturalism.

          

A language can be defined as a system of sounds, written symbols, and/or signs used by the people of a particular country, geographical area, tribe, or status as the case may be, to communicate with each other. It can also be described as the human ability to acquire and use complex systems of communication.

         

There are several forms of languages in existence, such as spoken language, sign language, computer language, and animal language. Estimates of the number of languages in the world vary between five thousand (5,000) and seven thousand (7,000). However, any precise estimate depends on a partly arbitrary distinction between official languages and local/mother languages.

          

Mother language or Mother tongue, which is also widely known as dialect or native language, is the indigenous language of one’s parents which is usually the first language learnt by him/her. In the same vein, it is also referred to as the language of one’s ethnic group. Suffice to say that, one’s Mother tongue is an apparent indication of where he/she hails from.

          

Mother language is often regarded as one’s ‘first language’. Therefore by contrast, a second language is any language that one speaks other than his or her first/native language. The Mother language is noted as ‘first’, because it is regarded as the most important language spoken by anyone due to its hereditary value as well as its cultural impact on the concerned individual.

           

No doubt, Mother language or first language contribute immensely in a child’s personal, social, cultural, intellectual, educational and economic life. Personal; in the sense that a child’s first (native) language is critical to his or her identity. Social; in the sense that when the native language of a child is not maintained, important links to family and other community members may be lost. Cultural; in the sense that sustaining a child’s Mother tongue would help the child to value his or her culture and heritage, which contributes to a positive self-concept.

          

Furthermore, the intellectual aspect of it is that, when students who are not yet fluent in their second/official language such as English or French, but have switched to using only the said official language, would have the tendency of functioning at an intellectual level below their age thereby resulting to academic failure. Educational wise; students who learn second language and continue to develop their native language would have chances of higher academic achievement in later years than those who learn their second language at the expense of their first language. More so, economically; there are available better employment or job opportunities in Nigeria and in the disapora for individuals who are conversant with their official language as well as another language – probably a native language.

           

As the global community celebrates the Int’l Mother Language Day, I call on every Nigerian, both home and abroad, to join in the ongoing crusade of promoting the significance of Mother tongue by acknowledging that Mother languages are the most powerful instruments required to preserve and develop our respective tangible heritages.

           

To this end, I also call on the National Assembly to enact a law that would ensure that every citadel of learning in Nigeria, ranging from primary to tertiary level, offers at least one native language relevant to the area or community where the institution is situated. In addition, the proposed law ought to also mandate the various existing examination boards in the country including the West African Examination Council (WAEC), the National Examination Council (NECO), and the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), to ensure that the students compulsorily enroll as well as sit for the said native language or subject as it concerns their respective schools or the institution where they are seeking for admission, as the case may be.

           

Indeed, considering the singular fact that Mother Language helps to create full and thorough awareness on cultural traditions coupled with its role in promotion of solidarity among members of any given community thereby uplifting the level of moral, social and intellectual values of our young ones, it is of no gain reiterating that the ongoing crusade regarding uplift of various Mother languages is a task that awaits all and sundry. Think about it!

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Opinion I Today is World Day of Social Justice

UPHOLDING CREDIBLE ELECTION AS WE MARK WORLD DAY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE

        

              

The last time I checked, February 20 of every year remained the World Day of Social Justice. This implies that, today, the world over is commemorating the said day. The World Summit for Social Development was held in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1995 and resulted in the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action regarding Social Justice. Nearly ten years later, precisely in February 2005, the United Nations’ Member States reviewed the Declaration when they gathered at a session of the Commission for Social Development in New York, U.S.A.

          

Subsequently, on 26^th November 2007, the UN General Assembly named February 20 as the annual World Day of Social Justice; the day was scheduled to be first observed in the year 2009. On that day, the General Assembly urged the leaders of the various Member States to allow their citizens to exercise their civic responsibilities as well as grant them their respective entitlements irrespective of background, status, or age.

            

An election is a process in which people or the public choose a person or group of persons to hold an official position through voting. In the same vein; a credible election, in a concise term, could be described as an election in which no one is disenfranchised and no iota of injustice is employed; it can equally be described as an election where each of the electorate is entitled to equal right, and no foul play is witnessed.

         

On the other hand, a social justice is a situation in which individuals or citizens of a certain society are allowed to fulfill their civil obligations as well as receive what is due for them. Social justice, which is a justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society, assigns rights and duties in the institutions of a given society which enables people to receive the basic benefits and burdens of cooperation.

         

Considering the significance of social justice, no doubt, it is only by the acknowledgement of its existence, that, a free, fair and credible election would be guaranteed in any country or organization. This is why thorough practice of social justice is required by any nation that claims to possess a good number of true democrats.

         

It was Abraham Lincoln who said in 19^th May 1856, that, “The ballot is stronger than the bullet.” Furthermore, in his first inaugural address as the President of the United States of America (U.S.A) in March 4, 1861, he said, “This country with its institutions belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or their revolutionary right to dismember it or overthrow it.”

         

To this end, it is high time the aspirants of any forthcoming election in Nigeria started playing politics of vision to be accompanied by mission with the view that the electorate are the major determinant in every election regardless of its nature/level, rather than the usual alleged believe that the polls do not require the participation of the people for an election to take place, or be successful.

         

On their part, the electorate ought to comprehend that the future of this country lies in their bare hands by ensuring that they concentrate on the real visions of the respective aspirants instead of laying emphasis on his/her ethnic, social, political, or religious affiliation. They must endeavour to focus on the aspirant’s antecedents and background, contrary to the ongoing tradition where aspirants are scrutinized based on his affiliations.

          

In his words John Quincy Adams said, “Always vote for principle; though you may vote alone, but you shall live to cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.” Also in his speech, Woody Allen stated, “We stand today at a crossroad: one path leads to despair and utter hopelessness while the other leads to total extinction. Let us hope we have the wisdom to make the right choice.”

            

The Independent National Electoral commission (INEC), which stands as the sole umpire for elections in Nigeria as well as the various states’ electoral commissions, should in their corporate capacities not attempt to compromise the confidence majority of Nigerians have in them. By acknowledging the fact that many Nigerians have become sceptical over the effectiveness of elections in Nigeria due to the porosity of the ones conducted in the past, it is therefore the responsibility of the INEC to prove to the doubtful electorate, beyond reasonable doubts, that subsequent elections in their respective jurisdictions would be the best of its kind in the history of the country. Such measure if taken seriously would help tremendously to eliminate the enormous apathy witnessed among the electorate.

         

As the world celebrates the World Day of Social Justice, there is need for all concerned, particularly electoral stakeholders such as the civil society, religious bodies and the mass media at all levels, to strengthen the ongoing awareness on the need to exercise free, fair and credible polls in the country. As regards this, we are expected to continually preach the gospel of “One man, one vote”, and the need for every Nigerian to participate actively at the polls.

         

We shouldn’t forget that, for us to actualize the future we dream of, all hands must surely be on deck; else, we will end up actualizing a goal we never wished to behold. To this end, I appeal to Imolites to always have the interest of the state at heart whenever they are prepared to cast their votes at the polls. We must note that if we failed to do the needful, we shall all live to exclaim “Had I known” which invariably comes at last. Think about it!

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