#WisdomTablets (9)

Take time to Choose a Life Partner
__________________________

The last time I checked, the greater percentage
of most divorce cases or estrangements usually
witnessed in various quarters, was mainly as a
result of impatience on the part of the womenfolk
when it calls for settling down or choosing a life
partner.

In most cases, you would discover that most spinsters
out there are intensely characterized by a can of worms
known as impatience. All they longed for is to fast
forward everything regarding their marital status, which
is a significant way of seeking for any available man to
settle down with.

This set of people must realize that marriage isn't
what one goes into in haste neither is it a competitive
institution. They shouldn't just for the sake of the fact
that all their friends or peers have tied the knots, decide
to do otherwise. You must take time to ascertain if you
are compatible with the person you intend to tie the
connubial knot with. Compatibility and understanding
among married partners are the rudimentary factors
towards sustenance of the union in question.

We all are aware of the social implications of divorce,
or any form of estrangement, in the society at large. In
a nutshell, it truncates the required upbringing of the
concerned child; it causes mental rascality on the part
of the couple involved; it ridicules the social
status of the woman, in particular.

Hence, we are bound to do everything within our reach
to ensure that we made the right choice when the time
comes. Take your precious time to choose someone
you intend to spend the rest of your life with, so that,
you wouldn't decry 'Had I known' in the long run. You
must invariably note that you aren't into any rivalry
with anyone whatsoever. #ThinkAboutIt

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ShortStory I Life's Intrigues (II)

LIFE’S INTRIGUES (II)

       “Like I said the other day,” Chukwudi told Damilola as he sat directly opposite her. “You are very pretty.”

        It was their second meeting, which they respectively couldn’t wait to embrace. It was scheduled via a phone call, and was taking place in one of the relaxation joints on the campus after their lecture period, precisely at about 5:35pm. It was exactly two days after their first meeting.

       “Thank you.” She replied, smiling.

       “One more thing,” the lover-boy rode on. “I have noticed you have a good fashion taste.”

        His compliment wasn’t mistaken based on the two occasions he had come across her. Damilola invariably appeared simple but classic, thus you could never find her wanting when it called for fashion. This time, she was clad in a sky-blue skirt, white shirt, white sandals coupled with bluish earrings; she was obviously looking cute and gorgeous to assert the least.

       “Serious..?” she said in false pretence.

       “Of course, you know what I am talking about.”

       “I am flattered.”

       “Honestly, you are always on point.” quoth Chukwudi. “You will be a good media personnel in future.” He added, paused. “You made a suitable choice of course for yourself.”

        “Really?”

        “Yea.” he said. “Mass Communication is to match.”

        “Thank you.”

        “You are welcome.” quoth the apparent host. “Lest I forget, what do you care for?” He demanded immediately.

         They just delved into discussion as soon as they entered the joint, forgetting to make any request. It was ostensibly a long-awaited meeting in spite of the fact that the meeting came barely forty-eight hours after their first encounter.

        “Any soft would be okay.”

        “What about meal?” quoth Chukwudi. “Or, are you not hungry?”

       It was almost 6:00pm, so one who left home in the morning ought to be hungry by that hour of the day.

       “No, snack would be better.”

       “Snack?” said Chukwudi. “Would it be okay by you.” he added, paused. “Can it quench hunger?”

       “I can cope with it.” quoth Damilola. “I will eat when I got home.”

       “Alright.” He surrendered, called the waiter and ordered for all they needed.

        In few minutes time, the steward returned with stainless tray containing two bottles of malt alongside straws, a snack and a plate of stewed white rice. He served accordingly.

       “So, tell me more about yourself.” Chukwudi urged as he devour the rice whose outlook was so appetizing.

       “Myself, myself …” she stammered cheerily, placing her right hand on her chest as she sipped her drink.

       “Yes, yourself.” He reiterated pleasantly, sipped his malt.

       “Alright.” she exclaimed. “I am from Ogun State; the last in a family of five children.”

        She took about fifteen minutes to narrate the needed short story. “And you?” she inquired.

       “From Anambra,” he began. “Third in a family of six children.”

        It took him more than thirty minutes to tender his, as he tried to employ uncalled suspense just to make the narration seem superb and entertaining.

        “So, you would be leaving the school soonest?” observed Damilola.

        “You can say that again.” he concurred. “I can’t wait.”

        “When you leave, I would be all alone.” She confessed subconsciously even though the chap was yet to tender a friendship proposal as the tradition demanded.

        It implied she had already accepted the awaited proposal prior to its disclosure. It was indeed a welcome development for the 25-year-old Chukwudi who had been thinking of the most apt words to use towards asking for an intimate relationship.

       “Nooo…” he exclaimed on hearing the emotional statement, filled with goose pimples. “I would be coming around to see you.” he said, paused as he got his eyes fixed on hers. “I will always be there for you, dear.”

       “Sure?” she enquired passionately.

       “Of course, I promise.” He strongly replied.

       “That is how all men sound,” the 20-year-old Damilola argued. “But at the end, they would mess up with the deal.”

       “Baby, you just have to trust me.” he reaffirmed. “I am different.”

       “So tell me,” she continued. “Don’t you have any woman in your life?”

       “Woman..?”

        He sounded as if he was yet to hear such a word.

       “Yes,” she clarified. “No lady in your life at the moment.”

        Not at all.” He answered eventually with alacrity. “I had never thought of keeping a woman until I met you.” He lied

       “And you want me to believe you?” she calmly queried, though was emotionally moved by his words.

       “So, you don’t believe me?”

       “Not that I don’t,” she said. “Or that, I am doubting you…”

       “So..?” he interrupted, looking into her eyes affectionately.

       “I am only surprised that at your age and level, you don’t have any girl in your life.”

       “You better start believing me.” quoth the lover-boy. “Some men are different.” he asserted, paused. “Or, don’t you believe it?”

       “I do.” She sceptically responded. “But ...”

       “But what again?” he asked tenderly.

       “I am just afraid.”

       “Afraid of what?”

        The enclosed arena seemed so deserted, so they ostensibly had all the space and time to deliberate on personal cum sensitive issues.

       “I don’t want to be heartbroken.”

         He quickly held her hands respectively with his. “Likewise me.” he said. “No reasonable person wishes to be heartbroken, especially if you don’t cheat on your partner.”

       The last statement seemingly calmed her emotions down, thus she abruptly became relaxed. “Alright, I am so sorry for expressing doubts.” she said. “I was only trying to be careful”

       “I understand.” quoth Chukwudi. “You don’t need to be sorry because you did the right thing.” He added still holding her hands.

        She watched him with optimum amazement.

       “And I promise you once again,” he proceeded. “I won’t let you down.” he said, paused. “Okay?”

        She nodded.

        This time, it was past six O’clock; hence, they hurriedly finished their drinks cum all consumables, and left for their various lodges. Before he went to his residence, he escorted her to hers.

       The moment Damilola got home, she felt fulfilled not unlike one who just won a lottery. She couldn’t hide the feelings that her roommate, Chinwe saw everything for herself. “Dami, what is the secret of this over joy?” she inquired.

       “Someone just made my day.” Damilola replied hesitantly.

       “Hmm..” Chinwe said. “A guy, I guess?”

        Damilola dished out a dazzling smile, and nodded in a jiffy. “How did you know?” she supplemented.

       “This is my second year in this school.” Chinwe replied. “So, I have known how a year-one student feels when she is proposed by a man.” she added, paused. “Especially if the guy is in a higher level.”

       “Meaning?” Damilola inquired anxiously, reacting to the last utterance.

       The intriguing story continues next week, so keep a date with us!

 

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Opinion I Owelle, Thank You For Heeding My Advice

OWELLE, THANK YOU FOR HEEDING MY ADVICE!

        

The last time I painstakingly checked, my entire system was deeply pleased over a recent pronouncement made by the Imo State governor, Chief Owelle Rochas Okorocha in one of his numerous official outings targeted towards governance. In that occasion, the number-one citizen disclosed to the gathering that the ongoing General Hospitals in each of the Local Government Areas in the state would be handed over to the private sector. Frankly, this is a welcome development.

        

There are two critical and pertinent factors that must be treated as priorities while discussing governance. They are education and health. The former remains the reason a given society is duly informed and developed, whilst the latter guarantees a fit society. No doubt, any society that is deformed and unfit is obviously not unlike an individual seriously ravaged by a medical condition known as kwashiorkor.

        

The above fact could be the sole reason Governor Okorocha thought it wise to declare free-education in the state’s education sector. Till date, Imolites schooling in the state’s various educational institutions ranging from nursery to tertiary, enjoy learning without paying a dime. It could equally be the fact given in the above paragraph that necessitated construction of General Hospitals in each LGA across the state, alongside the Ochiedike Diagnostic Centre situated in New Owerri, which is now complemented and functional.

        

Although the governor’s move to ensure that every LGA in the state could boast of at least one standard hospital was genuine and commendable, the moment he commenced the project about four years ago, having appreciated him for the laudable political will employed therein towards investing in the health sector, I unequivocally made him understand that such project was rather inconsequential because it may end up causing more harm than the intended good.

        

The project was ‘inconsequential’ because I strongly foresaw that such initiative might end up consuming our treasury without achieving the desired motive of the initiator; inconsequential because I knew such project might in the long run be tagged a ‘white-elephant project’; unnecessary, because I was deeply of the notion that if other existing hospitals across the state were put in order or revived, there wouldn’t be any need of constructing new ones; because I knew when completed, the state cannot manage the activities of the gigantic hospitals.

         

These, among others, were the reason I candidly advised the workaholic governor to consider selling the project to interested buyers in the private sector. When a government is investing in the health sector, its primary aim is to cater for the well-being of the citizenry, and not to make profit as it is usually the case in the private sector. Hence, the government needs to regularly ensure that each of the facilities in the hospitals are functional and in good shape, contrary to a private investor who would concentrate mainly on the profit he stands to make in the process. In other words, such amenities would be so cumbersome for the government to super-head when in use.

        

So, being preoccupied with the notion that Imo can adequately manage the hospitals when completed, in addition to the already existing ones, is just like lying to ourselves. The state can never have the muscle, financially and otherwise, to oversee the day-to-day running of the hospitals under normal circumstance, let alone in an era when workers are being begged to go home with seventy per cent of their salaries, and pensioners aren’t sure what the next month entails.

         

So far, the fund that have been channeled to the project in question from the state’s coffer is unimaginable, thus I wouldn’t like the government to continue financing the initiative till they are duly completed. Rather than doing this, let them be conceded to the private sector at this stage, and not to wait until their completion is witnessed. I wouldn’t want this thing to overweigh the governor who has other more pressing tasks to attend to.

        

I’m aware when Gov. Okorocha eventually pronounced that the hospitals would be leased to private investors, he was actually referring to when they are thoroughly completed. Against this backdrop, I wish to differ from his idea. I want to further advise the governor not to wait till they are completed as well as equipped, before handing them over to the private sector. There are other inevitable needs in the state that require the urgent attention of the funds being utilized on the said initiative.  
        

Ensuring that the citizenry could boast of sound health care is unarguable very crucial in any society, but let’s concentrate on managing the hospitals we have already, instead of building what could be addressed as ‘castle in the air’. I’m more concerned about sustainability, and not establishment of an edifice.

         

I can imagine how much the ongoing free-education, alone, is taking from the state’s coffer on an annual basis, let alone when the burden is juxtaposed with a similar one. He who wears the shoes knows where it pinches him most; I think I’m one of those clad in the shoes, so I’m in a good position to acknowledge where the pain is being felt. I’m a full-fledged citizen and equally a stakeholder in the state, thus I needn’t any fellow or an outsider to intimate me on how the odyssey had fared so far.

         

Ab initio, one of the prime plights faced by successive governments has been indulgence in initiation of white-elephant projects. Worse still, anyone who happens to succeed a governor/president of a state or country, as the case may be, would rather than ensuring that the projects he met on board are completed, prefer initiating new ones at the expense of the state/country’s treasury, forgetting that government is a continuum. It is in view of this ugly tradition that I wouldn’t want Gov. Okorocha to leave any uncompleted project behind when exiting from Douglas House come 2019, because such scenario might rubbish all the good gestures he showcased while in office.                   

         

I would be making a grievous mistake, or deceiving myself, if I fail to concur that the governor – Owelle as he’s fondly called – is so passionate about education as well as compassionate towards the sick and frail-looking individuals, but he ought to note that whatever is worth doing, is definitely worth doing well. Think about it!

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