It was a beautiful Sunday morning and as usual this young family of three left for Church.
They left the house full of excitement and were thankful to God for another beautiful day.
It was the birth month of their son and party favors for the planned birthday celebration occupied every part of the house.
It was his first birthday and it was going to be a big one hence the too many items; toys, candies, assorted drinks for the young and old, souvenirs, party packs, loads and loads of gifts which had started pouring in for the one year old boy.
It was both an exciting and a trying period for the family as the young wife who was expecting yet another baby was meant to return to law school; she had an examination to retake.
While in Church, a close friend of the family came to take the husband away, it was obvious that there was an emergency but no one would tell the young wife what the problem was. Whatever it was, she took solace in the fact that her son and husband who mattered most at that point were safe with her.
She was suddenly left all by herself to drive home in her delicate state and while she sat patiently, waiting for Mass to end, then came the scary news, that their house was on fire; carelessly and tactlessly stated by the announcer.
As she approached her street the black smoke was a clear indicator that her home was consumed by flames. What would happen to their jewelry, certificates, international passports and other travelling documents, (they were due to travel in a month), clothes, money, furniture, appliances and most importantly, the party favors and her new maternity clothes? While she thought of these, she was grateful to God for keeping her family safe.
She had hoped that it was a rude joke but it was real and suddenly, this young family was without shelter and the only belongings they had were the clothes they wore and the car they drove to Church.
Neighbours and good Samaritans prevented her from getting closer to the house; she was taken to a place to calmly accept her fate.
The crux of this story is that the fire service arrived on time, right on time with an empty water tank. They wanted some money to be given to them so they could go purchase some water.
As expected, by the time they returned, the fire had been curtailed to a reasonable extent by the good citizens of our ailing nation who risked their lives fighting the fire with buckets of soapy water and the firemen only succeeded in causing more damage with their water. Worse still, they asked to be settled. Settled for what exactly? Only in Nigeria.
Everything in the house was lost, needless to say, the party was cancelled and the family relocated temporarily.
The year was 2003, fourteen years later, it's still the same story. That young wife was me and we lost valuables that could have been saved if the fire service had discharged their duties competently.
I'll keep weeping for my country for I have no other😢
They left the house full of excitement and were thankful to God for another beautiful day.
It was the birth month of their son and party favors for the planned birthday celebration occupied every part of the house.
It was his first birthday and it was going to be a big one hence the too many items; toys, candies, assorted drinks for the young and old, souvenirs, party packs, loads and loads of gifts which had started pouring in for the one year old boy.
It was both an exciting and a trying period for the family as the young wife who was expecting yet another baby was meant to return to law school; she had an examination to retake.
While in Church, a close friend of the family came to take the husband away, it was obvious that there was an emergency but no one would tell the young wife what the problem was. Whatever it was, she took solace in the fact that her son and husband who mattered most at that point were safe with her.
She was suddenly left all by herself to drive home in her delicate state and while she sat patiently, waiting for Mass to end, then came the scary news, that their house was on fire; carelessly and tactlessly stated by the announcer.
As she approached her street the black smoke was a clear indicator that her home was consumed by flames. What would happen to their jewelry, certificates, international passports and other travelling documents, (they were due to travel in a month), clothes, money, furniture, appliances and most importantly, the party favors and her new maternity clothes? While she thought of these, she was grateful to God for keeping her family safe.
She had hoped that it was a rude joke but it was real and suddenly, this young family was without shelter and the only belongings they had were the clothes they wore and the car they drove to Church.
Neighbours and good Samaritans prevented her from getting closer to the house; she was taken to a place to calmly accept her fate.
The crux of this story is that the fire service arrived on time, right on time with an empty water tank. They wanted some money to be given to them so they could go purchase some water.
As expected, by the time they returned, the fire had been curtailed to a reasonable extent by the good citizens of our ailing nation who risked their lives fighting the fire with buckets of soapy water and the firemen only succeeded in causing more damage with their water. Worse still, they asked to be settled. Settled for what exactly? Only in Nigeria.
The year was 2003, fourteen years later, it's still the same story. That young wife was me and we lost valuables that could have been saved if the fire service had discharged their duties competently.
I'll keep weeping for my country for I have no other😢
Wow,
ReplyDeleteTouching story yet wt d class point 2 b noted.
We hav no other 2 call our own yet we're scared 2 own up 2 it.
9ja go definitely better
Omg very touching story. God is faithful. It shall be well with our country
ReplyDeleteWow! Very sad indeed. It is well.
ReplyDeleteI have goose bumps. So sad.... However thank God for you
ReplyDeleteOriginal Housegirl aka Anonymous:
ReplyDeleteOur country makes one despair! ):
Learning at the end, that you were the protagonist in the story, and seeing how well that you have done for yourself in the prevailing future only increases my respect and regards for you.
ReplyDeleteYou are such a strong and determined individual! The world needs more and more of your kind.
And as for the many pathetic, situational occurrences that plagues Fatherland, na God go save us.
Thanks for sharing your story.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWell very touchy story. Yes no other country to call our own but Naija. Take it or leave it from all indices we are not yet ready for development. I have maintained over the years that corruption is not our problem, rather the mediocrity system that we operate that recognizes everything but efficiency, competence and hard work. It is a known fact that when you give child money to spend the child spend on frivolities. When adult win lottery they behave as if they are in another planet. This is the case with our country. Why don't we stop this sharing that have turned everyone to working robot and go back to resources control whereby competent people assume leadership roles and task their brains. Where the only standard to judge a leader would be by performance not tribe religion or qouta. God help Naija
ReplyDeleteMy brother this can only be achievable by the military. Coz if left on our own we will still choose to sell our votes to money miss road politicians with their fake certificate. So the only way to make a Nigerian behave well is by force either of gun or koboko which only the soldiers can supply.
DeleteAnyhow things are straightened out here will be acceptable to me not minding the means.
This is a sad story well told to a point that I was even expecting a miraculous ending.
ReplyDeleteBut then not even fire could stop you nor your family from making progress.
Good lesson for those wallowing in self pity. Nothing can stop you except yourself.
God bless you my sister Amaks
I am now a Ghanian o as dis nija jus taya me
ReplyDelete