I travelled home to see my parents over the weekend and I must say it was nice seeing them after close to 2 months. I saw them last on Jan 1st after the New Year’s celebration. I am just this kind of guy that loves staying far from my childhood area. I believe you are much more appreciated if people see less of you.
Even in my University days, I might go home for just once in a year and anytime I go home, I am always hailed like a king on the street. I love this so much, makes me feel like the King of the Street.
Dad and mum were so delighted to see me and trust our mums, she saw with her x-ray eyes that I was getting so lean, when I have always thought I am living large and changing to the man with the big stature I always dreamt of becoming. Dad also confirmed this and trust African parents, they began to prescribe all sorts of drugs from Vitamin supplements to blood tonic, to Epo Eja which is Cod Liver oil and so on. I told them I would get all that.
After a moment, my mum left us and went to see her friend in the next building. Then the man-to-man talk between me and my dad started. You know dads now. They are more concerned about your goals and achievements. He began by asking how work is faring and my plans for the New year.
He talked about advancing my studies to the Phd level. That this would give me an edge over my colleagues and even my superiors. I didn’t bother to mention to him that I was not going further beyond this Masters degree that I posses.
Then he popped the question. “How is your girlfriend doing?” I initially pretended as if I didn’t hear that and he repeated himself. I made him understand I have non that I have been so much busy with work and plans to move my career to the next level.
Then he asked the master question. “From which tribe will you like to marry from?” I told him I can marry from any tribe as long she is human.
He said no, that some tribes are better left alone due to their culture and so on, blah blah blah. I tried to orientate him that we are all one. That one cannot judge the attitude or behavior of an individual from the general perception of her tribe. He tried to prove his point. I didn’t bother to argue with him, because if I did, the conversation would last for hours which I was not ready to engage in.
But why are our parents always particular about tribes when we are all one Nigeria. There was this time this Tanzanian lady came to our office and it wasn’t until when she mentioned that she was from that country before we realized she wasn’t a Nigerian. She looked so much like a Nigerian. This is just to tell that we are all one and we should not be judged by our tribes, but by the contents of our hearts, individually.
....Diary of a Jobless Nigerian Youth
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