Semiye Michael is my name....
The unfriendly friend of the rural dwellers
I have lived in the city all my live. Even though my family is not the
influential and rich families, I yet enjoy little luxury with friends and
relatives born with silver spoon in their mouth. The sight of the high
scrappers and beautiful street lights in the nights and tens of radio stations
entertaining and feeding one with on the go news updates; city life I must
confess remain a choice I can’t possibly resist.
I heard that our country is not yet among the best in the world, but somehow,
things look a bit orderly and until I perhaps have the opportunity of
travelling outside here, this place may remain the best place I have been. You
need to see me sometimes in super stores and fast food centers. Wow! I so much
cherish those outings. I had lived on the good lane of life without any other
mixture of what it will mean living without those things I see every day.
How did I come in contact with new horrible way of life? It was going to be
adventurous as I volunteered to serve in a 3 day rural campaign project
organized by a church my friend attends. Things never remained the same with me
thereafter.
We travelled few kilometers away from the city and we vanished into this thick
forest. I began to ask if we were heading to a game reserve or something. The
road networks were odd, rivers after rivers and valleys that are almost
impossible to pass. We kept going and soon we started seeing people. These
people looked different and terribly dirty. No electricity, no radio, no
telephone network, no portable water, no schools and their daylight was a
complete darkness of life. Why oh my God? Are these human beings? Who brought
them here? What did they do? When will they be forgiven so that they can come
back and join us in the city? No! They belong here and probably will remain
here forever. That was the answer I got.
