I had the privilege of living my
teenage life around an aged educated cousin who did always begin talking about the
nice things of the past with the phrases “in my days”, “in our days”, “in those
days”… It is ten years now since he passed away at the age of 70 leaving behind
great memories and legacies (R.I.P Malam).
HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO WAIT?
As years keep rolling, I have not
yet lived half the life of my cousin but things have been terribly changing
that I can no longer wait to start using the phrase “in my days”. Without much
ado, I list some dramatic social events that are now history. Thus, in my
days….
*As pupils and students, we did
line-up holding flags by the side of streets to welcome visiting Presidents (I
raised a flag to IBB when he visited Sokoto in 1992 and waited for Abacha to
take a roundabout in 1994). ***NOW: armed security personnel have snatched that
role.
* No single private primary or
secondary school outshined most of the public schools in Sokoto and environs.
Hence, children of all government dignitaries (governors, commissioners) were
attending public schools. ***NOW: most of the reliable schools are private or
quasi-private and are patronized by the children of those whose roles it is to
fix public schools.
*People steeling public funds or
engaged in 419 were few and were called with their true names of ‘Barayi’
(meaning thieves). *** NOW: Such people
are now all over the place and are now decorated with the names of ‘masu jan
kaya’ (those who draw wealth).
*We were given uniforms free and
paid JOURNEY MONEY to take ourselves back home from boarding schools. Half of
the 7 Naira I first received was able to take me home on a full seat. A quarter
of it could serve if I decided using BENCHIN HAJIYA *** NOW: everyone has to
provide uniform for his ward and pay for his/her transportation.
*Area boysm and the attendant
vices of armed robbery and kidnapping were VERY RARE if at all existed.
Trekking the entire city of Sokoto by 12 midnight was generally safe from any
human harm. *** Now: people are robbed and kidnapped in broad day light.
JUST A TIP
More of these stories could be
told by many of my older friends and relations. In fact, younger elements two
may have a lot more to tell in our fast ‘changing’ nation.
We pray that the year 2014 that just
begun would come with nice developments to talk about in the future.
Your experience in this wise, like it is with many of us, has shown that it is not how long one lives, but how deeply engaged with life you have been.This belies the Hausa saying: In yaro yafi babba sabbin tufa, ai bai kai shi yawan tsumma ba', which,crudely translated may read: The affluent young people may brag about their many new dresses, but they certainly do not have as many rags as the old.The old can only brag about their rags only if they had had one.Likewise, the relatively young can speak about 'our days' if he had 'lived' those days.You are right on track, my man!Keep it up!
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