Some years, ago I could remember those days when i still attend an Arabic School, a full time student. Then, It was just a little token of 500 naira i have to manage for the whole week before i can go back home for another 500 naira with a tin derica of garri for the following week, hmmmn...u are surprise...it was so mysterious!
I usually have good times only on Mondays and Tuesdays, starting from Wednesdays, it's a kind of miserable life for me then, hunger was a normal thing, i've got no choice to starve a little so that i can manage my garri to the last crunch.
My kindness won't even allow me to eat to satisfaction, i had to give out despite my little availability, this not because I am a fool or stupid but that is my nature, I just don't know how to say no when i know I still have a little thing to give out.
Then, it was not operation eat to satisfaction but operation eat something. I just have to sacrifice some little starve for someone to take something inside the stomach. It was a very miserable hunger when the food is not available mostly on Thursdays and Friday. This is a time when the slang OYO (On Your Own) comes in.
Everyone had to be on his or her own because no one could have something to eat. Hmmmn...if you see the way hunger strikes me then...wow...it was weird, I won't be able to do anything at all, my bones becomes so weak, always getting tired at every moment, eyes looking so horrible, hunger becomes a threat. In a nut shell, my body can not function anymore.
Sometimes, on a very good Thursday morning, I might have an opportunity to go to a special prayer in group with one of my Arabic Teacher, probably, some little token would be given to me for participating in the prayer. That will still sustain me till the next morning (Friday) after jumat. I will have to leave the modrasa for some money at home.
Yes! I can still remember a particular day, this day was so grief, horrible and so devastating for me. I pray this kind of a day don't come to existence again in my life. I woke up on a particular Thursday morning, went to observe my solat and took my tooth brush to brush my teeth, hmmn....I can never for get this day in my life. Although, I have no food to eat , no money on me but i was just like, let me calm may be somthing good can still happen. its already quarter past eleven I haven't seen anything to eat. I was so tired, in the process of finding means to get some money to buy food its getting to 12noon, still can't see anything to eat OMG! I cant just believe this happened to me. You see, when hunger strikes someone , you may not have any alternative than to go to your enemy. My dear, even my enemy said aggressively that he hasn't eaten anything since the past 24hours, I was shocked that was the first time I pity my enemy. It's now 6pm in the evening, nothing to eat its like I have no means anymore. After solat at night, I just tried to meet a friend who probable had went home for some money, to borrow me a token to eat.
Thank God! I could eat since morning. I quickly rush down to a food vendor and eat like I was going for a battle, as if I might not be able to eat anyone again. The most crazy part of it is that, I eat to constipation, may God for give me for that. But, immediately when I eat finish it was like I had a factory settings in my body system.
Just like the slogan of a foundation called KokunFoundation on social media - "Food is right, Food is essential without food you can not funtion"
THANKS FOR READING!