It is exactly a month and few weeks have left for the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, where the annual conference tagged Steemit in Nigeria II would be taking place. I ought to have returned with the crew member but I had to stay back with a friend of mine to take some surveys, which I did. We made this trip in order to go fix some things before the arrival of foreign guests, speakers and members of the conference at large.
Sincerely, it wasn't a easy task but it is all coming together as planned already.
So, yesterday I left Abuja by road around 7AM in the morning and I got to my destination around 6PM in the evening. Actually, the road trip to Abuja from my location is about 9hours but my bus from Abuja yesterday made some stop over at strategic places. I guess in order to stretch out not to be bored all through the journey.
Although, while I was in Abuja, a colleague of mine from college called me to break a great news to me. He told me he saw my name in a national newspaper (I made it mama, lol) that is, I was selected for a bursary scheme. Wow, that is really amazing and all I need to do was to go to our hometown (Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria) to prove I'm real.
Conventionally, it is the practice of politicians to either lure or bait their candidate(s) with industrial training or monetary donation. And as the general election is gradually getting near, everyone is on their toes on how to get massive support from the populace. And this is one of their scheme though, it is neither a good or bad ideology. I think it is a way of giving back to the people the profit of good governance in Nigeria. Just that I wouldn't be a party to people who deliberately sell their vote(s) for cash or gifts. It is an outright disenfranchisement and disgrace to democracy.
After yesterday's trip from Abuja, I was on the road again today. On my way to my hometown, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria (one of the biggest city in Africa) google it...
I had the intention of verifying my identity and be on the payroll of the bursary scheme but unfortunately for me they asked me to come back on Monday. Argh!
At the park, on my way back to my destination. I had an encounter with a lady of about 15-18 years of age at the park.
She approached me with all humility and calmness, I knew she was about selling something to me. I broke the silence and challenged her to go ahead, she got comfortable around me so no need to be formal or diplomatic about the hawking again. Meanwhile, it is quite difficult to start a conversation with a stranger off the street not to talk of marketing goods at that ugly hour.
At that early hours of the day, the sun is really down on this part of the earth and it is really scorching the skin so bad. We got talking inside the scorching sun and she told me that she doesn't have an Android phone and she is working as a supposed sales rep (marketing some multi vitamins) for the company in order to raise money. Her payment is subject to the fact that she must sell, which means that if she doesn't make sales, she won't be paid. I asked her how much is the whole pack of the drugs she was selling, she said 5,000 Naira equavelant to $13.79. Meanwhile, I bought a satchet which is 200 Naira and due to the fact that she doesn't have change, I had to give her. Shockingly, that 500 Naira note I gave her was the only cash she has made so far since the day started.
How hilarious the situation is to her, I found it really pathetic to believe that some people are still ignorant about how to make a living without working for a private or public firms in this 21 century of modern technology and internet. I gave her my contact info to reach out to me, perhaps she can join this amazing platform and make a great deal which is far better than her petty trading. Let's hope she give me a call soon!
At that point, I knew I was brought to that point to learn something. The lady I saw today made me realize that I haven't be grateful enough to God, to friends and family and especially the block chain of hope. I really need to start acting like a grateful man, steward, steemian, and everything about me needs to be grateful again and henceforth!
