THEY ARE DILIGENTLY DOING THEIR JOB WELL, YOU ARE THE ONE LAGGING BEHIND! (PART 2)
By: Olanrewaju Ojuoluwa

"The wicked do evil fantastically well... On the scale of Merit, they deserve the Award of Excellence, periodically" - Sharpminds

Akin is seen in his office, restless and distressed, worn out and moody. Stranded. An embodiment of frustration personified. He had just received a phone call from Dupe (his wife)

AKIN: (soliloquizing) Hmm, blessed are the hopeless for they shall never be disappointed... Hopeless! (Laughs sarcastically) This is not the first time he would be doing this, I refuse to be disappointed by this...

phone rings again and he picks

AKIN: Hello... Hem, hem, sweetheart, I am still waiting for him... Yes, I have called him, I cannot get through to him yet... Okay, that would be better... But, but... Hello! Hello! (line drops) Ah! (continues soliloquizing) I hope she knows I have no penny on me right now...

(15 minutes later) Dupe walks in and finds Akin seated on the table sweating

AKIN: I...I was trying to tell you the other time that I have no penny on me and... (looks at the doorway expecting the approach of an okada rider requesting his pay)

DUPE: (cuts in) Don't worry dear. I understood you even though my airtime got exhausted. I actually got hundred Naira from mummy so I could board a cab and join you as soon as possible...

AKIN: You've done well my dear... Can you just imagine this sort of embarrassment? How could mere transport fare become a mountain to climb? How did we get to this point where we need to calculatedly strategize before we do the least of endeavours?

DUPE: Sweetie, you had better relax, this unbearable situation is almost general. Hmm, you won't believe it if I tell you that there could be a lot of flops in the preparation for Lara's wedding due to lack of cash because as I speak right now, the major things needed are yet to be purchased thanks to chains of disappointments... Hmmm... Have you forgotten how unbelievable it was when last week we urgently needed just five hundred Naira to fuel the car so that we could help Iya Precious to the clinic but couldn't raise it in a whole street?

AKIN: Hmm... Abi ooo! You know what? I have noticed of recent that most people are living in penury... Abject poverty ni ooo... They eat what is available when it's available and most times would need to calculate and strategize before a meal can be made manifest... (Smiles)

DUPE: What's funny?

AKIN: Wifey, the whole situation is. You know, life is so ironical. Here we are wallowing in lack, working diligently with little to show for it... I mean, look at us! Aren't we working? You and I haven't been paid our salaries for months... Here we are, broke to the tooth as though we rely on our monthly take-homes alone... Even our other channels of income are not forthcoming as our customers and clients are also in lack and wants... Whereas, there are people who do nothing save making life difficult for the people who enjoy virtually everything good in life!

DUPE: Hmmm... Even as we speak right now, we have almost exhausted the stock as we keep selling on credit to our vulnerable colleagues and neighbours... Sweetie, that's by the way, how do we get home from here? Or should we start trekking?

AKIN: What? Trekking is not an option... Well, as I said on the phone the other time, I told Mr. Josh that I have no means of getting home and he promised to help me. He however left about an hour ago in search of money for fuel... He has no fuel in his bike, he went to check on a friend not far from here to see if he could get some money for fuel. But you know how unreliable Mr. Josh has proven to be in terms of keeping promises? I'd rather we look for another alternative to him if truly we are to get home anytime soon... Concerning Mr. Josh, I'm hopelessly hopeless!

DUPE: Well then, should that be the case, let me call Mama James if she could help us with one hundred and fifty Naira for bike fare... We will just tell the bike man that we will be paying him when we get home

AKIN: (nods in approval) That's a good idea... But, your airtime is exhausted and I have reached my credit limit too, how do you intend to get through to her?

DUPE: I haven't reached my credit limit yet, so I can still borrow airtime on my sim card... (dials the code... Puts a call through to Mama James) Hello Mama James, please I need a favour of you... Yes, it's nothing much... Okay... I just need one hundred and fifty Naira that I could use to settle bike fare, I'm a bit stranded right here... Seriously? Wow... Okay, thanks!

AKINenthusiastically) what's the news, anything good?

DUPE: (remorsefully) no show ooo. She said she only has twenty Naira in the whole house... Hmm... This is serious ooo! So, what's our hope? Can we continue like this? I mean, can we all continue to wallow in poverty like this?

JOSH: (enters ghostly in a bid to surprise them) Hmm, husband and wife... I've been listening to your conversation for almost five minutes now... Mr. Akin, I'm sorry for not coming to time, it's due to what I met at my friend's place... But, it's for good though...

AKIN: It's nothing. I have vowed never to be disappointed in you again... Well, can you break the good news right away?

JOSH: You know that the only reason why these bad politicians keep thriving is because no one good has given them a run for their money by challenging them for real?

DUPE: (Interestingly) Yes...

AKIN: Sure...

JOSH: Well, the good news is that the YOUTHS have teamed up to challenge them at the poll in next election by endorsing one of their own, Tosin Ajibare from among the masses to contest for the post of Governor come 2018... In fact, I couldn't believe my hears until I saw it on the various major National dailies... Trust me when I say the momentum is high already...

DUPE: Okay... I heard it on various newspaper review programmes early yesterday but I thought it's another political gimmick as usual. But as you have said it, this is a good development...

AKIN: As for me ooo, I will only cast my vote for any candidate that is fresh, youthful, energetic, competent and is not from any of these established secret societies called political parties or any of their conglomerate or merging... I'm tired of choosing between devils!

DUPE: So, how do we go about making this vision a reality?

JOSH: Quite simple and straightforward. Firstly, you obtain your PVC and guard it jealously till the election day, in a bid to dethrone POVERTY and BACKWARDNESS, and, enthrone PROSPERITY and RAPID DEVELOPMENT. Secondly, inform others of this great development and encourage them to persevere till we successfully chase them (polithievians) away. Thirdly, Shun their stipends of poverty which have done us no good so far. And together we shall chase them away from our land!

ALL: TOGETHER, WE SHALL CHASE THEM AWAY FROM OUR LAND!

JOSH: Remember, evil thrive because the good do no good to counter it save their resounding silence! Now is the time to take responsibility!

#PowertotheYouths
#GoodCounterEvil
#Go4Gold_Ekiti2018

Olanrewaju Ojuoluwa (SHARPMINDS) is a Youth Advocate, Social Reformer and an arrowhead in the ongoing YOUTH sociopolitical Revolution in Nigeria. He is resourceful and knowledgeable about Nigeria's past and present in relation with her future. Contact him via (1stsharpminds@gmail.com +2347065531377) for your conferences, symposiums and talk shows.

Laughs in spanish, you think the youths are saint either, think again, like you don't remember what happens in NANS and SUG unions. The corruption is a culture here, we need a new general accepted anti-culture to change things. One that has nothing to do with politics.