AFRICAN STORIES

HOPE OVER DESPAIR

Mother was a strong woman. By day, she was the epitome of hardwork slaving to feed the family and send her only child to school, but at night she always broke down, a suffering woman who needed to cry herself to sleep. Father used to work at the factory at Tse-Kucha, with a reasonable income. We lived a happy little family until that November in my second year in secondary school when the cement factory was closed down and staff
laid off.

Father had not saved for the rainy day so it hit us hard. Ours was not the only family that staggered; some former workers even found the world too cruel a place to live, wives left. He spent the initial days sleeping at home but soon started spending the whole day at Madam Go-slow’s joint just down the road, coming back deep into the night. He was just going through the motions of existence.

Mother’s petty trading was our means of survival along with the few pennies I got from doing odd jobs around the neighbourhood. There was our ever punctual landlord as unfailing as the inevitable month’s ending. There was food to be bought, there was also my school fees. Some days we ate once and some other days, not at all. One night as we
sat on the varenda breaking melon seeds, I asked Mother why she hadn’t let me drop out. She hesitated a moment and answered, “Don’t you want to go to school?”
“I do.”

She hesitated a moment longer than at first and with a calmness peculiar to her, she went on.

“Our condition right now is very bad, you know that but it doesn’t have to remain this way forever. I would rather go to bed hungry so
that you may go to school. I don’t mind going naked either, just so you go to school. You know why?”

She didn’t wait for an answer but went on

“Because there is hope; you can have a good future, but you have to go to school first. One day you’ll pull us out of this wretched life we are living. Despair only strives where there is no hope; hope will always triumph over despair.
I have a strong belief that you will come to something if you go to school, that gives me strength.”

Those words were never to be forgotten.

At school, I kept pushing on. One day, our English master asked us to write a factual account of the happiest day of our lives. I wrote my essay in future tense, the next day he called me to his office. He told me my essay was quite the best but curious to know why it was in
future tense. I explained how my happiest day was yet to come. I went ahead to tell him all. That day he went home with me.

The following term I left to live with him and his wife in the school’s staff quarters. He was the Vice Principal so he had a house in school. He was to take responsibility for my schooling for the remainder of my secondary education. Mother was overjoyed.

Mr. Dajo, the VP provided an environment that allowed me to come out with an O’ Level result that earned me a state-government scholarship
to the university.

Looking back, I’m most grateful to Mother, that woman who walked naked, slept hungry in hope. Through all the hard times, she never
despaired. She passed away before I completed my engineering degree, she didn’t enjoy the fruits of her pain. A year later, Father also passed on. The lesson Mother taught me never died: hope over despair

COMPOSED by AGWAM KENSINGTON

After a century for fighting corruption, Nigeria finally became the most corrupt-free and straightforward country in the world. The funds were finally put to good use, every single road underwent serious reconstruction. The health care sector was established on a better ground. The budget meant for education graciously used for the establishing more schools in rural areas, renovations were made to the schools already standing, Nigeria can finally give standard education to every child. For education became free. The government schools, that is, while every student who finished from a government institution was entitled to a monthly wage. The traders were given modern complexes to showcase their wares, this was made by the new government to stop the obstruction traffic in major roads, and to prevent environmental pollution.

Nigerian was ranked number two, for the most environmentally conscious country on earth. Eco friendly and beautifully green. There was a law guiding those that litter their surroundings. The defaults were fined. This reduced the rate of environmental pollution to a staggering level. 

Nigeria became bio friendly.

Countries surrounding Nigeria and beyond bought goods from our local farmers, every farmer with the specific requirements was given adequate funds, and the farmers association grew at a staggering rate. Because of this, the hunger reduced, and poverty was never extended to the food sector. Everyone had enough to eat.

Nigeria eliminated poverty.

Every step of the way, fighting corruption, Nigeria and her people faced a lot of challenges. From economic backdrop, to fuel subsidy, to inadequate jobs for the masses and lack of education. But now, Nigeria's naira is equivalent to a dollar, every six months, three thousand job vacancies are made for graduates, and ten thousand for citizens with vocational skills. Fuel circulated to all parts of the country, it was shared equally and fairly. Surprisingly, the citizens stopped patronizing foreign goods, and started to create. They patronize their Aba brothers and bought art from the local artists and art dealers. A new fashion designer emerged from Nigeria. . . He went global, with his new designer jeans and suits. All the countries surrounding Nigeria came to witness this things. Even The world's superpower, America, imported Nigerian goods to their country.

Nigeria became the world's number one supplier of petrol and cocoa.

On the entertainment sector, new artists were born. Legends even. Singers whose song became global, albums went platinum. The writers emerged. Bagging Nobel awards, the actors, destroyed the Academy Award's long tradition and took gulped countless Academy Awards. 

Nigeria's entertainment became global. Yoruba became a global language. 

All these things would never have been possible if our leaders hadn't come together to settle their differences. The long fight of tribalism was long lost. There was a national declaration against any act or form of tribalism, the defaults will be apprehended. 

Nigeria became one. Biafra was never established. Thankfully.

The decade fight against the igbos finally dissolved. They were given amnesty, but not to separate themselves from the rest of us, however, another law was passed to the general public that any person caught discriminating the igbos was taken to court. This act, surprisingly, was effective.

Nigeria underwent a drastic change within a short time, this shocked the world. The rate of people travelling outside the country reduced. Because jobs were provided, and scammers and internet fraudsters were wiped out. Almost to extinction. It was those from neighbouring countries that came to Nigeria, searching for greener pastures. [pun intended].

Nigeria became an Utopia for excellence. The world's third superpower and number four exporter. 

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My name is Agwam Kensington. This is my dream for Nigeria. It can only materialize if we all come together, as one, not two, to make our country move forward. It is not a dream, it's a reality I am ready to materialize with my little effort. Change begins with me, and you... If we all have a positive mind towards our great country, our positive thoughts can change everything. I'm a believer in the mind-over-matter theory. I believe our minds have the power to control matter around us. It's the reason why we are having problems here and there; because of the negative thoughts for Nigeria. Let us come together and built a positively charged country. A nation at-one-ment.

Let's make Nigeria great.

Thank you...

(c) Agwam (Zancrow) Kensington,
2017, 19:12PM.

Story by Akin Omo Akin


A great wall separated the two kingdoms in the ancient times. Firmly rooted in the earth, it stood taller than the highest mountains, sturdy and enigmatic, adorned with rare stones and extensive fortification of inexplicable strategic complexity, which made it very difficult for anyone to get over it. Some say it was built by rich merchants to belittle the wall of Jericho, others say it was planted in the ground by the gods themselves.


The people of Ulum envied those who dwelled on the other side of the wall. The flamboyant artistry and aura resonated by the wall provided hints that their distant neighbors lived in luxury.


There came a period when a very great starvation enwrapped the city of Ulum. The wise king requested that food be stored and shard all in all to maintain the kingdom. The people were uproarious ‒ most wanted to climb over the wall and seek for assistance from their richer neighbors, some were covetous and wanted to cross over and traverse to luxuriousness.

"We should get over the wall and visit the great city on the opposite side of it!" they said.

The king shook his head in dismay, daunted at the loud state of mind and naivety shown by his people. The chief persuaded him to give his people their opportunity of will so as to quell the rowdy. He inadvertently obliged, and the occupants of Ulum held him to his words, giving him zero Chance to advise them or back track. The chiefs advised them to abstain if the climb was too tough and uphill.

The people of Ulum assembled, as able bodied men prepares to climb the compelling wall. The first man attempted to climb, yet fell and died. A similar destiny likewise came upon the second man. Others were dreaded, however their resilience and enthusiasm was solid. For quite a while, week after week, different man climbed and fell. The ladies lost their spouses; kids lost their fathers, men lost their companions. Still, they moved forward and another man embraced his brother and siblings everyday before going for the climb. Expectation was dismayed, hope was daunted, spirits had died, seal was broken, yet Alabi beat the challenge to climbed. He was determined, very little was left in Ulum. His mom cried, his wife begged, his friends pleaded  for him not to go. Too bad, they said their goodbyes, and wished him good fortunes. Alabi climbed the wall with the will of a warrior. It seemed as though he would fall when he lost balance, however he was strong and held on tight.

Hours gone as the people of Ulum happily and frightfully watched Alabi move to the top. He was a hero, a champion, a lord. His triumph chuckle could be heard on both sides of the equator of the earth. Abruptly, his eyes obscured as he gazed down into the opposite side. His face turned pale as everything stopped. His hands shook, tired and afraid. There was no awesome city; there were no rich neighbors, only a heap of dead bodies half covered in the mud. Alabi scowled as it turned out to be clear to him ‒ these individuals, now decaying without end, had likewise must been attempting to get over the wall, to greener fields. They'd thought Ulum were rich neighbors, or an incredible city. They'd similarly thought Ulum had built the magnificent wall. How mistaken, they were. If only they knew,if only the people of Ulum knew. In his melancholy and grief, Alabi fell into the opposite side, and died.

"Years passed, and the people of Ulum still tried to get over the wall. Many died. Nobody knew what Alabi had seen.” Grandpa said as he finished his story. “Never judge a book by its cover

"At the point when the cassava-flour vender lost all her cassava-flour to the twist, out of sharpness she heaved curses at the wind. She never realized that the wind had utilized that cassava-flour to fill and fix the gap underneath the kayak her lone child is going over. In the event that she knew, she would have favored the twist for not giving her a chance to lose her lone child to the ocean. Each failure is a gift."  These are the expressions of my mom and I never comprehended the significance.

One night, the town-messenger passed a message from the king that each being ought to remain in before its darken. It was said that the traditional priest's will walk thorough the night taking penances and sacrifice   to each intersection where three ways meet in order to appease the spirit of the land. As the day approaches it dim, everybody rushed home. On my way home, two travellers approach me and requesting that I help them safe for the night in my house. Out of good heart and no profound idea, I gave them a space to pass the night. The obscurity ruled for quite a while and it resembled the night will never give the earth a chance to free from its hold. The morning came as regular and I ascended with the brilliant sun to check on the travellers however shockingly, they were gone. Not only that, they Run with my resources and all the cash I had put together for my adventure to the city; in an excursion with my friends, in a quest to change our lives for good. These traveling criminals stole that open chance from me. My associates headed out to the city and left me to appreciate this sharp taste of disappointment and each drop of palm-wine that stream down my throat. The calabash turned into the nearest thing to my mouth; nearer than the words I talk.

READ ALSO :-">SKIN TO SKIN

Early today, I woke up with the sun all over and my entire body overpowered with hurt. At the point when the uncoordinated but excellent chirps of the morning birds are gone, then I realize that the sun has far woken up before me. Where do I begin from? I was wounded far from the warmth of the sun just for the unappealing odor of palm-wine to hit my face. I hacked and moaned. Despondency is mine to drink, and I should drink myself into a daze. Presently I know the sky is as vacant as a crate of water. There are no gods and if there truly are, they are as inert as their dolls on earth. I got off the bed, "god kor god ni" I murmured.

I looked through my window and saw a vehicle drive in and stop some separation away. At that point, individuals rushed to it with shouts and tears. I hurried out to the scene and the ghastliness before me stopped my breath. I saw my very own friend of and other traveling villagers. They said they ran into a trailer on their way to the city four days prior. "I should've been one of them" I thought – a suspected that left me puzzled and frosty for a considerable worth of time.

Presently I comprehend the expressions of my mom. "At the point when the travellers he helped stole all his cash, he was not able go to the city with his friend. He reviled the divine beings and subjected himself to lose hope. He never realized that explorers stole from him a trip that could prompt his death. On the off chance that he knew, he would've favored the travellers and even give them more than they've stolen. My children, everything happens for a reason." These are my words to my kids now.

The thing is that, sometimes we didn’t even know what pissed my dad off. It always looked as if we were walking on eggshells throughout our childhood. Sometimes we would see him coming home and we would immediately stop whatever it was we were doing. I mean whatever we were doing. If we were playing outside we would run inside. If we were playing inside and saw him coming from one of the windows we would stop playing and sit down quietly. We didn’t get flogged for stealing or fighting each other or whatnot because we were getting flogged for things less than that like standing outside when he came in or losing a leg of slipper.

The process was always the same. Maybe we would be playing ‘castle’ in the parlour or watching cartoons. Then suddenly we would hear his keys in the lock. He always came home by 5 o’clock, an hour earlier than our mom and then leave again as soon as she returned. He would have heard the noise from the television before coming in or we wouldn’t have time to rearrange the sofas before he unlocked the door and came into the parlour. He would stare at us with blazing eyes, like we had stolen the Holy Grail itself, and then the shouting would begin. He would bellow and roar and we would be left trembling in our shorts, hoping he wouldn’t go for Mister Koboko. Sometimes he would but sometimes he wouldn’t.

On occasion however, we would do something that we knew would warrant a beating. Like falling over and breaking a vase or tipping over a bottle of wine from the bar or being outside, even if it was the backyard, when he came in. Then we would wait in the parlour, filled with dread and trepidation until he bellowed out the culprit’s name, summoning the person to his room.

Mr. Koboko was a well made horsewhip which our dad kept hanging from a nail behind his door. It was made of twisted leather with a thick head that had a hole in the middle and a twisted body that tapered down to the hard tip at the end. He would call the victim in and ask if you had eaten. That usually wasn’t a good sign of things to come as he was inadvertently asking if you were strong enough to take the beating. He would warn you that if you dodged a stroke it would be replaced by another one. Then he would choose whether to flog you on your hands or buttocks and then depending on which was chosen he would use the head or tail of the whip. And then the flogging would begin.

READ ALSO :-">COMPLICATIONS

The pain as I remember it was excruciating but it was better to bear it. If you moved around you only elicited further anger and more haphazard flogging from him. So we stayed still. We learned not to run from the whip. We were allowed to cry and we would scream our heart out but we dared not move from the spot. After it was over he would send us to our room to remain incommunicado from everyone else in the house till further notice.

Did this punishment help me and my siblings? I honestly can’t say yes to that. We grew up timid and terrified of authority. It took a number of years in the university and away from home to get over the emotional scars of this treatment. And I hope never to behave in such a way to my own kids.

THE SOCIOLOGIST’S THINKING:

Did you hear of the secondary school students who sexually assaulted their female colleague in broad day light as reported by Sahara Reporters?
Do you have a younger one, who intentionally destroys your things in the name of anger?
Does he/she go around bullying or smoking and drinking in the neighborhood?
Don’t just sit back and say “what’s this world turning to”. Stand up, find explanations and seek scientific solutions to the problem JUVENILE DELIQUECY.
Juvenile delinquency is an action that violates the law but is committed by a young person under the legal age of arrest and prosecution. Haralambos simply said they are criminal acts committed by young people, he further gave examples vandalism, stealing, physical assaults, violence, joyriding and a host of others.
WHICH CHILDREN ARE LIKELY TO BE DELIQUENTS?
The World youth report of 2003, identified parental death during armed conflicts, parental alcoholism, poverty , family break down, as pull factors to delinquency, they reported that children who have suffered from any of these are likely to be delinquent than others, so you can expect massive delinquency in the North Eastern Nigeria.


Furthermore, Micheal Shader identified certain risk factors that lead to delinquency, he firstly defined risk factors as characteristics that if present in a given individual would make it possible for such a person to have a disorder. He also warned that Risk factors doesn’t mean the individual would become delinquent it is rather a pointer that if not properly handled may become delinquent.
THE RISK FACTORS
Hyper activity and restlessness
Risk taking and daring behaviors
Love for TV violence
Low IQ
Dishonesty
WHAT’S THE EXPLANATION FOR DELIQUENCY?
Trust Scholars not be asleep on this issue, there have been series of research, explanations and theories in the field, Sociologists and Criminologists have spent a great deal of time on this.
Scholars influenced by R.K Merton believes that juvenile delinquency is a result of a strain in the societal reactions toward who they are, the strain is the difference between what the people around the child wants him to be and who he is. E.g. You may want a child who excels in schools and gather A’s on his report card but in reality the child is just someone who excels on the field of play in sports. Now, he is made to see himself as a failure and a flop in life, the difference between him being a scholar as you want and him being a sports star is called strain. According to Robert Agnew, the child needs to feel successful he meets other children, who like himself are strained, (like they say: birds of the same feather flock together) they then form a delinquent subculture (a gang), in this subculture, they develop their own norms and values which are usually everything you stand against (stealing, violence, truancy, bullying, vandalism etc) since you don’t see him as successful, he does well in the delinquent subculture in order for him to earn respect and admiration from other members of the gang, thus every delinquent behavior you see at home is a result of this i.e. the bully, stealing , vandalism etc are all responses to the search for relevance and admiration, if he is not loved, he becomes feared which either way makes him happy.

WHAT THEN CAN WE DO?
Once you notice your younger one has any of the risk factors identified by Micheal Shader or have suffered any incidents identified by World Youth Report {2003} and his displaying any delinquent act or truancy.

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Ensure a change of friends
Take him for who he is, let him enjoy what he loves doing
Reduction in the marginalization of young people (like reducing the legal age for driving)
Professional development programs should be set up for young people to provide an economic alternative
Establishment of recreational centers to provide an alternative for  physical violence


The sociologist’s thinking is a bi weekly newsletter that seeks to explain and tackle social problems and phenomena that affects you from the stand points of sociology professionals and scholars. In accordance to the ethics of social research; criticisms, suggestions and encouragements are welcomed alike and if there is any social problem you have observed in your environment and you want THE SOCIOLOGIST to explain, you may reach THE SOCIOLOGIST via the under listed means

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TILL I COME YOUR WAY NEXTWEEK, ALWAYS REMEMBER: THE SOCIOLOGIST IS ALWAYS THINKING

Crush:? Prior to this articles means a feeling of infatuation with, or unrequited love of undying attraction towards a person or a specific thing. While both males and females at one time or the other find themselves caught in the Web of this mad attraction, girls generally have more pluralized reasons for developing crushes on a person. Males are generally more attracted to a girl’s physical appearance more than anything else. A guy is most likely attracted to a girl because of her looks… Great smile, big booties, colour, build etc.
However, girls have the most awkward sense of attraction. Aside from the general good taste for funny guys, pretty faced boys, tall dark and handsome guys etc… A girl could develop a crush on a guy for the weirdest reasons. Through my relations with girls overtime I have gotten familiar with the weirdest things that a girl gets attracted to…. They are as follows

1. GOOD HANDWRITING
This one is very popular in secondary school, there's this connection joining ladies emotions with anything creative. In my secondary school days a friend of mine wrote a letter to a senior , love letter precisely, normally she would have reported the letter but the hand writing was beautiful,and very neat despite the fact that the content was very wack!!. She replied the letter and all she wrote was the fantasies of how beautiful the writing looks.

2. APPEARANCE
This is the commonest reason why a girl will crush on guy. practically 90% of ladies love beautiful guys, even though they have little or no chances of ending up with them. A girl will ween repeatedly on how bad she wants that beautiful boy whose appearance looks so enchanting and fascinating, that boy whose nose is pointed, tall and very dark with neat and unique hairstyle, he necessarily doesn't have to be intelligent,smart, creative or funny. As long as he is cute the sisters will crush.

3. FAME OR POPULARITY
This is very funny. Even miss Unilorin and miss Nigeria will crush on Akpororo(Nigerian most ugly comedian) he isn't cute, he is 500miles away from the that word. Here its not about the appearance or physique its about the money and fame, you necessarily don't have to appear like Arsene Wenger or Lee min ho before ladies crush on you. Girls love to be noticed, it's not their fault it is hereditary and sanity of nature. Wannabe attitude?;most of them got it and it all rhyme and suits their pride. "Fame and popularity they say gets them faster than cuteness or fine face" you know that popular guy??she will find every possible means of sleeping with him or have memory of any sort so she can boast about it amongst her friends.

4. ASSESSORIES
You know that guy? That wealthy guy whose parent are stinkingly rich, that guy that uses the latest mobile phones, expensive gold chain with expensive ride gets the very best part of ladies. Everyone love beautiful things ladies own is extraordinary, a girl will crush on me because I use iPhone7,because I play instruments, infact she will crush on me because I wear expensive headphone. Girls are attracted to guys who wear some certain accessories. For example, a girl could get attracted to a guy just because the guy wears good wrist watches. Different girls have different tastes though. Some girls love guys who wears chains and some others shoes

5. CONFUSIONS AND JEALOUSY
this is the weirdest reason why a lady will crush on a guy, girls loses the best part of their emotions in jealousy and thereby loses everything. A lady will crush on a guy because he is known by people, they don't mind if its ideal or not. In fact it may be because her friends are also crushing on same guy. That means you don't have to be Mr intelligent or Mr fine boy if you're a known by few people it's sometimes extends the connection of attractions, they'd still crush.


6. INTELLECT AND CREATIVITY'S

Beauty wilts, but the intellect lasts if it is cultivated. Intelligence may not be attractive to some women who are easily impresses by a man’s confidence or looks. It will be noticed by women looking for someone who has their strengths in something other than their appearance. Intelligence is one of the very first things some women notice in a guy. So, play the safe side and be smart while talking to a girl. A girl will crush on a guy who play instruments, who sings sweetly or even write. Generally, girls like brilliant guys, but once a guy has a special knowledge of mathematics, it gets divine. It starts from the girls crowding around him whilst he solves maths problems to their delight. I’ll admit it myself, it’s like sorcery when a guy solves those figures effortlessly. Anyway, girls get easily carried away by the sweetness of seeing a guy dissect those maths problem easily and it leads to some physical attraction towards the guy. Wondered why the best math student in your class had lots of girls flocking around him?


7. SENSE OF HUMOR
One of the points most women point out about a desirable man is to make them laugh. This not only refers to a male’s ability to be funny, but to have a similar mood, which is equivalent to a greater possibility of compatibility. Even more so if they share jokes that only a small group would understand. The ability to make a girl laugh the very first time you meet can create a great impression on her. This is definitely one of the things girls notice in a guy as they want their partners to be fun spending time with. They don’t want a guy that makes their life dull and serious.

Note However that these doesn’t apply to all girls, as some are more emotionally mature than the others. And have in mind that what a girl finds attractive about one person another girl might not. But in the general sense, they are true