Frances Okoro: The Quest for Great Nigerians Begins with You & I

Let’s see if I can tell this story without losing you all somewhere.

So, I was on my way to my PPA State with too many items of baggage…AGAIN. It would seem like I never learn. A year ago, I also carried 3 big traveling bags full of clothes and all what not, to Law School… and I totally regretted that act at the end.

It is indeed tempting to regale you with tales of how painful it was for me to pay extra fare for such luggage, but I refuse to be sidetracked from my main message today.
So as I was saying, I was on my way to my PPA State for NYSC and as usual, I paid no heed to my dad’s advice not to take too many luggages along.
I had to buy two seats on the entire 3buses it took to get to my destination and I almost wept at the thought of how much of my allawee was gone.

Again, as much as I would love to end this story with a plea for extra money to fill up my allowee (which my sweet dad already did), this story however, has to move on to its main theme.

I encountered different persons on my journey.
Two of the drivers of the two buses I boarded were totally unmoved by my plea that I am a corper with little money to spend. In fact, one of the drivers wanted me to pay for a 1 minute drive for him to drop me at a park that was right in front of me.
It reminded me of my time at Law School Lagos campus, where I carried big boxes as usual and almost wept when no one stopped to help. It almost seemed like kindness had been ripped off people’s heart.
I know that majority of Nigerians do not help strangers and that’s okay (kind of?) But I don’t want this story to dwell on that today. I want to dwell on the guy I met on the way to my PPA State who carried my large box and even tried to speak to the drivers on my behalf for a fair price.

I want to dwell on the man who gave me his umbrella on the walk through Falomo bridge and walked under the drizzling rain. I want to dwell on the footballer who left his own route and walked me to the bus stop at Lekki when I asked for directions.

I want to dwell on Segun who helped me with my luggage from Berger to CMS, bargained for fair prices with the drivers in Yoruba and made sure I was safely in a bus at CMS before he left me. We became friends afterwards and no, he didn’t do all that because he had eyes on me, he is married.

I am spelling it out that Segun is married because he, like the other persons had no ulterior motive for helping me, in fact, I never saw any of those people again after those incidents.

I want us to know that there are still good people in Nigeria with good intentions.

I read a blog of a foreign trained lady who came to Nigeria for NYSC and had nothing but terrible things to say about Nigerians. I am really sorry she feels that way, I really am but we must understand that what we think is what we get.
If you think all Nigerians are all terrible people, then by all means, you will only meet terrible Nigerians.

We are also who we attract so if you attract ONLY terrible people, then you may just have to check the vibes you give off to others.
All I am trying to say is that, yes, we have mean people in Nigeria – people who are ruled by money with no thought for lending a helping hand (never mind that we also have these kind people in other countries) but we are not all terrible Nigerians.

I have met some really great Nigerians. People with selfless hearts.
People like Segun who would lay fears aside and help a girl with lots of luggages in a town where she almost cried on the street. And Segun is a Nigerian like you and I.
Instead of complaining that Nigerians are terrible and mean with no bone of kindness in their bodies, you can be the change you seek.

Don’t tell me that there are no good people in Nigeria. I have gotten free rides and slashed prices in a town where I know nobody, all on the account of being a corper.
If people who live in rural areas can be that kind hearted, then we can be like that too.

Get out of complainers league and get into the good people’s league. Don’t grumble that Lagosians don’t help others, you help others. Don’t complain that Nigerians lack manners, you display some manners. You want Nigeria to indeed be a great nation?
It begins with you and I.
That’s where the story begins and end.

With you and I.

Photo Credit: Dreamstime | Danie Nel