BN Book Excerpt: Open Letters From Within by Biodun Abudu

I knew I was on an interesting journey the first moment I ever shed a tear. From birth, I took my queue behind every other sinner. I was a bird in a cage, bathing in abuse. Love brutally beat me and my tears were its satisfaction. I was soaked in tears and I drowned in fear. The floor was like a canvas and my blood was the paint. I had a book that I called Lekki Diaries and it was hidden in the boy’s quarters away from the main house. It was in this book that I first wrote a letter to God during my depression. I titled it “Save Our Souls.”

Dear God,

The world has gone crazy and those older than us have left the youth to venture into the cold world alone. The world says the youth are the future generation to take over. Indeed, we are, however, when we seek help, there is rejection. We seek therapy and support but instead, some tell us to bend over. We seek direction from elders but some lead us to death. We admire those older than us but instead of reaching out to help us, some of them immediately see us as threats and suddenly become blind to our existence.

The world is so self-absorbed that youths can’t share their stories. Living for today is what most are doing since no one cares to stop it. A lot of us roam the streets at 3 am and it’s not what you think, it’s simply because we refuse to believe hell is a place called home.

Trying to understand the state of mind of a young one is impossible. Some of us wish we could just have someone listen to us but that’s hard to find. When we do find someone to listen, it’s usually after we have been stripped naked and have exercised our mouth to the pleasure of some elders. Those are usually the ones who, after taking advantage of us, boldly say the youth are “young, dumb and full of cum.” A lot of us youth are risk-takers, in fact, we are entrepreneurs in the making. We go through life figuring out how to live our dreams since some of our parents or some elders think our dreams are foolish or will never be possible.

God, can you please tell the world, some parents, some elders to never doubt what a young individual can become. Open my eyes, oh Lord, to see a day when adults would be supportive of the young generation and put them on microphones to speak their mind. After all, we will be the ones running the world till the next generation is ready.

If some adults were aware of our presence, I’m sure we wouldn’t be having numerous teens that are pregnant. If they had us on their mind to sit down and advise us, maybe a youth at age 21 wouldn’t have already slept with 32 people at that young age. God, please save the youths who are crying and feeling suicidal, touch their heart, and bring happiness to their soul.

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