Friday, September 24, 2021

The Bone in Our Neck by Omoruyi Uwuigiaren

 

The Bone in our neck by Omoruyi Uwuigiaren

                                               

One local farmer finds himself in a precarious situation. While inspecting his trap in the heart of his farm, he was not circumspect and tread smartly. He laid down his guard and strolled casually to the corner where he had his trap. It was his property, no doubt. He didn’t really need an invitation to walk around it or inspect his crops. He was within his rights to do as he deemed fit. But sometimes, not making the right move can be costly.

To be a property owner, means to be committed to a lot of things, which include your own safety. As soon as he moved nearer, the ground beneath his feet cracked. He lost his footing and was sucked into an underworld where he landed awkwardly on the floor and slipped into unconsciousness. You have to know the ground beneath your feet.

The animal, a large carnivorous creature, the farmer had wanted to catch and get rid of once and for all because it had nearly ruined his livelihood had outsmarted him by digging the hole near the trap and watched the man make the wrong move that left him battling for his life. What a moment!

While the farmer briefly closed his eyes upon the light of the world, the animal came out of a nearby bush and peered down the hole at the man that it considered wicked for not allowing its kind have their way on the farm. The animal’s face beamed with smile. He was happy that it had finally beaten the man who had always hunted its kind to his own game.

Then the animal thought it would be nice to drag the farmer further into oblivion by simply making a short work of him. It would be a massive victory for their kind. He had caused the animals so much pain. So getting the farmer off the menu simply means they will now have the farm to themselves. This is history unfolding. The doors are open and the victory is within the reach of the animals.

There was no need for him to be alive. Eating a creature of this size alone would not be nice. The wild animal decided to invite other animals to the party. The hunter suddenly became the hunted. The animal ran back to the bush to spread the news of its theatrical triumph.

Not long after, the farmer regained consciousness. He slowly rose to his feet. He dusted his clothes and glanced about. He could barely see beyond his nose because the day was far spent and it was almost dark down there. As he tried to get out of the hole, the wild animal arrived with its friends. Their meal was trying to get out of the hole. This is not a good idea. They need to narrow his path and send him to the silent world as soon as possible.

They bare their fangs at him and tried to attack. The farmer still had his cutlass by his side. He grabbed hold it with an iron grip for self-defense. Then fight broke out. The farm owner had been pushed back. He needs to fight and regain freedom. His life is in grave danger. If he doesn’t act quickly, he may never survive or regain his farm.

This is what Nigeria has slowly become. Kidnappers, bandits and terrorists are winning on all sides and those who should secure lives and properties appear to be on the back foot. Basically struggling to contain the cruel hands of hell, hopelessness have reached the high heavens. On no condition should a nation struggle in the defense of her citizens.  

Like the farm owner, if we take the wrong turn, our chance of survival will not only be slim, it will be completely wiped out. If Nigeria does not fix her security situation now, the proverbial giant of Africa may never reach her full potentials any time soon. It is difficult to argue that security situation will improve with the current structure. We are living dangerously. Misery is on the loose. Dogs are denied of bones. The chance to walk free is elusive. Freedom has become a luxury. To challenge the establishment, is to dare God and face the music. The renditions are often not pleasant to the ears. It’s like the long walk to freedom. This time with twists and turns that lead to nowhere. To make a difference, we must push and be committed to the project.

There is no future being a liability. Living dangerously is not a path to greatness. It is a sign of weakness. Not knowing how to fix your problems is a calamity. Nothing spectacular or germane will happen in a country constantly on the wrong side of things. It is frustration, humiliation to be lost. You don’t help a man by killing him.  

We have a scar that is easy to see. The country is in the middle of a crisis. That crisis is insecurity. It is a bone in our neck. Sadly, this bone is large enough to choke the nation to death. No nation will make significant progress when her citizens are not guaranteed of their safety.  

Achieving a feat or securing the country can never be done overnight. There is no short cuts to greatness. And beautiful things are never a product of sheer luck. There must be deliberate attempt to do what is right. Though, luck sometimes play a key role in propelling one to an enviable height. However, in governance, there is little luck can do in fixing problems. It is down to good governance, expertise, know-how and the readiness of those saddled with the responsibility of governing to act accordingly. Progress is a costly commodity.

As of today, Nigeria is yet to fully embrace or move in the right direction. It appears we still don’t understand the magnitude of the problem before us because we are not doing enough to punish criminals or make them pay for their crimes. We are trapped. There is no balance. Criminals only become daring when they sense they can easily get away with their crimes.   

Terrorists have recorded so much success in the last few months and this have only made them daring. We are one dreadful decision away from total collapse and anarchy. You track down a convict, what you make of him afterwards is of greater importance. If we cannot make him answer for his crimes, we have actually done nothing. Urgent steps must be taken to arrest the situation and stop the bandits in their tracks. The government should draw the line because we have an emergency. If we continue to play politics with insecurity, Nigerians will suffer and things will spiral out of control. We must stay away from any form of evil. Dragging our feet in the congregation of the ungodly only drive crime and put lives in danger. 

I don’t think it will be fair to say Nigerians are free in their own country. Every day is a struggle. Those who make it through the night are never sure of a better day. The constant reminder that nowhere is safe, is evil enough and can make people crack under every truckload of misfortune. Trapped and relatively outnumbered by criminals and their enablers, we are reinforcing failure and getting drowned by the day. Evil is awake. Her soldiers are on the dark streets. Multiplying by the second and making gains to the detriment of the world around them. First phase of the mayhem almost successfully executed. The eyes that see are quivering. Some are leech. Some are cruel hard monsters. They pretend not to know evil is upon us and crawling at every direction to ruin lives. A journey from abyss to the very top is not a pleasant one. It takes might and sacrifice to have a fulfilled life. But some think they can easily cut corners and reach the heights by wielding knives and daggers.  

As a knife pierce a chicken, we have been thrown under the bus to be crushed and battered. That is why there are hardly any day a Nigerian is not killed or kidnapped. Ordinarily no man wants to die because twists and turns make life sweet. Can Nigerians have their destinies in their hands? That is a matter of choice. There is no a guarantee that Nigeria will turn the corner anytime soon. The picture is not clear and the future is bleak.  

Salvation is not a worldly seed or costly apparel worn by the rich and affluent. It is divinely given to all men who merit it. So is insecurity. The cost of it is huge. Divinely given by Satan to his cohorts. Beaten by the beast. Never in the way of relevance. Spoilers who want to own things without following the due process. It is evil.

Things will only get worse if nothing is done about it. The road to the Promised Land is not always paved with treasures and good intentions. Sometimes, it has all sorts of problems, which requires the know-how of a leader to navigate the terrain. Not fixing the problem or lacking the know-how, will lead to a hall of pain.

 

It is true that a man is for himself and God is for us all, but nothing is guaranteed in a failed state. If we don’t fix insecurity, we should be prepared to face the outcome of its deadly brutality. It doesn’t make any sense if the state is at the mercy of bandits. It only shows that those saddled with the responsibility to keep the society safe are either not good enough or they have been compromised.  


The Bone in our neck 


Nothing discourages a people like when they know that their safety is not guaranteed. They exist not knowing what will happen to them the next minute. They live every day like is their last.

Safety is not a meal that the government should serve anytime they so wish. Malevolence should not take the place of safety, goodwill and good governance.

Our inability to decimate bandits, have only made them more daring. It will surely get worse if we tread the same old path. It is dreadful to count the dead when we should be focused on humanity and make the world a better place. To disappear is to die. To live is to conquer. God bless Nigeria.


Meet the Author

Omoruyi Uwuigiaren is a former cartoonist turned writer. When he was a kid, he loved music and composed songs for his high school band. After school, he wanted to pursue a career in music. Instead he embraced writing and studied Mass Communications. His literary works and books have appeared in Urban News Express Online, Moronic Ox Literary and Cultural Journal, Open Books and many more. He’s the owner of Ruyi’s World of Books and Stories. 





Saturday, August 7, 2021

MOTIVATIONAL TONIC: The Winning Mentality by Omoruyi Uwuigiaren

 


Attitude is Eveerything


Life is tough. Staying relevant requires a lot of sacrifice. Nobody conquers the world alone. You are expected to fit into a system before you can considerably effect any change. If you don’t fit in nicely, there are chances that you may never make it. A winner is the fellow that carefully engages every necessary tool at his disposal to achieve extra ordinary things. A star is born only when he does what is right and not what he likes.

Giving everything you have got in order to win, also in the face of adversity is the winning mentality. You will need to be in the right frame of mind to get the best out of life. Build yourself. Live like every day is a final. It is at this threshold that a champion is born. Released into the world to stand in the gap, hold its own and make the crooked ways straight. Not doing enough, will not give you enough of the things that you desire. This is way you must operate from the position of strength.


Winning Mentality by Omoruyi Uwuigiaren


In reality, there is something much basic to winning—something that accounts for consistent success. It is to have enough self-belief in your abilities to know you can achieve what it is you are setting out to do.  

Don’t take a slow start for tragedy. Stay focused. The show of strength and self-belief are contagious. Once they part of your daily routine, you are surely headed for the very top.

There is power in having a winning mentality because it easily produces dominance. Operating at this level, will make you conquer all frontiers. You are expected to be consistent even when it hurts, take initiative, give your best effort, persevere and be the rallying point. Stick out your neck and lead.

Nobody achieves much at the bottom. When a war is won, people easily remember the name of the leader. Not much is said about the foot soldiers. They are exactly what their name implies—they are at the bottom of everything. It is possible they fought the hardest. But the problem is that people easily see those at the top. You cannot blame the people. If you don’t like your position, all you need is change. Move from the bottom to the top. Then you will be treated differently. This is where your mentality comes to play. It is not easy navigating from the bottom of the ladder to the top. It takes guts. It takes everything you can imagine. Sometimes, it could cost your life.

I hate to say this but it is true. Those who participate at the rear, rarely get mentioned. So also is life. People who don’t give much, are hardly recognized. To be at the top of the food chain, you must be very attractive and at the same time tough.

Life can sometimes be cruel. It is in your hands to bend any circumstance to your favour.  You must set the conditions for success, set goals and make sure you remain motivated. If these elements are lacking, you are going to struggle. It is in your hands to make people want to do business with you. It is in your hands to make the world worship at your feet. These things don’t happen overnight. They require many weeks, months and sometimes years of consistent hard work and labour. Whatever is not a product of sincere labour, will not last.


Ruyi's World of Books and Stories


Nothing happens by chance. The more time you spend trying to push for change, the more likely you are going to win. The world reverberates around beautiful people. Don’t get exhausted being you because it is your ticket to greatness. Challenges only draw the fellow who can bend any circumstance to his favor to his goal and not away from it.


From the book The City Heroes and other
stories from the heart of Africa by Omoruyi Uwuigiaren


Spend more time on your talent and make sure you are efficient. It is a foundation on which great things are laid. It is easy to build a future around a talent. Since it is natural, you will easily flow. Push for great things by pushing yourself hard enough. No weakling has ever emerged a conqueror. If he survives to see the rising sun, he may never see the setting sun. Guard your talent jealously. If this foundation is broken, your future will be threatened. A winning mentality and a great talent are inseparable. They complement each other. If you can strike a balance, you are a winner.

          Set your eyes on the goal. It is true that miracles do happen but it is more likely going to happen to the man that is prepared. The good thing is that you do not need a certificate to develop a winning mentality. It takes discipline to be the best.  Once you are able to sustain the momentum, there are chances that you will achieve your goal.

          Many negative things do happen on the path to greatness. So don’t fear when you suffer. It is part of the process. It is an essential part of the journey. Frustration is part of your success story. Take them on board and bend any circumstance to your favor.

Omoruyi Uwuigiaren


Nothing is more rewarding like having the right attitude. In the game of life, attitude is everything. Cultivate a good attitude and it will sustain you. When there is a lifting, it is attitude that sustains it. As you know, if you want to survive public life, you must hide your imperfections. By being circumspect, you are deliberately creating a beautiful image for yourself. Your survival depends on how well you can play your role in this ever changing world.

          You suffer more significantly if you run away from your challenges. Sometimes, there are no guarantee that solving any problem will bring instant success. You just have to get the job done irrespective of where it will lead you. One thing is certain, a problem solved leaves you with wealth of experience.

          Nobody becomes great by standing aloof. You have to be involved in the process of getting the best out of your life from the start to the finish. You must be ready to sacrifice for your own good even when you are not sure of winning. The lesser you think about winning, the higher your chances of becoming a loser.

          In the game of life, failure is not final. What you must not do is to remain trapped in the corridors of hell. You can run but you cannot hide. The problems you refuse to confront will mess you up. Get yourself out of the hole and celebrate your greatness. Start today by consciously taking the right decision to fix your problems.

          One easy way to start the journey of greatness is to identify with successful people and have a winning mentality. Tag along with them and learn how they got to the top. These things don’t happen overnight. Greatness is achieved overtime. Nobody succeed in isolation. Get all the help you can. Learn from successful people. Get in touch with the light that is higher than you for help. The truth shall set you free. With the right mindset, you are set for great things.


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Omoruyi Uwuigiaren


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