There is this adage in yoruba that says 'Ajo ole dun ko nile ma rele' and 'ile labo isinmi oko'. (Translation: 'No matter how sweet or pleasant a journey is, the Traveller must return back home' and 'The home is where rest from all journey is found'.).

I started my IT program 4 weeks ago, a d those four weeks seemed like 4 months because of the stress I went through in the first, second and fourth weeks.

Stories about Lagos.

Before I and my classmates left for Lagos, I had already started imagining and fantasizing about Lagos and it beauty. Most of my classmates who were not from Lagos nor had not gone there before were also looking forward to see the famous and hyped beauty of Lagos State. We left quite early enough that day. The bus I boarded made the journey to Lagos so short and interesting because it was equipped with well finishing AC and a portable sized television. We stopped for a while at Ore to eat and stretch up a bit, some that were pressed also went to use the convenient.

We continued our journey and 'UNDERWORLD' was playing on the screen. It was like a mobile cinema with the girls giving emotion and loud shouts and the boys enjoying every bit of the moment. A little while later, we arrived at Lagos and it was the opposite of what I expected. But moving from the boundary to VI and other parts of Lagos proved the stories about Lagos true. I have written on this before so I won't really talk on that. I think the only problem I encountered in Lagos is the traffic which in no small way affected my IT progam and caused some ruckus between my group and our coordinator. In a nutshell, Lagos really lived to my expectations even though I didn't go to all the fun places, yet the ones I saw were nice. Hence proving the stories about Lagos true.

NIOMR

Nigerian institute for oceanography and marine research (NIOMR) was the place I did my IT. Although we saw lots of equipment and machines, we didn't see them in action because the staff of the institute were on strike due to the non payment of their salaries and gratuities. This is the major problem of my country, Misplaced priority. ASUU (the academic staff union of universities) and other educational unions have been on strike for some times now due to their unpaid salary and then our president gave $1million to another country to render financial help. It baffles me as I cant imagine a father leaving his own children hungry and starving while he goes about behaving like a philanthropist. What a grossly foolish philanthropist he is! I hope the government would come back to their senses on time and settle the debt thet owe this bodies so we can resume schools and graduate on time.

Coming back to NIOMR, I learnt some new things and saw both marine and brackish water including some freshwater organisms and some machines used for culturing and capturing these organisms. NIOMR was actually the very first place I saw a big sized tilapia (oreochromis) even though we have them in my school but those ones were stunted and not properly managed. I learnt new methods of fish transportation, processing and preservation. My experiences in NIOMR was in a sense, extensively educative. I wish I had come when the institute was active and not on strike, well, maybe I would who knows

Wise words from Talon

I and my friend @Talon were discussing an issue the previous day about being wicked. He made some remarkable and sincere points. He said (I am going to paraphrase it) that 'people tend to look at a person and categorize them in either being good or bad. In their own opinion, one of these entities have be on the higher percentage In an individual for you to be to say such a one is wicked or this person is good. Contrary to that, the two entities (good and bad) is in equilibrium in a person but circumstances and position tends to reveal or make one more obvious than the other'. When he said this I reason within me and was like, are there not some people that are just unprovokably wicked? He replied by saying 'true, some people may just have that bad entity high in them but not because they are bad in the original state of mind but what they have passed through or been exposed to may tend to influence and dominate their character thereby painting them bad.' he gave a stricking example of a time he was the class coordinator. 85% of the class then saw him as being wicked and just harsh. But then, we were not aware of the pressure he was getting from the farm manager then. We were oblivious to the fact this was once our classmate who was without blemish, we were blinded to the fact that with great position comes greater responsibility and actions. Now that we are done with the part for which he was elected a coordinator for, I have witness more than 2 or 3 persons walk up to him and said ' I never knew you were this good!'

Now to the amazing part. After the bus that brought us from Lagos dropped us in the school compound and left, I and a friend ordered for Uber to carry us home. I, due to miscalculation, forgot my schoolbag there. It was when I go home I found out that my school bag was not among my loads. I quickly ran back to the school gate and chattered a cab to take me to and fro. A man from nowhere just came there and was saying the cab driver can take me cos it was his turn. The cab driver just calmly explain the fact that he had been there since morning and he even saw the other man carry his own passenger. On hearing this, the other man went cold and said he can go. On the way, the ma explained to me that he is avery volatile and emotional person. He said he used to shout and quarrel with them before and even though he is on his right but because of his outburst people used to tag him as a trouble maker and a wicked soul. He said even after the fight and everything, when he wins or loses, he always regret it cos it always take away his peace. He said he then made up his mind not to react to any issue based on his emotions but would rather become cheated and keep his peace than fight and loose everything. Immediately he said this I remembered those words Talon said 'circumstances and situation only reveal a part of one, but that is not who they are.'

Lesson

I realise that this is actually what's going on with most people. There maybe that wicked boss in your workplace or that bad boy in your class or neighborhood and you have concluded that they are just bad. Truth is even the most vilest villain as his own friends. Don't just look at people from a far and conclude about them (whether for good or bad). Move closer to them, get to know them personally and try to become their friend. An event is not enough to know who a person really his. So many people are going through a lot an they think the best way to relieve that pressure building up in them is by been harsh or wicked. NO! All you need is someone to talk to, someone to share your pains and story with, all you need is a friend and guess what there is a friend that is better than any friend u can ever have his name is Jesus. It doesn't matter what you have done or what you are going through, he can help you. He is not Lord alone, he is also a friend. People would say 'but we can see or talk with him physically', but that's a lie, you can talk with him and he will reply you either through the Bible, and aution or even through you hears! Jesus is ever ready to take all that pain from you and make you a better person. I know and I am sure that as you plan to make him your best friend and chief adviser, you will never ever regret it. JESUS LOVES YOU ❤️❤️

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