Horns blaring, Lights blazing… Tyres
screeching, car almost skidding… Coasting down the highway. A hundred miles an
hour. 30mins to go. Time running out. John needs to be at Onitsha before 9am. A
crucial Job Interview. One that could change his life. Forever…
Damn! Nonsense! Useless animals. Almost hit a cow running across
the road. Thank God. Journey continues…
* *
* *
A heart-piercing wail rent the air. Her life was over. Practically, literally
over. The phone to her ears. A piece of paper in her hands. The reason for her
pain… Phone drops to the floor. Mind reeling. Feet animating. Heart breaking.
Leaves the house. Sorry, races out the door…
* *
* *
It’s gone. All gone. What’s the point? No reason for going on. Just run away.
Where. Somewhere, anywhere. Anywhere but here. Brand new Camry. Key on
ignition. He zooms…
* *
* *
Holy shit! Sweet Jesus! What the f**k? Was told the journey would take 2hours.
Onitsha wasn’t that far from Enugu. 3 hours later, no end in sight. When
suddenly, a huge signboard loomed ahead. And on it the words:
WELCOME TO PORT
HARCOURT
Oh my God! And then it became
clear. He had taken the wrong direction at Enugu. Therefore, instead of
Onitsha, he had spent the last 3 hours heading to Port Harcourt! Had tried so
hard. Woke early. Prepared at lightning speed. Drove himself. And sped all he
could… A hundred miles an hour… In the wrong direction!
Opportunity lost. Maybe something could still be done. God please delay the
interview. Onitsha now so far away. Over 5 hours. No, keep going. No giving up.
Just turn around. Yes you can do it. You can make it… Can’t wait for next
junction. Just have to take my chances now.
James Bond style, John powerfully swung
the steering wheel. Seconds later, had made a 180o turn…
*
*
* *
She never saw it coming. Wasn’t even looking. Lost in thoughts. How could it
be? All her dreams. All her hopes. Her aspirations… Suddenly…
AAAAAAHHHHH! Too late…
The Camry had been speeding. Daniel never was looking. Heart had been troubled.
Mind was devastated. Never knew when he plunged into the highway. A Blue Jeep
had just made a crazy U-turn. Too late to swerve. Daniel plunged into the side
of the jeep, at top speed.
Deadly collision. Both cars spinning. Careening out of control. Susan never
knew when she hit the road. She had been running. Last she saw was Apocalypse.
2 wildly spinning cars headed for her. Nowhere to run. No strength to flee.
Just a scream… And all went black.
*
*
* *
VENUE: HOSPITAL. Susan’s room. In a
coma. Examined by Dr Ron. Vitals are okay. Fractured leg bone. She’ll live.
Maybe crutches for a while. Sigh of relief everywhere…
“What
the hell were you thinking plunging into the highway like that? I was meant to
be in Onitsha for an interview. Now, thanks to you, I’ve lost the
opportunity…” John had finally found his voice.
“Forgive me brother. Never knew what I
was doing. Left home in a daze. Wasn’t even looking. My wife of 25yrs left me.
With the kids…”
Suddenly, John’s anger was gone. Now,
all that showed was concern. “I’m so sorry. Didn’t know you had it so
rough. Please tell me, What happened?” And the story began…
Daniel once was a Field Supervisor for Chevron Nigeria. Life of bliss. Peak of
his career. There had always been this gnawing emptiness. Needed some religion
in his life. God always mattered to him. One day he met a preacher. Charming he
was, beyond comparison. Daniel was absolutely mesmerized. Suddenly, the
Preacher had given him a word from God to leave his job, turn over his finances
to the church and wait for the extraordinary blessing God was about giving him.
He had obeyed. 2 years later, no show. Only son was ill. Church believed not in
Medical care. Was asked to bring boy for prayers. 2 Months later, the boy died.
He was crushed. “God has a reason for everything”, the
Preacher had said. “We can never understand his ways.” Daniel
had drawn comfort from these words and pulled himself together. Maybe, someday,
the sun would shine again… Till the worst happened. That morning, he woke up to
find the house practically empty. His wife was gone. At her place on the bed
lay a note:
“Can’t stay anymore with you. Gone with
the preacher. With my daughter...”
Purple horror. Blue murder…
Everyone was stunned. Silent day. Blessed quietness. Inwardly they agonized.
Outwardly they were speechless. Such deception. Such tragedy. Suddenly a cough
was heard. It was from the injured lady, Susan.
Everyone turned to her. Moments later, her eyes opened. Out from coma. Briefly,
she stared at her surroundings, then quickly, understanding came. And suddenly,
she began to sob. Then she spoke:
“I never should have trusted him.
Everyone warned me against him. Said he was a player. Thought I could change
him. I loved him. He loved me too. Took me to the altar. 5 whole years. Caught
him twice cheating. Promised to change. I forgave each time. Now he’s blessed
me with HIV!”
What a day! But it had barely begun. The nurse named Christy walked up to
readjust Susan’s IV that had shifted while she spoke. Silent all this while,
suddenly Christy spoke:
“I wish my husband had your type. He
doesn’t deserve the life he’s found with me. I don’t love him. But I can’t
leave him. My kids… He got me pregnant shortly after I left campus. I was
emotionally down. Needed a shoulder to lean on. I had left school realizing I
truly had no friends. Who would blame them. I was always in church. Practically
every day. Thought I was doing it for God. Thought I was preparing for my
future. Never had time for the ones I loved. Annoyed, family sidelined me.
Frustrated, friends left me. There once was this guy I loved. We had this
chemistry from the very first day. I never had time for him. With time he would
move on. Now he’s happily married. Leaving school, I found myself drowned in
regrets. I had used up my time in church. Never got to chase my dreams. And
now, I’m stuck with the wrong guy, in a marriage that can never work…”
“Reminds me of a friend of mine”, Daniel interjected. “Wife was church women leader. Also
prayer group coordinator. Began this in her university days. My friend thought
getting married would change a few things. How wrong he was. Old habits die
hard. Present at nearly every activity, and caring for most members, her family
suffered. Nothing my friend tried could get her to change. A week ago, he sent
her packing. He says he’s done with her. In 2 weeks time, he is get married to
someone else!”
Dr Ron would speak next. Hitherto he had been listening. Now, he spoke up. With
his own story. From Secondary School, Medicine had been his dream course. Loved
watching Doctors on TV. First JAMB attempt, results withheld. Next 3 times,
failed to make the cut-off. Held on tenaciously to the dream. Didn’t want to be
distracted by entering for another course. 5th attempt, he finally succeeded. 3
years into school, he hit upon a brutal realization. Medicine had been his
dream. But now entering, he found no joy in it. Always loved to write. Also
adored computers. Medicine had been his dream. But now he could see that all he
had simply always loved was the idea of it. How possible? He would go on to
struggle for 9 long years before graduating. Finally finds employment in a
state-owned hospital. Meagre wages. Still struggling to pay the bills. No time
to pursue writing and IT. Stuck.
Dr Ron continued: “I even had a friend who lived in my neighbourhood.
Got a job with the Federal Civil Service. Reasonable salary. 25 long years of
service. Such a hard-working man. Very likable. On retiring, gratuity wasn’t
forthcoming. Pension kept being delayed. He was so full of integrity. Never
stole from the Government. Retired not quite rich. He was hoping on the pension
and gratuity. I remember how endlessly he tried. Till 2 months ago, he slumped
at the Pension office… and died. He had married late and so he left his wife a
widow with 3 teenage children and 1 still in the University. And she has no
job.
The ladies were in tears. The men were dumbfounded. Everyone dazed when
suddenly the door opened and an exquisitely dressed man walked in. “I’m
sorry people. Was passing when I heard Daniel’s story. Have been listening.
Please pardon me and let me share my own.” Susan spoke: “Aren’t
you Chief Ben Okorie, the Guinness Nigeria Executive? I see you on TV.”
“Yes I am”, he admitted.
Audience was granted. And then he
plunged into the tale:
“Always knew I was made for great
things. Blessed with great intelligence, I always wanted to make my mark.
Ruthlessly pursued every task with diligence. I sought to please my bosses and
climb the corporate ladder. 30 years of my life. Reached the pinnacle. Fabulously
wealthy. But now look at me. I came here because I’ve been diagnosed with a
terminal heart disease. Probably was due to excessive stress and recent
anxiety. My wife is a wonderful lady. But I now know she no longer loves me. No
spark left in our marriage. She makes love to me like a robot. Our
conversations are dull and lifeless. Not that I blame her though. For years I
neglected her. Endlessly she complained. Till she grew tired and silent. I fear
she’s cheating on me. But I don’t even want to investigate. My kids are now so
wayward. I see hard drugs all around the house. They party and wreck my cars…
My heart condition is terminal. Came with lung cancer. I’ve been given 6 months
to live…”
A morning of revelations. Silence everywhere. Finally Christy spoke again:
“Once I’m done here, I need to go attend
to a patient who’s also a friend of mine. The best friend I ever had. She’s
dying of Colon cancer. Nothing more can be done. Her illness has already
impoverished her hitherto struggling family. She always was a junk food addict…
Now, this…
And she had began to sob bitterly…
THE MESSAGE
Their tales are different. But one thing did they all have in common: Journeys
to Nowhere. But how many of us are really different? How many of us are not
taking many Nowhere Journeys of our own?
For some of us, we put our trust in the school system. “Study hard and
graduate”, we are told, “and you’ll find a high-paying
job”. And so we listen to them. We fail to realize times have
changed. We refuse to see the millions of graduates out there who are already
jobless. “My case will be different”, we say. “I’m
a favoured child of God”. I’m designed for greatness. Urged
on by preachers, we press on with these confessions. We slave away for 4 or
more years in school. We neglect to open our eyes. Graduation finally comes.
Thank God, I made it. Life is so beautiful. Or so it seems… Till after NYSC,
the scales drop. And the story changes…
But what about the ones endlessly stuck in nowhere romantic relationships? He
treats you badly. You pray he will change. He cheats on you. You hope he’ll
propose to you. After marriage, I’ll work on him… 10 years later, all pain, no
gain…
What about the ones endlessly devoted to preachers. We believe the things they
say. Yes, often they are right. But we listen exclusively to them. We fail to
realize there’s so much more to life than what that particular individual
knows. We stake our future on the hope that he is right. When things don’t work
well, we believe our Faith is being tried. We hold on tenaciously to our belief
that someday, God would intervene and reward us. We probably are right. But
what if we are wrong? What if we are on a nowhere
journey?
Be not like John who tried going to Onitsha, only to end up in Port Harcourt.
Make sure that those things you are believing will truly take you to the place
where they’ve promised to take you. Be it Wealth, Love, Happiness or Heaven.
Check out that relationship. Make sure it’s not headed nowhere. Make sure all
your time in church isn’t blocking you from all the other many things that
matter. Make sure that while in school, you are doing those things that on
leaving school will land you in a somewhere. And not just any somewhere, but a
somewhere that’s desirable. Even for those for whom employment or wealth isn’t
a problem, make sure, you aren’t devoting your attention to certain things at
the expense of all the other many things that matter. Be they Family,
Friendships, Self-Discovery, Romance, Self-Development, Spirituality and so on.
Here’s what’s important: Whenever you’ve been doing something that still keeps
on not going well, something might need to change. But first carefully evaluate
things. In some cases, it might just mean you require a little bit more
patience or persistence. However, stepping back to look at things would still
have done you much good because, you’ll now return to it with even more passion
and conviction. But then, not only when things are going wrongly should you
check your journey. So very often, we undertake sweetly pleasant journeys that
end up leading to nowhere. After all, for many struggling graduates, their stay
on Campus and their NYSC year were most delightful. Friends were adorable.
Parties were exciting. Fellowship was interesting. God’s presence was always
felt. Testimonies abounded. Miracles even happened. What could possibly
be wrong with that? Till much later, did they realize, that they never truly built
solid friendships that would last. Or they never truly developed their own
personal church-independent spirituality. Or they never truly prepared
themselves in rock-solid ways for life after school.
Now, this is the key. The key is to Dance! When dancing to
music, we move from one position or posture to another. And Dancing is the key
to avoiding nowhere journeys. Most times, you do not know enough to know where
your journey will truly end. Therefore, from time to time, learn to let your mind
dance. Check out other sources of information. Don’t just stick to that author
whose views you share. Or to that preacher whose words you adore. Or to that
parent who constantly reminds you of how young and immature you are and how so
advanced and experienced and wise he or she is. There’s so much more in life to
discover. Not all you find will be true or right. But everywhere you look,
there’ll be something to gain. Don’t just stick only with the friends you’ve
got and the people you know who always make you happy. From time to time,
dance. Visit that person with whom you don’t flow. Call that individual with
whom you rarely speak. And the thing to remember about the Dance is that it
should be accompanied by the Flow. As you dance, you’ll
find things that deserve more attention. Books that deserve to be thoroughly
read. People with whom you need to spend more time. Places you need to visit
more often. Actions you need to be taking more regularly. And in such cases you
concentrate on them. And you Flow in them… till it’s time once again to
Dance!
I’m convinced that you are headed somewhere, for the mere fact that you had the
patience to read this through to the end. And not just any somewhere. But a
somewhere that will be greatly beautiful and desirable. I know you want to live
life to the fullest. I want you to. And I will show you how. Because no longer
do I want to see the ones I love run a hundred miles an hour… in the wrong
direction! Or take an amazing journey… on the road that leads to nowhere…
© Arinzechukwu Enibe
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