DIRTINESS THAT STAINS THE SOAP

            Is it just me or is this blog filled with highly unusual and weird names. For example, “oboi… you too worry”, “What went wrong?” “Somewhere out there… is someone”, and now “Dirtiness that stains the soap”. Whoever thought a cleaning agent could be stained? I too never gave it much thought until a true need arose, and a burden weighed heavy on my thoughts, and my ears rang full of the cries around me.

            It was a little fun being in the rain (well for me, and not my gadgets), and I could just walk in the rain and sing while I was at it. Then the unthinkable happened; an oncoming vehicle splashed mud on me. Of course he sped away not really minding what he did, after all, walking in the rain wasn’t so smart on my part. He sure gave me a little work to do. And as I washed and scrubbed away my favorite jean trouser, my soap picked up the stains. It was annoying to the point that I didn’t even notice what was really happening. I didn’t see the irony slapping me in the face… my cleaning agent was staining my clothes. I didn’t see this irony for a few more weeks.

            Ever heard a child talk about his/her dreams? It is one of the most inspiring words to hear. The words of children in their innocence speak volumes in truth, faith, hope, belief, and in the simple and true idea that dreams come true. Even more likeable is the adorable belief that everyone is capable of change, no matter how much damage he/she has done. For me, I couldn’t care less what people thought of me, but somehow, I find it unimaginable for me to give a child a reason to give up on me, and say “Just leave him alone, he’s not gonna change”. It would be heartbreaking and devastating if I ever hear that in my life.

             I remember as a child that no one had the guts to insult my country. Not foreigners, not Nigerians themselves. As far as I was concerned, I was gonna bring change, positive change to my nation. It didn’t matter how long it took or what it would cost as long as that change happened at some point in my lifetime. But as the years passed by, and I increased in “knowledge” and experience in so-called “reality”, I became corruptible. After all, we gave them reasons to say what they wanted to say. And it didn’t matter anymore… I wasn’t going to join them in ruining the country a little bit more, I was just gonna mind my own business and seek a better life for myself in places where selfishness was not the order of the day. But unknown to me, that is the part where the soap forgets its duty… it was created to be a cleaning agent!

            At that point of complacency, despair, and hopelessness, black and white start looking a little grey, spectatorship seems the coolest and most righteous thing to do. But we all know it doesn’t end there… words are uttered in those moments of despair, words are spoken out of anger, frustration, despair, hopelessness, disgust, and sadness. Decisions are taken in the heat of the moment, and our problems multiply by the number of individuals and groups in the society who have had enough! Most of us are guilty of that. But that’s not the sad part… The sad part is where the soap picks up the stain, and itself, becomes dirty. The sad part is where these little ones, the children whom God has destined for greater works, and is preparing for a better future, and a greater nation and a purer generation, hear the words of bitter, angry, and despondent parents, neighbors, siblings, relatives, leaders, teachers, everyone! We complain so much that they lose their innocence way too young. It’s the reason why five-year olds know how to take a swing at the political leaders when he/she can’t get ice cream at the eatery. The point where the children lose the hope, faith, and belief that their innocence has gracefully bestowed upon them, is the point where our cleaning agent starts to pick up the stains and subsequently, have a go at our clothes. Let’s not give the children a reason to say “There’s no hope”, or “This is the way it has been, and it’s not gonna change anytime soon”. If anything we ourselves should be like the children, like cleaning agents… never losing our hope, our faith in God and our abilities to change, our belief that it may be hard but we are capable of radical change as a nation.

            I smile as I recalled that all I had to do was stop using the soap and just rinse it. I certainly hope we can do the same. The next time we feel like complaining, and our bitterness and anger towards certain individuals force us to say a few words in the heat of the moments, let’s recall that the children are lurking around behind the curtains, or are sitting idle in front of the television listening in on what we have to say. The soap doesn’t have to pick up the stain… and if it already has, just rinse it! I bet the clothes turn out clean in the end.