1 EARLY MORNING CONVERSATION
Allan Rufus quotes "Life is like a game of chess. To win you have to make a move. Knowing which move to make comes with IN-SIGHT and knowledge, and by learning the lessons that are acculated along the way. We become each and every piece within the game called life.
Well that's true! Everyone of our decisions we make will have consequences for the future. We know that each move we make, in life or in a game, brings forth a fresh path for the future.
"Emmanuel," I called out my best friend's name. "In chess and life, if we aren't careful right from the start, we can make mistakes or miss opportunities that will cost us time and effort later on, or even lead to failures." I said and immediately checkmated him.
"Wawu..." He exclaimed, putting his hand on his head with a disappointing look.
"Micheal you don finish me. You don finish my life. Chai!."
"I never start to finish your life, I go soon finish your destiny." I replied back in our Nigerian pidgin language.
"Who plays chess by after 12 in the morning." Favour said, approaching the dining table where we were seated and spread her arms for an embrace. "Happy new year sweethearts," We stood up, reciprocating the embrace.
"Happy new year Sis." I said as we all sat down. Emmanuel began exchanging pleasantries with Favour as I watched them, dumbfounded.
"How do you feel about this new year." Emmanuel asked.
"Sad."
"Why sad."
"You know... every new year, people are happy and I ask myself why, because grief, anger, sadness, you name it, they just never go away."
"Well does it matter? All that matters is happiness."
"So what makes you happy."
"Music, and what about you."
"Love, life is love."
He looked at her curiously, suspecting her to be a lovesick.
"Oh... don't give me the look." Favour added. "I only read romance books not like I've been in love."
"Well if you say so."
"Life is ambition too." I finally broke my silence. "And life can be many things."
"Hmm... my senior bro seems to know quite enough of life, am listening." She put her hand on her jaw with open ears.
"I can't find the words to describe it." I said, wondering.
''Bro use your poetic side." Emmanuel breathed.
"Life seems to be a wave, sometimes a wave of hardness, sometimes a wave of sadness, a wave filled with experience, days of laughter, days of asking God questions, and days of receiving answers from him." I amended.
"Well las las this life no balance." Emmanuel blurted.
"I swear." Favour shrugged.
"Guys, this new year, all I want to do is to make more money, as a graduate, that's my ambition, I de look for wetin I go fit do so that in years to come I go bi like Otedola and Dangote." I said.
They bursted out laughing.
"That's my prayer too, cos our work no fit pay us well as graduates wey we bi, e go make sense if we suppose de earn like 1million as graduates." Emmanuel seems agitated.
"So how do you plan on making more money." Favour asked.
"Letting God take control, but I haven't come up with a plan yet, hmm..." I perceived a good fragrance. "I just wanna flow with the mind of the wind, let go of bad energies this year, find out what I can do to make more money, I need to know my footsteps."
"Try doing more investments." Favour aired her view.
"Like I haven't tried enough." I sighed.
"Or going to America, Nigerians over there are super rich or atleast they are very much comfortable." Emmanuel said.
"I can become a millionaire/billionaire in Nigeria, I don't want to be in a country where people are judged on their skin, that's kinda absurd, I know is every Nigerian man dream to make money and make it in life abroad but it's just not my dream, imagine, health care is expensive, hospital fees are never fair, so many debts to pay, unlike here in Nigeria where the cost of living is somehow fair for us. Well am just not interested in travelling abroad, I'll rather stay here."
"Yeah, people think Nigerians in America are enjoying but I believe that they are suffering too like us, but our own worst o." Favour smiled.
"Bro I know for America, racial equality is an extraordinary advancement but atleast they are fighting for equality through Black Lives Matter and other movements." Emmanuel added. "They are also working to make amazing discoveries in the astronomical field, Elon Musk's SpaceX just launched, allowing more knowledge of space to be revealed, I mean apart from equality, the country is great."
"Well why don't you go live there, why are you in Lagos." I said.
We all giggled.
"So Favour, what's your new year resolution." I asked.
"Well..." She exhaled. "I am going to stop caring about what people think, like telling me which outfit I'll have to wear." She paused for a while. "I'll stop overthinking little things and pay attention to what matters, I'll stop thinking that am defined by my university grade or number, just like the Indian movie 3 Idiots taught me, I won't stress over small assignments, I'll focus on the big picture, I'll live in the moment, dance in the rain, take pictures of the sky." She finally added. "I'll check up on people I care about, text my friends often, interact genuinely with others, I'll be critical of situations, question preconceived ideas and expand my horizons."
"Wow... your words are too beautiful for this mortal earth." Emmanuel complimented Favour which got her smiling.
"Well thank you." Favour replied.
"I can say the same too." I said.
"Thanks," She stretched her arms, feeling tired and dozy. "Gosh... what a year 2020 has been, a year of fear due to this viral disease. I just wonder what 2021 will bring, I wonder what is likely to come."
"Yeah, 2020 has really been a depressing year with Covid-19, but I don't pray it continues." I said.
The night seems young, and our early morning conversation lasted for a while before we went to bed.
