Fiction and Articles

  If it feels cold on a wet night, you most likely have a lot on your mind. Its past midnight as I head towards my dormitory. Why I had chosen such a far distance beats me. All I know is that I had kept walking farther and farther away from my reality. I had told everyone around me that I was going to study. I lied. I didn’t read anything. Now the mosquitoes are really biting and even though it stopped raining a while ago, it feels like it only just started. The walk is long and lonely, I think of the times you were still beside me. The times when rain gave me the warmest nights and lots of laughter with you in sight. I’m so hungry, my stomach starts rumbling but even the Suya man has gone home to his family. I gave you my everything and you took it away without warning. Whoever knew silence could be so loud, it speaks through the wind so profoundly. A puddle here, a puddle there, with more puddles from my organ of sight. My life flashes right before my eyes, it a

  In the year 2016, I had the privilege to “serve” my fatherland in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. During the 3 weeks camp orientation, I fell really ill. On that fateful day I woke up with a terrible headache as the sound of the bugle woke us up to the assembly ground. I was too weak to stand and decided to sit by the curb instead, a female soldier approached me and commanded me to join the line. I told her I was very ill and could not join. Within seconds, she grabbed me abruptly by my shirt and pulled me close to her. She was obviously power drunk and could not believe that a bloody civilian refused her command. At this point she was furious and ordered me to hand over my lanyard. If you have ever undergone NYSC orientation, you will know the importance of having your lanyard on your neck 24/7. At this point, I decided I will rather not serve than to die for nothing. As luck will have it a superior officer observed what played out and told her to leave me be. I approached