This world is not our permanent home. This is an undeniable fact that we all have fought severely either through prayers or conscious and healthy living. Yes, people know that life is short but they still struggle and hustle to live long in the same place they have agreed to call a marketplace. Prayers and healthy living are not solutions to death but one arguably prevents evil circumstances while the other reduces possibilities of being sick or infected during one’s lifetime. No matter how careful we live in this world, it is surely not our home. One by one; we will leave this world to continue the race elsewhere.
Despite the struggles and troubles of this world, we only talk about death but we are afraid to die except the frustrated ones who have been caged by the imbalances and unpleasant situations of this world. We came to this world through pain and the exit will be painful too. As demanding, tough and sometimes unpleasant this world is, nobody wants to leave. The younger ones want to become old while the older ones want to enjoy the fruit of their labour. I have sat down and engaged many aged people who are in search of anti-ageing drugs. They do not want to leave but the mother of late Afrobeats legend, Orlando Owoh is different. She openly begged grim reaper to take her away.
Mama Owoh has completely seen the world and its vanities from her own angle. She has lived long to see both the good and evil things of life. In her lifetime, she watched how one of her sons rose to glory, defeating all narratives of failures as a local man to become a global champion. He made his mother proud and wrote his family’s name in gold. In her lifetime, she also watched how his dear son was buried amid tears.
It is indeed great sadness for a child to leave his or her parents on earth and proceed to journey of no return. I know of pains that does not go away easily, losing someone you loved and appreciated dearly is one. As I soberly watched Mama Owoh during her interview with BBC Yoruba, I could see pains of loss and hurtful memories. I am not a mind reader but I want to assume that Mama Owoh would have been happier in grave if grim reaper took her in replace of her dear son.
Life is a triangle. It is not difficult to understand that there are some powers in charge of this world we live. When you look at peoples situations sometimes, one is forced to ponder about life and its difficulties. I have carefully examined life in my thoughts and concluded that life is a coin of two sides. I have seen people who prayed and lived a healthy life yet they did not live long while I have seen carefree people who are not interested in healthy living yet they are aging with time.
Life is not fair to all. People mourn differently. The one who has money does not have peace. Some people mourn their barrenness while others use their hands to bury their offspring. This life is truly hard and the complexities that come with it are very strange and troubling yet we live a life of troubles. As I watched Mama Owoh in the BBC interview, something striked my mind. This life does not worth all the troubles we go through in it. The thought of troubles people go through in this expiring life that if possible you live long, you will be the one calling for death just like Mama Owoh.
Sometimes I wonder why people go through extra length to acquire wealth they would not take to grave. I wonder why people would do everything possible in preparation of a future that is not certain. Have you ever sat down and counted the number of people you have wronged in our pursuit for better living? At a time, we all have done something unpleasant to promote our sentiments, interests and desires.
Three years ago, I visited my grandmother who was a great story teller while alive. She narrated how then powerful people direct the affairs of our ancient town. She told me that one out of them could command thunder strike and wind. But the moment I asked her where they are now with all the powers, she looked at me and bowed her head. They are gone, she said.
These people were demi-gods in their lifetimes. They were not only powerful but consistently in charge of elements that define nature yet they died. This should tell us that we are mere tenants in this expiring world and should always be careful with the way we live. My grandmother and her contemporaries are now stories. Yes, we will also become stories one day but what kind of story will you become?
Lawal Sodiq Adewale