SURVIVAL IN THE LAND OF TOO MUCH

A friend once said she had to change bed space from sleeping next to me because I was asthmatic and her aunt said she could contact Asthma by sleeping next to me, thinking about it now it’s pretty funny huh but the day I was told it was in no way funny. Nigeria is such a country where there is so much and sometimes you want to get mad at people, everyone denies anything evil is happening until things get out of hand, there is so much discrimination in everything, the rich, the poor and average. Nigeria  is particularly unfair to people with disorders, I recently decided to consult with a therapist with regards to a few symptoms of ADD I was experiencing, you should have seen the “you don dey kolo? Look I got when I asked people if anyone knew any psychologist we are very good with trying to use religion to overlook real things, a child with tourettes syndrome would have to sit through a agonizing hours of sermons on self control instead of getting therapy or medical help, children with ADD would be flogged and yelled on to learn to concentrate and even punished and many times insulted, and if you even go ahead to explain your situation you’ll be met with amazing responses like “G0od forbid it’s not your portion” as if by simply saying that and taking your hand around and snapping your finger (the Yoruba God forbid sign) you’ll be better. There is just too much in this country people overlooking your needs as trivial because it’s not common. The worse is to have eating disorder in Nigeria, kai you’ll hear talk upon talk about how it is not your portion and about it is a disease for only the oyinbo people. Even something as medically proven as sinusitis I still have a lot of people pass crazy comments about how I’m not supposed to live in Nigeria o and some other ridiculous things, Nigerians don’t even believe there is anything like depression you’ll die of depression in Nigeria and people would blame the dead body sef.
   To live through all these and not commit suicide is hard, but to live through all these and not commit suicide and not be depressed and be content is real hard work, its hard work in a way but not so much, all you need to survive in Nigeria is LOVE, yes I said love, (oh don’t go religious on me just yet I know some religious folks are already about to close this page cause I said love, chill) y7eah its love; love for God helps you to live right, God love keeps you going, love for yourself helps you to let suicidal thoughts go, self love helps you to know what you can do and who you really are, love for others helps you forgive when they hurt you, loves for others makes you pray that they und3erstand better, love for others helps you not to hurt those who hurt you. Your survival in the land of so much is totally dependent on LOVE.
Lots of Love
Meshel