‘Oh my God! Gloria, why did I even agree to follow you today? Shey I would have jejeli stayed in my house. I would have been sleeping and snoring now; not stuck in this car with you. Abi, can I come down?’…
I had planned from the word ‘GO’ to make this trip to the bridal shop uncomfortable for Imaikop. She’s been crying for change and giving me lecture upon lecture on what is wrong with the country yet she is not ready to make a move on her end.
‘Imaikop, the sooner you realize we’re in this car together, heading to Wuse 2, the better for you. You see the problem with you, you keep complaining. Your prayer point during fasting I’m sure is the same one you’ve been praying all your life for Nigeria. I’m not saying it is bad oh! All I am saying is that we as Christians, we as Nigerians, need to do more than pray, hope, complain, fast and complain some more.’
‘Gloria, the truth is that the system is corrupt. Come 2019, it will be rigged. The God Fathers of the country will place who they want and the masses will keep suffering. Then, they will go to the North and have people come out en masse, even underage kids, to vote. Please just leave me alone mbok. I can’t shout. If I get money like this eh, it’s to get visa and miss from Nigeria.’
‘Imaikop, it’s not enough to think rigging comes only from the North. Who says it wasn’t done in other states last election? Besides, why are we still dwelling on the past when the future is ahead of us to determine to an extent? Why don’t we all just give it a shot again? If we all run and leave Nigeria, who will fix it?’
As we alighted from the car, Imaikop paused in her steps. ‘What do you want from me Gloria?’ she asked. ‘Imaikop all I want from you is to go and get your voters card and vote when the time comes then you just might get the change you desire.’ ‘Yes ma, I’ve heard you. Can we go in now? I hope they have fine gowns in this shop.’ ‘I’m sure they do’, I replied, secretly thankful that one vote has been secured for 2019.
What do I want from you? A voter’s card. What do I want from you? Your vote.
Image Credit: Daily Post Nigeria