IMUETINYANOSA

WAKE UP!

Sleeping on my bed, I heard my phone’s alarm buzz out so loud with the first few lines of the song: “my generation is waiting…”, Two of my friends were on their own beds too jumped off their beds to shake me off from sleep, “your alarm woke us up, this is the sixth time it buzzed yet you’re sleeping!”, One of them confessed how the words from this song had reshaped her thoughts and set her on her feet to become better… Yet there I am, the owner of the phone turning from one side to another, perhaps because it’s a Saturday and there’s no work but no it happens every time!

NAIJA TO THE WORLD

You might want to know about me; I am a young lady from a part of the world believed to be strong, energetic and tenacious, people rich in culture and language, whose inherent value is due physical diligence. A place of brown roofs, yellow, brown, blue and white buses, honking both on the streets and the highway. The morning is the womb of the day that’s my best sayings but maybe I’m not just made for the hustling-bustling of this part of the world. Young men and women are already on the streets hustling for what to eat, making means to an end. People full of the determination to become better and successful, no work is too humbling or too glorifying… Who cares? Food must sha be on the table…

IMUETINYANOSA

For a twenty year old girl who already has her first degree from a public university, I am the envy of most parents in the community where I grew up. Many use me as a template of excellence to their children and friends, many even being gifts to my parent’s house so that the blessing can rub off on their children, my parents are always the proud parents of Imuetinyanosa (a Nigerian Edo name which means Trust in God). Why they have given me this name I don’t know, but I know that everyone in the family, including my Eleven older siblings pays a great deal of attention to my well-being, and of course being the last of the twelve (my family is enough for a football team).

IYE

While my parents like the attention they get from people, I do not like that kind of life. I am a naturally reserved, quiet going child from childhood, I can recall memories of Iye (mother) telling me stories when as a baby she’ll leave me at home to quickly go to sell things at the market, open her shop, see a few people she supplies fresh green veggies and cassava to, and she’ll meet me awake but not crying when she comes back. I am that pleasant child she’ll say, with my beautiful, long and luster brown hair everyone wants to carry me at every chance they get, marveling at how a child can be so blessed. Iye also told me how that my birth came when they least expected a child, they were already grandparents, but then I came!

DISTURBED

Imuetinyanosa loves a quiet and peaceful life, her privacy is priority and she’ll rather celebrate every win with immediate family and friends but not publicly. Yes it’s still me, Imuetinyanosa. Getting attention from everyone everyday can be stressful for a young girl, but my parents don’t seem to see this part of the accolades. Fast forward, SSI result came out back then and the very bright, brilliant Imuetinyanosa came third out if a class of four hundred. What happened? Everyone already thought the first position has the stamp Imuetinyanosa, but that’s not the case. I participated less in activities, conversations in the house was a challenging one for me. My mental health has been disturbed and all I need is just a quiet! Something that could take the noise away.

WE MEUUUVE

Seems my parents got a clue from personal analysis what had gone wrong, they took me out of the community to a different community, in fact a city bigger than our community. I could adapt easily to the change in environment but my new teachers realized that I lack the motivation both to start a thing and complete it! They informed my parents, invited them for a call in session, they advised me, encouraged me, set me on intensive mind work. Though distracting and pressuring for me! But then here I am, a first class graduate today. Making independent decisions and starting major projects was quite challenging but my friends has been so keen on helping me become even better, such that now I take great initiatives independently with a great deal of vigor you can imagine.