The Graduation of Safiya Adamu as Hair Dresser

I bring this pulsating story for the larger society to ponder about the real meaning of staying happy, thankful to the Creator. Safiya Adams (not real name) is a middle-aged lady of about 32 years old. She is dark in completion and despite the heavy make-up, you could see that it was all just an effort to keep pace with the fast-moving world of cosmetics. She wore the typical native “iro and buba” wrapper and forced a smile. you will sense instinctively that she is poor and lack the means to actually upgrade her life–except through gruelling daily task. Sitting behind at the extreme end of the church, I studied her composure and watched as she danced up and down with the scarce group of equal minded friends that she has; Safiya had come to give thanks to God for allowing her to graduate from “hairdressing” Institute; you could see the glow in her eyes as she narrated her story. Safiya is not thanking God for graduating from any of the Ivy League schools, the University or polytechnic; she was exultant and she showed it. She came with assorted drinks—7up minerals, some biscuits and a fowl. Seeing her innocence, I couldn’t help but be part of her crowd that danced to the altar. This is a lady who showed gratitude despite being obviously cheated by her own country; because she has no helpers—no big guns in the Ministries, department or agencies, customs, NNPC, CBN, she has to end up as hairdresser; yet in this deprived condition she still was able to express herself joyously scrapping all she has to produce this gifts before the altar. When it was time for photographs, I saw as they flaunted the certificate of graduation before the camera; it was a prized possession to her. Maybe it was emotions that overtook me, but had I the means, I know I would have drafted her into the higher class for her to see the splendour bad government policies have prevented her from having; It is not her destiny, neither her fate that stymied her progress but cruel government policies and poor leadership; a decent country would have put in place scholarship structures for people like her to access—not the rich or the privileged. When we talk about poor leadership, this is exactly what we mean; there are many “Sefiya Adamu” who are today languishing in the bottom ladder of life. But this is their country; and as politicians would say, that “we have no other country than ours”, the cheating continues for those who don’t have ‘long legs” or know a serving senator. This is the issue; and for people like Safiya, never mind, for indeed, greater is her victory in future.