Mindviewers Stories

Story

In today's digital age, social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook have become integral parts of our lives. While they offer unprecedented connectivity and opportunities for self-expression, they also come with a significant impact on mental health.

Take Sarah, a 22-year-old university student. She starts her day by scrolling through Instagram, where she sees images of friends traveling, influencers flaunting perfect bodies, and ads promoting an ideal lifestyle. Although she enjoys staying updated, Sarah can't help but compare herself to these seemingly perfect lives. This constant comparison leads to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem.

Sarah is not alone. According to recent studies, a significant number of social media users report experiencing anxiety, depression, and loneliness. The highlight reels presented on these platforms often create unrealistic expectations and pressure to conform to certain standards of beauty, success, and lifestyle.

On the flip side, social media can also offer support and community. For instance, John, a 30-year-old freelance graphic designer, found solace in an online group for individuals dealing with anxiety. Through shared experiences and support, John was able to manage his symptoms better and feel less isolated.

Experts suggest that the key to a healthier relationship with social media lies in mindful usage. Setting boundaries, such as limiting screen time, curating your feed to include positive and inspiring content, and engaging in offline activities, can help mitigate negative effects.

Moreover, platforms themselves are starting to take notice. Instagram, for example, has experimented with hiding like counts to reduce pressure and promote mental well-being. Despite these efforts, the responsibility ultimately falls on users to navigate their social media experience consciously.

Social media is a double-edged sword. While it connects us and provides a platform for self-expression, it also has the potential to harm our mental health. By being mindful of our usage and prioritizing real-world connections, we can harness the benefits of social media while protecting our mental well-being.

I remember when I was a teenager, full of dreams and ambitions, ready to conquer the world. But then, life happened. Disappointments, failures, and setbacks started to pile up, and suddenly, my once bright future became a dark and uncertain path. I lost hope, and with it, my drive to keep going. I was just another youth lost in the sea of hopelessness and despair. But then, I met him. An old man with a weathered face and a gentle smile. He told me his story, how he had faced countless challenges and failures, but he never gave up. He said that life is all about perseverance and resilience. It's not about how many times you fall, but how many times you get back up. At that moment, I realized that hope is not something to be lost but something to be found within ourselves. We may stumble, we may fall, but we must never lose hope. It is the fuel that keeps us going, the light that guides us through the darkness. The old man became my inspiration, my guiding light. Every time I felt like giving up, I thought of him and his unwavering determination. He taught me that failure is not the end, but an opportunity to learn and grow. He showed me that no dream is too big and no obstacle too great if we have hope and resilience. Now, as I look at the present youth generation, I see the same struggles and doubts that I once had. But I also see potential, passion, and determination. I want to be an inspiration to them, just like the old man was to me. I want them to know that despite the challenges and uncertainties, they must never lose hope. They are the future, and their dreams are worth fighting for. So, my message to the present youth generation is this - never lose hope. Believe in yourself, and never give up on your dreams. You may face obstacles and failures, but remember, they are just temporary roadblocks on your journey to success. And one day, when you look back, you will see that they were the stepping stones that led you to greatness.

I remember when I was still preparing to write jamb, my parents enrolled me in a jamb class which starts by 4pm and ends by 6pm on a daily basis, excluding Sundays. Since it was not so far from home, I used to trek to the jamb and trek back home, and at times it will already be 7pm before I get home.

There is this narrow and long path my parents used to be very pissed off with, the path was known as ‘shear road’. The path was always very quiet with no houses around and you barely see people in it. My mother used to warn my siblings and I not to use that path, even in the day time, except we’re walking together with group of people. But as for the night, even if you’re walking with 50 people, my mother won’t still approve any of us to use the shear road.

Initially I used to say that she’s just stressing too much about the shear road and there might not be anything cruel related to it. She will counter by giving stories of the negative happenings she heard about the path, it will say it’s just mere stories and there is no evidence of who ever had been a victim of that lonely road. Even then, I had never for once used that path in the night, only in the day time, and with friends.

One day, I had a cartoon series, named ‘Dragon Ball Z’ that I really wanted to watch on startimes decoder, and the series was to start by 5:30pm and end by 6:30pm. I really wanted to watch that episode and wished I could skip the jamb class that day, but I couldn’t. I went for the class, and immediately it was 6pm, I packed my things and started running home to catch up with the remaining half of the already started episode. And then I came across the shear road, a very shortcut to get home faster, and without thinking I took the path. I was still running when two guys immediately stepped out of the bush and stood in front of me, it was too late for me to stop immediately and I ran into them and they felled to the ground, including me. I stood up before them, and this time, with adrenaline pumping through my veins, I ran like Flash, without looking back and with my school bag firmly held in my arms. I know I ran very fast, because my vision was blurred and the only thing I could hear was the faint shout from the two guys, “hey stop there, I will shoot you, oboy hey!”. I didn’t stop, I ran with all the strength I had till I got home.

I was so tired, sat down in front of the house and panting aggressively, checked myself to confirm if I was still intact, good thing the smart phone my parents bought for me was still in my pocket, the phone was barely a month old and I would have been dealt with if I had lost it. Whether those guys were truly with gun or not, I was home safely and vowed never to set my foot on that road. Entered the house and saw that the cartoon series I risked my life to run home and watch just ended as 6:30pm clocked, what a waste. I should have heed to my mother’s instruction about that road, good thing I’m safe and so are my properties. Till date, I have not told my parents about that incident, for the fear of being scolded for going against their orders.

Few years back, there was this neighbor I had that was a tailor, his name was John, he had just moved in newly. He rented a shop for his tailoring work just in front of his house, so he was always around. He was very friendly and easy to relate with, but it later turned out to be only a camouflage.

There came a time John came to borrow certain amount of money from me and promised to pay back in two weeks, I gladly helped him out. But then the two weeks came and passed, months passed and nearly a year, and he didn't still pay me the money back. He had lots of customers he sew clothes for, so he had the money, but I wondered why he refused to redeem himself from the debt.

Soon, John was no where to be found, he ran away from the town entirely and even changed his phone number, unlinked himself from all the friends and customers he had made while he was still here. Then I discovered I wasn't the only one John was owing, he had borrowed money from almost all the neighbors, including his landlord. He ran away with electric stabilizer and pressing iron he had borrowed from his friend. He took along with him, the clothes his customers had paid him to sew. People came out and lamented bitterly.

A year later, I heard about how John went to apply and get a contract to sew uniforms for an organization which was worth millions of naira. He entered the presentation room to present designs he had come up with. But then he quickly recognized one of the board members to be one of the people he had borrowed money and items from, and ran away with it some time ago. He knew for sure he wasn't going to get the contract, and so he made a move to turn back and leave immediately. But that was too late as the securities were asked to detain him and he was handed over to the police.

The man who arrested John demanded that John must pay him back, but John had nothing at the moment, he was very broke and even his family members refused to help him because he had duped them too. John owed so many people of which amounted to the sum of one million naira, and since he didn't have the money, but could sew very well, he was made to sew all the uniforms for the organization for free, under the supervision of the police. The sewing took him up to a month without a day's rest and he wasn't paid a dime. I was surprised hearing this. He paid heavily for his deeds, lost trusts, friends, and his reputation as no one ever wanted anything to do with him ever again.

It was one Thursday morning during the COVID-19 era.l was outside with a group of people who stayed at home,we were playing ludo near a woman who was selling bread .the owner of the bread was busy prizing yam.
All of a sudden a boy zoomed🏃🏃🏃 passed us and a man in military uniform was giving him a hot chase,he was shouting catch that boy catch that boy then he cracked his gun.lo and behold the old woman that was prizing the yam ran faster than a bullet even more than me before I will look back every body clear both the woman that was selling yam entered our compound and locked me outside I just hid under the woman's table that was selling bread. I looked up,a man came back and was standing his head was so shiny and was reflecting the 🌞
He stood there and the military man came back angry that he missed his target he asked the man standing I told you to catch that boy why didn't you before the guy could reply a thunderous slap was heard poooa 👋👋he staggered and sat on the floor looking left and right as if he was deaf.people had to come out and begged the military man.the man left and every body came out of hiding and was consoling the man I came out of my hiding place and was walking home the woman that was selling yam beckon to "bros abeg help me put am for my head .due to what happened I forgot the woman locked me outside my own compound.and helped her😂😂😂😂

Today after school, I tagged along with my friends to their place to get my power bank, which I had left there during the last visit. Initially, I intended to just grab it and head back home, but instead, I found myself staying for a while, catching up with my friends. We started a conversation and unexpectedly shifted to more deeper topics, and we found ourselves discussing diabolical and spiritual phenomena, lol you know how stories goes from one topic to another.

As we delved into our discussions about the existence of the spiritual realm, opinions were divided. Some friends expressed doubt, and we ended up in a hot debate, arguing our points after another. Soon, personal stories began to surface. Each of us shared our own experiences with what we believed to be diabolical occurrences, recounting unexplainable events that had left lasting impressions on us.

Listening to these accounts, we found ourselves captivated by the weight of each tale. It was evident that every person present had encountered something unexplainable, something that defied the regular scientific logic as most people will always like to argue by. These shared experiences were too realistic to dismiss lightly, leading us to question our first notions about the spiritual realm.

As our discussion continued, we came to a conclusion. Despite initial skepticism, the weight of our personal encounters left no room for doubt, there truly exists a spiritual realm. Our individu​​al experiences, combined with the insights we had gained, pointed to an undeniable presence beyond the physical world.
So my friends reading, never doubt that different realms exists and always build your spiritual self.

A neighbor of mine had a little maid she maltreated.

She was too small for the work she does.

In fact one could tell when they enter our house that the little girl was a maid.

All the hardwork in the house was done by the little girl. Why my neighbors children will be sleeping, she would wake Nneka the maid to run house chores.

This went in for years until the little maid was matured enough, she left the house to her parents.

Her madam woke her early in the mother and only allowed her to sleep late at night, this little girl respected her madam very one, and I respect her for that;. because no day pass by without her madam yelling at her.

I asked her one day while she didn't just go back to her family house, but she told me. Ayochidi. I have no where to go, if I go home where will I begin? At least my madam is making sure I go to school. Even though she is always the last to go to school from our compound. She had the brain of a major lady.

When her madam children were finally grown. They couldn't do anything at home, be it house chores or cooking. They lacked the basic skills in doing any.

Few years later Nneka came back to her madam's house. She came with a man.

She introduced the man as her husband. She met the man when she went for an occasion and she cooked the meal which was served.

Mind you, Nneka learnt how to cook from her madam. They man couldn't get enough of the meal and he asked to know who was the hand and face behind the delicious meal and Nneka was introduced to him.

The rest was history. Nneka came to thank her madam for training her well to know how to prepare the delicious meal that brought her husband to her.

While her madam thought she was maltreating and punishing her, she was rather training her to be a better person.

Her madam lived in regret for the rest of her live for not doing same to her kids who were now rather lazy.

She received the gifts Nneka brought to her.

Nneka was no longer living in the same state as her madam, but even as that after her wedding from the far state she lived she still dim it feet to come thank her madam.

Morals: The ways of God is different from man. There are different colors of life.

I was on my way from the street of Maryland down to Timberland New Market. My main goal was to buy essential foodstuffs, as I felt the nearby shops had been raising their prices unnecessarily. I settled into my seat, ready for the journey ahead.

To my surprise, I was delighted to run into some old friends on the bus. We had lost touch for quite some time, and it was a pleasant surprise to see them again. Eager to reconnect, I engaged them in conversation, but it seemed they were too occupied with their phones. I decided to put my phone aside and focus on the reunion. However, my friends were glued to their screens, only lifting their gaze for a word or two before returning their attention to their devices.

Observing this, I couldn't help but ponder the role of technology in our lives. It seemed that everyone was tied to their phones, keeping themselves occupied with what appeared to be very important tasks. I wondered what it would be like for a person to go without their phone for an extended period. Would they feel lost, disconnected from the world? Would they feel useless without their device constantly at hand?

In my view, a phone should be just a part of our lives, not the center of it. If people were suddenly stripped of their phones for weeks on end, would they be able to adapt and find meaning in other aspects of life?

My friends and I went to the betting center to charge our gadgets and phones. It was a big day - Chelsea was playing Everton! I'm not a big fan of football but arriving there for a different purpose required I stick around till the game is over.

As we watched, Chelsea scored goal after goal. The room was heated! When Palmer scored the third goal, the room erupted in cheers. Everyone was jumping up and down, celebrating. But then, something strange caught my eye. I saw a guy floating in the air! At first, I thought I was seeing things. But when I looked closer, I realized what was happening.

The guy had asked a taller friend to lift him up so he could reach a charging socket! It was hilarious. The tall guy was holding him up, and the other guy was stretching to reach the socket. Everyone was too busy celebrating to notice what was going on. But I couldn't help but laugh at the sight. It was such a silly thing to do!

The two guys were taking advantage of the distraction to charge their phones. I may have been the only one to spot that short-lived moment while the room went wild

In the end, Chelsea won the game, and we all left the betting center with big smiles on our faces. It was a day I'll never forget - and not just because of the game!

I was halfway into my meal when the three Okada riders met me inside the Buka. The zinc built roadside restaurant was stuffy that afternoon as the three commercial motorcycle riders stepped into the rowdy joint. They picked a table next to me and then made their orders. I was enjoying my rice and beans with fried meat. This was the popular menu of the eating place. So I was not surprised when the three men also requested rice and beans with meat. But I was surprised when one of them asked the waitress not to put meat on his.
‘ I don’t want meat on my own. ‘He told them loudly.
‘Don’t be stingy. Enjoy yourself while alive.’ I heard one of his companions say.
‘ Yes, spend money on yourself and enjoy your life.’ The third man supported.
But he smiled broadly at his companion and shook his head as if what they were suggesting was ridiculous.
‘You guys can go ahead and enjoy your life with all your money I don’t care. But as for me, I am not spending a dime to buy meat. I hope to do that once I get back to the village. I didn’t come all the way to the city to eat meat.’ He told them seriously.
The waitress brought them their order a few minutes later and I noticed that one of the plates had no meat. I saw the two of them pick out the two plates with meat and left the meatless plate for the third man. He picked up his plate with relish and they all ate silently.
‘But you should be ashamed of your squirrel life. The meat in your meal won’t pinch much from your money. Enjoy today, tomorrow is still far. ’ The first man said as they ate.
‘There is nothing like being a miser here. Look, I have all the money to buy a full ram or goat if I want to. But I have promised myself not to spend extravagantly. I am saving all this money to enjoy myself when I get back to the village.’ The guy responded and then to my surprise brought out a large sum of money from his pocket. ‘You can see I have almost one hundred thousand naira here. But I am not spending a dime on meat. You guys should go ahead and spend yours.’ He said mockingly, protectively returned the money into his pocket and then back to his food.
They finished eating a few minutes later, paid and left me still seated on my seat. I saw them climb their bikes and drive off. I left the buka few minutes later to see a sudden accident ahead of me. Getting to the spot, I saw the mingled body of a man and his bike under a trailer. A proper view confirmed that it was the corpse of the bike rider who had refused to include meat in his meal.

When I woke up this morning, l realized I didn't have much to do, and I'd be bored staying at home all day, so I decided to follow my dad to the farm.

The farm wasn't too far from my house so we walked there. I was wearing sneakers so I took it off because I did not want to look to dirty while going home and since the farm wasn't bushy, I went in barefooted.

I was in the farm for about two hours, helping to plant some things and when I finished, I told my dad I was going home.
I walked over to where I kept my shoes and proceeded to put them on. The right foot already on, I was about putting on the left when I felt a stone in it. I turned the shoe so the stone could fall out, lo and behold, alongside the stone fell a large black scorpion, you all need to hear the way I screamed😂.
My dad ran over and quickly used a stone to smash the scorpion which was already scurrying away.

I have been stung by a scorpion when I was little and the pain is not something I want to experience ever again

Once upon a time they lived a girl called Deborah.who lived with her parents in a village called asia village.

She's a very obedient and talented child.

One day her parents went to the farm and they never returned.

She and the villagers all wanted for two days but yet they never showed up.

So the villagers all began to search but instead they never found them.

Deborah got up angrily and then decided to go to the that particular farm where her parents do fetch firewood.

On she getting there,her eye's could not believe what she saw.

Her parents had already been devoured into pieces by an unknown creature.

To be continue ,..,

The school bus always came as early as 7a.m to pick my kids up for school.

So I usually woke up as early as 5a.m to start getting them prepared for school and also get ready for work since I equally left home for work at that time too.

On this particular day, I had woken up very late. I ran a very high temperature in the night.

Since it was glaring that they were going to miss the school bus that morning, I decided to take permission from my work place to be a few minutes late to work.

That was the only way to avoid my salary getting slashed by month end.

I quickly took them to school before heading to work that morning.

I was still at work when a staff at my children's school called telling me to come pick my kids up from school.
From the tone of her voice, I could sense that she was very angry with me for keeping her in school by that time.

It was already 5p.m, I was already an hour late.

"Please madam, don't be annoyed. I'm coming now" I said as I packed the files in front of me

I still had piles of work in front of me but at that moment, I needed to pick my kids up from school first.

That was the hardest part of being a single mum!

After spending almost an extra one hour on the road because of the terrible traffic jam, I finally got to their school but met it locked!

I quickly dialed the number that had called me earlier;

"Hello madam, please I'm in school now. Where are you?" I asked feeling sorry for the poor woman.

"I left school thirty minutes ago. They should be with the school security man. Just knock on the gate." She said.

"Okay, thank you very much and I'm really sorry for keeping you in school till that time" I apologized before I ended the call.

After standing in front of the gate knocking for over 5 minutes, the security man finally opened the gate.
He must have been deeply in sleep seeing how drowsy he looked.

"Good evening...Please I came to pick my kids" I said

"Your pikins still dey school?" he asked looking confused as he walked towards the waiting room.

"No child dey inside there oh" he said walking towards the hate

"Those two children one madam wey dey teach here drop for you" I tried explaining to him.

"Oh!...Oh!...Oh!...i don remember...They don go since na" he said

"I don't understand...go how?" I asked confused

"Look at it here na...your husband name no be Stephen?
He don come carry them...He no tell you?" he said pointing at the student's sign out register.

The handwriting looked exactly like my late husband's writing😱

I did not know whether I should run away or scream. I felt my legs trembling profusely. This man was huge, he looked like a Dwayne Johnson in a black skin .

I looked at him straight in the eyes and met his gaze. I noticed his eyes were fixed on my chest. I was about to asked him who the heck he was when I heard footsteps again, this time it was the woman who brought me here that was coming down from the stairs with a tray in her hands. It must be food I guess, I really needed to eat because I was d.ead famished.

"Oh!" She uttered as she headed for the dinning table..." Honey I'm so sorry for not informing you about our guest; I picked her up today at the motor park"

The man did not even move a muscle, he just smiled at me and made his way to the dinning table. ..." Join us for lunch" he said in his thick voice as he hanged his coat at the back of the chair he was sitting on.

"Yes come and join us" the woman beckoned too.

I dropped my bag by the corner of the sofa and gently walked towards the dining table. They were both looking at me as I walked to join them. The woman took out a plate and dished out food for me. It was egusi and eba. I really needed something like this and I was hallucinating already.

When she placed the food in front of me, I hurriedly washed my hands and dug into it like a hungry soul who hasn't eaten for five years. My gosh! the food was tasty, who ever made this meal must be very good at it. I have never in my life had something like this to eat. Thick egusi soup with two large pieces of goat meat garnished with small small pieces of fish ; where I come from, soups are often times very watery and you would hardly find meat in our meals,

They let me eat to my full. The woman even added extra when I was done...." Eat my dear" she said smiling......" You are really hungry I guess"

I did not even respond to her, I was busy with the food, my worry was just the man who has not touched his food yet. He was just looking at me with a face void of emotions. "Should I be concerned?" I asked myself in whispers as I swallowed the eba I had in my mouth. That was the last of it and I made sure to lick my plate clean.

"Drink water" the man said. "You might choke" he added.

I looked at him for a while and then shifted my gaze to the woman who nodded in agreement. I reach out my hand and grabbed the bottle of water and drank cautiously.

Something is not right, I could feel it in my spirit. There's something fishy about this people.

"Did you say you are a pastor's wife?" I asked boldly like an investigative journalist.

" Oh yes" she replied wearing a smile on her face. " I'm so sorry I did not introduce myself earlier on, you never did too, but by the way, I'm Mrs jala aguiche and this is my husband Ian aguiche the senior pastor of word of life international"

"I'm sure you must have heard about word of life before " the man said as he began to eat his food.

"Not at all" I responded....."my first time actually "

"Really?" He said as he raised a ball of eba to his mouth.

"Tell us about yourself too" Mrs jala requested. " We have to know you too if you must stay with us"

"Stay with us?" Ian asked, almost choking. He quickly reached out for a bottle of water filled his cup to drink.

I looked at him and he was looking at me too while he drank the water.

When he was done drinking, he cleared his throat and turned to his wife.

"Honey we cannot just bring up a stranger from the street and house them under our roof just like that. The world has become something else lately"

"But she is stranded " she replied him compassionately

They kept at it for a while and I just sat there looking at them both as they argued about whether to let me stay or let me go. Clearly, the man was scared, but how can huge man like this be scared of what a fifteen years old girl could do. Is he that weak?

"It's fine " I screamed at them both....." It's okay, you don't have to argue about whether I'm staying or not, I'm a stranger and I don't belong here so I guess I'd have to go. Thanks for the meal"

I stood up to go but the woman dragged me back and asked me to sit down for a minute. She then beckoned on her husband to follow her. He stood up swiftly and I sensed a form of agitation. They both disappeared into a room just by the corner of the dinning area.

I just sat there with my eyes fixed on the door. It was now that It was beginning to hit me that I made a mistake to just run away to the city without connection. What if they don't allow me to stay with them here tonight, how would I do this night? Where would I sleep? Ian has afore mentioned that it is terrible out there in the streets. How would a fifteen years old girl like me survive out there in the dark?........"i won't survive a night " i whispered as tears began to roll down my face.

Tbc.....

I was trekking to work very early this morning holding 100naira with my face looking like bread wey them squeeze.

I tried looking for bus to take me to work but all of them were charging 150 due to the hike in fuel and 100naira was all I had if you combine my opay, palmpay, access bank, phantom wallet, telegram wallet and okx wallet. I no even get wetin to use chop.

While i was trekking, one little boy walked up to me in tears with serious catarrh coming out from his nose...

The boy: good morning sir. Sir please help me, I haven't eaten for the past 2days and nobody wants to help me.

I looked at the boy and the big quantity of catarrh coming out from his nose, I had compassion on him...

Me: you get 50naira, make I give you 100naira.

The boy: yes sir.

(he brought out small bundle of money from his pocket enough to feed me for 3days. He selected 50naira...)

The boy: stretched his hand sir look at it.

Me: snatched the 50naira and started running

When I was traveling home for the holidays, I decided to take a bus since it was late at night. I boarded the bus with a mix of excitement and tiredness from a long day of travel. The journey started off fine, with the bus rolling smoothly along the dark, deserted roads.

However, as we got further into the journey, I noticed something unsettling. The bus driver, instead of focusing on the road, was engaging in lively conversations with the passengers. At first, it seemed harmless—a bit of banter to keep everyone awake during the late-night ride. But then, things took a turn for the worse.

I heard the driver talking about stopping for a break, and soon enough, he pulled over at a dimly lit roadside shop. What happened next shocked me. The driver and some of the passengers got off the bus and started buying alcohol. They brought the bottles back on board and began drinking, right there in their seats.

I couldn't believe what I was witnessing. Here we were, hurtling down dark highways at night, with the driver under the influence of alcohol. It was terrifying. I sat there, clutching my phone tightly, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in my stomach.

To make matters worse, my parents kept calling to check on me. They were worried sick, knowing I was traveling alone at such a late hour. Each time I answered their calls, I couldn't bring myself to tell them what was happening. I didn't want to worry them even more.

As the journey continued, the situation only grew more tense. The driver's conversation with the passengers became louder and more animated, filled with laughter that seemed out of place given the circumstances. I glanced nervously out of the window, praying silently that we would reach our destination safely.

Thankfully, after what felt like an eternity, the bus finally pulled into the terminal. I hurried off the bus, my legs shaky from fear and relief. I couldn't believe I had made it through such a harrowing experience. As I walked away from the bus, I vowed never to travel with that transportation company again.

The Light of Hope

Nigeria's Renewed Hope

By
Comrade Philip Tyongun Doki-Abua

In a Nigeria ravaged by darkness, fuel scarcity, and economic hardship under the Tinubu Renewed Hope government, one generator stood tall in Abuja's city center. It symbolized the nation's resilience, but its dwindling fuel supply mirrored the country's desperate state.
Kande, a young and determined girl, lived in a nearby slum. She had lost her father, a maize farmer, to the brutal attacks of Fulani herdsmen who had invaded their farm, seeking to graze their cattle on the lush crops. The tragedy had left her mother struggling to make ends meet amidst soaring food prices and rampant unemployment.
As the generator's roar grew fainter, Kande's hopes seemed to fade with it. But she refused to give up. She spent her days scavenging for scraps and her nights studying by the faint light of a dying phone battery. Her dream was to become an engineer, to bring light and power back to her community.
One fateful evening, while exploring the internet at a local cybercafe, Kande stumbled upon an online community discussing sustainable energy solutions. Inspired, she convinced her friends to join her in building a solar-powered mini-grid for their community.
As they worked tirelessly, the nation grappled with the crippling fuel scarcity, Yahoo Yahoo (internet fraud) syndicates exploited the desperation, and the cost of living continued to skyrocket. The government struggled to find solutions, but Kande's small solar project sparked a beacon of hope.
When the last generator finally died, Kande's solar grid roared to life, illuminating the darkness. The community rallied around her, and soon, the project expanded, powering homes, businesses, and even a local farm.
But Kande knew that the open grazing issue was a root cause of the conflict that had taken her father's life. She decided to expand her project to include a sustainable farming initiative, promoting ranching and feed production to replace open grazing.
With the help of her community, Kande established a model farm, showcasing the benefits of ranching and feed production. The initiative caught the attention of the government, which began to support and replicate the model nationwide.
As the solar grids expanded and the farming initiative took root, the nation slowly transformed:
- Farmers could grow their crops without fear of invasion
- Herdsmen could graze their cattle on designated ranches
- Food production increased, reducing prices
- The conflict between farmers and herdsmen decreased
- The community became a model for sustainable development
Kande's initiative inspired a national movement, and soon, solar panels, mini-grids, and model farms sprouted across Nigeria. The nation slowly transformed, harnessing the power of innovation and collective action to overcome its struggles.
Under the Tinubu Renewed Hope government, Nigeria began to experience a renewed sense of hope and progress. The story of Kande and her community served as a beacon of inspiration, showing that even in the darkest of times, the power of resilience, innovation, and collective action could drive positive change.

Sweetest Summer Rain

Chapter 1: A Chance Encounter

My story begins! The sun beamed down on the picturesque town of Agbani, casting its golden rays across the rolling hills. Joe, a young man with a wild spirit and an insatiable curiosity, strolled down the main street, his eyes wandering over the charming shops and colourful houses. He had always yearned for adventure, seeking solace in the unknown and the unexpected.

As he meandered along, a burst of laughter caught his attention. Curiosity piqued, Joe turned towards the source of the joyous sound and found himself drawn to a small café tucked away in a corner. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the melodious chatter of people enticed him inside.

The café was bustling with activity, and Joe's eyes scanned the room, searching for the source of that infectious laughter. And then, he saw her. Mary, sitting at a corner table, her vibrant paintings displayed around her, emanating a sense of whimsy and joy. Her eyes sparkled like the summer rain, inviting all who looked upon her to embrace the magic of life.

Unable to resist the pull, Joe made his way towards her table, feeling an inexplicable connection. He introduced himself, and their conversation flowed effortlessly. They spoke of dreams and passions of hidden desires and untold stories. It was as if they had known each other for a lifetime, their souls entwined by an invisible thread.

Hours passed like fleeting moments, and as the sun began its descent, Joe and Mary realized they had shared something extraordinary. They exchanged contact information, promising to meet again. With a lingering smile and a glimmer of anticipation in his eyes, Joe bid Mary farewell, his heart brimming with excitement for what the future might hold.

As Joe stepped outside, the first droplets of rain began to fall. The summer rain was a gentle embrace, refreshing the air and cleansing the world around him. He tilted his head back, letting the raindrops kiss his face, and in that moment, he felt a surge of hope and possibility. Little did he know that this sweet summer rain would mark the beginning of an unforgettable journey, where friendships would blossom, secrets would unfold, and the magic of life would reveal itself in the most unexpected ways.

Anticipate!!!! CHAPTER TWO (2)....

My room has been smelling so awful for the past three days now but the smell became so strong this night.

I couldn't hold it any longer as I put on my phone torchlight and started searching my room for the dead rat that might have died without me knowing.

I searched under my bed but it was clear; the only things I saw were the mirinda empty can and biscuit wrap I had eaten earlier and the body lotion I had been searching for before I got a new one. I wasn't that much of a cream fan; I hated applying body lotions so most times I end up getting new ones since I had mistakenly misplaced the old ones.

I continued searching but couldn't place my hands on what had such an offensive smell.

I checked my dirty clothes in the basket to be sure the smell wasn't coming from there but as I doubted, it wasn't it.

I couldn't bare it any longer so I left my room hoping to continue the search the next day.

"Mum, I'm sleeping with you in your room today oh.
I think a rat died in my room and I can't even find it" I said loudly as I entered her room.

My mum was in the kitchen preparing dinner.

I entered her room but the smell was stronger there.
I couldn't even stay long in the room before I rusher out from it heading to meet my mum.

"What is happening, mum?...Everywhere is just smelling bad" I said to her feeling irritated.

"Sorry dear, the meat I brought got decayed. I had to throw them away into the waste bin outside.
I guess that's what has been smelling" she said.

"I thought as much," I said as I went out to look at the meat in the waste bin.

In the waste bin was a big asepa nylon bag nearly knotted.
I opened it and couldn't believe my eyes at what I saw;

It was my mum!

Just immediately, I heard the woman start laughing hysterically as she walked out slowly with a kn!fe in her hand.

Watch out for part two