Stephen Okon @thestephen

Last night, after nearly a month of uninterrupted power, the electricity went out, so I decided to sit outside under a tree for some fresh air. Soon after, one of my neighbors joined me, and we started talking about football. Before I knew it, another neighbor joined, and the group kept growing until we were six men, chatting about everything possible on earth.

Seeing how the night was turning into an unexpected hangout, I sent my niece to buy drinks for everyone. The blackout had turned into an impromptu reunion. We talked for hours, sharing stories and jokes, with nobody eager to leave.

It wasn’t until much later that I realized how late it had gotten. We had been talking for more than four hours, and while the conversation was lively, I knew we all had things to do the next day. I felt responsible for bringing the night to a close.

In a respectful way, I gently reminded everyone of tomorrow’s responsibilities and encouraged them to head home and get some rest. No matter how much fun we were having, I didn’t want to keep them up any longer.

There was a time, some years back, when I used to visit a particular stream. In this stream, there was a man who caught my attention. He would spend hours scrubbing one part of his body, and then move to another part, repeating the same action over and over. This went on for so long that I became curious and asked around about him.

What I found out left me speechless. This man was once a very brilliant individual who had studied medicine. After he graduated, he secured a job abroad. His future seemed so bright, and everyone was proud of him. He made all the necessary arrangements to travel; his visa, documents, everything was in order.

But on the day he got to the airport, something strange happened. He started acting abnormally, as if he had lost his mind. He couldn’t continue his journey, and they had no choice but to bring him back home.

It wasn’t long before people began to suspect that something spiritual was behind it all. After investigations, it was revealed that his mother was responsible. She had cast some sort of spell or done something spiritual to him, and that was why he lost control.

May we never find ourselves in such situations. Put your faith in God, stay prayerful, and always ask for His guidance.

About three weeks before our church’s thanksgiving service, I paid a tailor to sew a senator outfit for me. I had taken my measurements and left him with the fabric to get started. I should have checked in on the progress after the first week, but I didn’t. I got too comfortable, and before I knew it, the service was just a day away.

So, the day before the service, I went to the tailor’s shop to pick up my outfit. When he handed me the cloth to try on, it wasn’t my size at all! I was confused and asked what happened. That’s when we found out his apprentice had mistakenly given my fabric to another client. Apparently, someone else was sewing the exact same material as mine, and somehow, the apprentice mixed them up.

To make things worse, the other person’s outfit had already been waybilled to Anambra state. We tried to reach the driver, but all efforts to contact him failed. After waiting for about two hours, I left the shop frustrated, knowing I wasn’t going to wear the senator outfit I had planned for the thanksgiving.
It was bitter, but I had no choice but to accept the situation.

When the cloth came back, one week after the service, I had to give it out to a close friend so I do not remind myself of the painful experience with the tailor.

Today, I had a meeting with my colleague that lasted about three hours. Once we wrapped up, I boarded a Keke and headed straight to the market. I needed to buy some clothes and a new pair of shoes. It wasn’t easy bargaining with the sellers, but after some time, I finally got what I needed.

After shopping, I thought about getting some fruits to eat when I got home, just to hold my stomach until dinner. As I was walking through the market, I passed by a fruit seller arguing with a woman who was trying to buy oranges. The buyer was upset, accusing the seller of cheating people with her prices. The seller, in frustration, told the buyer to go elsewhere if she didn’t like the price.

The argument got heated, so I decided to step in and calm things down. I even offered to pay for the oranges, just so they could settle the issue and move on. But the woman wasn’t listening, she was more focused on insulting the seller than anything else.

A small crowd began to gather around them, but I couldn’t stay longer to see how it all ended. I got a call from home and had to leave, feeling a bit frustrated that I couldn't resolve the situation.
How much better things could go if people were just willing to listen to reason. But sometimes, no matter what you do, some people just want to argue.

By 5am, a man had been caught sneaking into someone’s house to steal. People in the area rushed out of their homes, armed with sticks, stones, and anything they could grab. They dragged the thief out into the open and noticed his leg was crippled, but no one cared about that. In the town I stayed, the law was simple, any thief caught before sunrise faced a harsh punishment. Many times, that meant being beaten to death or even burnt alive.

The crowd wasted no time. They started hitting him, raining blows from all directions. As they began discussing how to burn him, a man stepped out from the back of the crowd, shouting for them to stop. He begged the crowd to let the thief go, saying it wasn’t right to kill him, especially in his condition. But nobody listened. The people were too angry, and they were already preparing to light the fire.

Desperate, the man made a bold offer to pay them ₦50,000 for the damages caused by the thief. That got everyone’s attention. ₦50,000 was no small money, and slowly the crowd began to calm down. After some discussions, they agreed. The man handed over the money, and the thief, badly beaten but still alive, was set free.

Word later spread that the man who intervened was the thief's older brother. He had been living in another town for some time and had only recently returned. He couldn’t stand by and watch his younger brother get killed in such a brutal way. Family is family, no matter the shame or situation. He did what he had to do to protect his own.

Today, that same thief owns two estates and has become a respected man in the community. I still imagine how things could have gone differently if his life had ended that morning.

I recently attended a conference called "Change Waves" that focused on important aspects of life such as money management, career growth, and building a healthy home. It was a three-day event packed with valuable insights and practical advice. The sessions were well-organized, and I felt that the topics covered were relevant to many of the challenges we face in our everyday lives.

One of the highlights of the conference was meeting an old friend. It was a huge surprise to run into him just as the event was wrapping up. Even though we had only a short time to catch up, it was great to reconnect. He mentioned that he had been invited to the conference and that he really appreciated the kind of discussions and learning opportunities that were offered.

My friend was enthusiastic about the conference, sharing that these are the kinds of events he values. He emphasized how important it is for people to learn the basic principles of life, something that often gets overlooked in our busy schedules. It was encouraging to hear his thoughts and realize that we both saw the same value in the program.

As we talked, I could see how much we both gained from the conference. The knowledge shared about managing finances, advancing in our careers, and maintaining a balanced home life was truly beneficial. It felt like the kind of learning experience that can make a real difference in one’s life.

Before we parted ways, I made sure to get his contact details so we could stay in touch. The experience was enriching, and I look forward to more opportunities for growth and learning like this one.