Emmanuel Ugwu @ugwu

This morning, I woke up to find that there was no electricity at home. At first, I thought it would be a frustrating day. But as it turned out, it was a wonderful surprise. My phone was fully charged, so I started scrolling through social media as usual. But then, disaster struck! My phone died around 11am, and I was left with nothing to do.

I looked around and saw a book on my shelf that I had been meaning to read for a long time. I picked it up and started reading. At first, it was a bit hard to focus because I was used to constant notifications and distractions. But as I turned the pages, I became more and more engrossed in the story.

The silence and stillness of the morning were perfect for reading. I didn't hear any notifications, no social media updates, no text messages. Just me and the book, there was nothing to distract me.

As I read, I realized how much I had been missing out on by always being connected to my phone. I was so focused on the book that I didn't even notice the time passing. The hours flew by, and before I knew it, the power was back on and I was back to my normal life (chuckles).

This evening, i was so weak to cook and even if i decided to cook, I knew that i would be buying foodstuffs which are costly now and my budget can't cover, so I decided to get already made food at a nearby restaurant.

As I headed back from the nearby restaurant with my hot takeout, the tasty smell filled the air. My stomach grumbled, and I couldn't wait to eat. The evening air felt nice, and I enjoyed the cool breeze against my skin as I walked. The security groups were already mounting roadblocks on the road sides and the road was busy as people made their way to their home, I guess.

Ahead of me, I saw a guy walking at a relaxed pace. He seemed to be lost in his thoughts, but he looked friendly. I kept my distance, respecting the space between us, as we both walked along the sidewalk as strangers.

Suddenly, I saw him take out a few 200 Naira notes. He looked surprised and said something I couldn't hear. Without really thinking, I called out, “Oh, it looks like you’re out of cash! Money really doesn’t mean much during times like this!”

To my surprise, he turned around and smiled. “You could say that!” he replied, laughing. His friendly tone made me feel more at ease. We started talking, and soon we were both walking along the same path, laughing and sharing stories.

I found out he was studying engineering at a nearby university and living just a few streets away from me. It was amazing to think we had lived so close without knowing each other.
I cannot say that we are friends already, but the next time we meet each other, it won't be as strangers.

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?

I had spent the entire day and part of the night engrossed in my books. By the time I finally decided to take a break and sort out some of my things, it was already 11 o'clock. As I began ironing my clothes, I suddenly recalled that I had left my bedsheet hanging outside to air. I left the iron forgetfully on my chair and dashed outside to retrieve the bedsheet. I got so caught up in arranging my bed that I completely forgot about the iron plugged in.

It wasn't until I felt a nudge in my mind that I was still freshening my clothes. I glanced over at the table and realized with true horror that the iron was still resting on my shirt. I raced over to it and thankfully managed to remove it in time, but it had already left a faint stain. I let out a sigh of relief and silently thanked the Lord that it was only a slight mark. I couldn't bear to think about what I would wear to school the next day if the stain had been worse.