Written piece
“This piece set in a small…”
Abibatu Lawani
Nigeria
About this piece
This piece set in a small town of Ohamu is about how corruption has eaten deep into the fabric of the society, robbing people of their rights and opportunities. Having better leaders is the catalyst to keeping hope alive.
HOPE MUST NOT DIE
By Abibatu Lawani.
I am Mercy Osaro, a 22 year-old school leaver who has searched the nooks and crannies of our little town of Ohamu for employment for three long years without success. Yes, I had great expectations because it was a special day in our town, a day set aside for the swearing in ceremony of a new administrator of our town.
The tenure of Mr Uyi Idemudia, the last administer was characterised by massive looting of the town’s treasury, leading to poor infrastructural development and widespread unemployment. There were many cases of corruption in all facets of the town. Now with the end of his tenure, there was renewed hope for better things to come.
In Ohamu there were the title holders, elite, rich fellows from the city who owned factories, and other businesses. They gave you charity with one hand and work you to death with the other. There were the low-class types, a superstitious bunch.
There was every kind of losers: one-time scholar reduced to doing menial jobs, pastors who had no congregation since most men lost religion. Being educated afforded one no better job than the uneducated.
That Wednesday morning, the townspeople both old and young moved swiftly to the town’s square. I sat down in the middle row and watched as Mr Godsent Ero, the new administrator took his oath along with officials. Hmm, the former administrator swore oath of office using the holy bible and thereafter loot the treasury.
I listened to the smooth and moving acceptance speech laced with promises of developmental projects and job opportunities. This was not new, something shifted in me and my great expectations began to wane. Immediately, I rebuked the thought and whispered to myself, “Hope must be kept alive.”