In the Beginning

Today is the first day of the year, and everybody is supposed to be extremely happy to have made it over, but I cannot honestly say that I am.
You see, in my country, things are on shaky ground. This year there will be general elections to elect a new Government, new governors, new local chairmen, new everything. And this is the first time that we are going to run a democratic election - everybody is scared that it will not come out right. Even little me.

Sorry, I am not a political activist or fanatic or anything. I am just an average citizen of Nigeria, that is praying for peace. I see pictures of what war has done to other African countries and I do not want it to come to that. Everyone is praying for peace.

Dear Adriel, I need to let you know that I think I am still comfortable with the things that are happening, even though they are not in my favour right now. For one, thanks to a "mistake" by the examination and results officer in my department in school, I am not going for NYSC this February. And considering that everyone turned up for my graduation ceremony, I don't think I want to show my face in the University of Lagos, and start explaining to everyone who asks me, "Why are you still here?"

God knows it was not my fault that I got a missing result - that I had rectified more than two years ago. I still wonder why the lecturer did a thing like that. Anyway, Mum has promised to pay my fees for taking a certification course in NIIT, here in Ikeja, so that should start next week. Three months.