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The wrong way of practicing Ash Wednesday

The way forward is acknowledging who you are and standing up to be you.

When batch C1 and C2 resumed work at their PPA on January. Ruth was Batch C2 and she had decided to stay at the school lodge. Edna went to

complain to Mr. Nnatunya who was a computer teacher. Without hearing from the two sides, he began to act. He came to the lodge and began to throw Ruth’s belongings out of the room. Edna was busy showing Mr. Nnatunya Ruth’s belongings. Ruth returned to the lodge and found her bags outside, scattered. What if it rained and destroyed her belongings.

Ruth was confused and surprised, still in shock she telephoned Zonal Inspector. The rest of the corps members who lived outside the school were not aware of this. I too wasn’t aware. It was Corpers at the Corpers’ lodge that were aware of this surreptitious act of wicked. Suddenly we were informed to gather at the in front of the Corpers lodge for a meeting with the LGI. When we heard this, I and corper Victoria left for the meeting. When we get there we found out that it was Local Government Inspector (LGI) and the Zonal Inspector (Z1).

Later that day we were at the staff room. I and Victoria were having conversation. We were done, actually I had no class that day I came because of the extra mural class. Victoria had to go home I decided to see her off. Seeing her off, we were about approaching to the school gate. We saw Ruth and Chris the acting CLO of Abba corps members. The CLO was still on protest. Same Edna was contesting with Chris. She was fighting  to taste power so that she would go on to abuse everyone. It was politics on who and who should not be CLO. So Chris was batch C2 same with Ruth. So they asked us why we  didn’t stay in the Corpers lodge. It was them that revealed to us that the lodge was vacant but Edna and Chinonso were busy securing the lodge. Chinonso who was supposed to be married left her husband in Owerri while she decided to live in school lodge in Anambra State. Isn't it ridiculous and it left me with wonder. She was busy with Edna occupying the whole place without having pity to accommodate fellow corpers. It was batch C2 that came and decided to stay there but they never wanted to be deceived anymore that there was no vacancy. They refused to accept it but forcefully packed in.

I told them that it was there luck. During our time they said No vacancy we accepted it simply because we were not comfortable with living there. The lodge no doubt was not safe. The school fence was pulled down and still on a struggle. The Abba-Ukpo land dispute. So we didn’t want to have problems with them. It wasn’t cowardice as Chris and Ruth saw it but we were not serious about staying there.

They began to discuss about Edna’s non challant attitude. “To me Edna has a mental problem. She is mentally derailed. I am waiting on her to step on my toe again I promise to deal with her. I know the guys must have heard about her mischief and our differences," I began to narrate their attitude before Corper Rudolph came to interrupt me I bounced on him. I was very mad at him that I had to rain abuses and insults on him like a wounded lion. I stopped talking to everyone and left them but Ruth ran after me Victoria pleaded I should come and see her off but I told her to go tomorrow we would talk. 

I was walking towards the staff room before someone screamed my name. It was Chris “Oh you again! Please I don’t want to talk about it now go back and stop walking behind me. The more I talked about it I got irritated snd infuriated with anger. It was agitated and aggressive at same time. I shouldn’t have spoken to Rudolph that unfriendly way but I did and i didn't regret my actions “Rudolph didn’t act as a man. Could you imagine he was virtually taking side with Edna and Chinonso. That Rudolph is nothing less than a woman. He was always conspiring with Edna to look for my trouble everytime” The Edna girl  was looking horribly dirty and irritating. Guess her body stunk because I was not sure she had been taking her bath, always looking dusty like one they brought out of the ash dust “I know all this but I still believe you shouldn’t have acted in that manner,” said Chris. Please don’t apportion blame on me. I am not in a good mood right now and I’m unrepentant about my uncivilized behaviour,” I said.

The best gify you can gift yourself is keeping your body pure.

Because she had been satisfying the male teacher of CSS Abba and wouldn't want me to outshine her seeing how everyone was beginning to love me, served as a sword of destruction to her desire to dominate CSS Abba. Yet i saw ash on her forehead on ash Wednesday. Pitiful that people don't know the sanctifying symbol of the cross with ash. It was meant to signify holiness yet their lives before and after the ash Wednesday don't show it. Of what use is the ash Wednesday when the partakers still indulge in defiling activities.

The practice becomes a mockery to the word of God. Remember God cannot be mocked. It means it was averred and ambitiously practiced by these people without the practice of true religion.

"I see your plight and I would have done twice of what you did to him but what I have to say to you is that you are a person of integrity. Keep it up,” he recommended. “it is fine. Thank you. I have a class now,” I walked away.

What people believe in keep them living.

Later I realized how important ash Wednesday was in the life of Anambra people. Chris was speaking positive about Anambra. I didn’t blame him it was his state of origin. But I wandered if Anambra were really righteous considering their value for Ash Wednesday no doubt they would see God.

"There is something about your people, you seem to value ash Wednesday. I know why it is because your people are majorly Catholic, so, if you see any face in that Wednesday morning, ash on their forehead,” I said. “Chris you know the funny part of it, I was having extra class with those my students, guess what I couldn’t teach them for 30 minutes I was hearing, please Corper it’s 30 minutes lesson besides we have to attend ash Wednesday service," Jennifer said. Jennifer was their mouth piece and they all supported. “Corper are you a catholic? I didn’t even respond. I was still wandering why they believed so much in the ash as if there life depended on it. I rounded off my lesson and left them.

Later I realized how important ash Wednesday was in the life of Anambra people. Chris was speaking positive about Anambra.  I didn’t blame him it was his state. But I wandered if Anambra were really righteous considering their value for Ash Wednesday no doubt they would see God.

The more you try hard to destroy people the stronger they become.

It was January clearance. I came that 6th January straight from the village, I called simon the CLO Abba to bring my clearance at the local government. We had become best of friends. Who would tell Edna and her group that Simon was going to be this nice to me? I knew how inconvenient it was for me, though Chris told me, early but I told him that distance from Ideato south to Anambra is 1 hour 30 minutes but was surprised to see my journey from Isiekenesi, Afoukwu where I boarded a bus going to Onitsha by 8am. Surprising before they could fill the bus with passengers it was 9:30. We arrived at Onitsha by 12pm. I entered another bus to Njikoka which couldn’t leave on time because it was waiting for passengers to fill the bus. I was impatient, yet couldn’t come down even when others were going down to board another bus. 

SDGs my CDS group was supposed to have their clearance by 2pm. After the clearance my eyes opened. Where would I sleep? Besides, I had to spend like two more days to travel by weekend to Owerri where my immediate elder brother was residing. I wouldn't want to go back to the village.

Never you underestimate the days of your little beginning. Be nice to others and love them. Lead by example and don't hurt others because of your selfish interest.


Read related posts 

Edo Opoto/ Oriri festival

Ways to find happiness and peace of mind

The effects of daring to live a perfect life 

Why you don't need meanness to run this race called life

             






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