A DIFFERENT WORLD ~ Linda Auta

The february edition of iBlog was really inspiring. Lots of issues were raised, lots of questions were begging for answers.

In all, I must say it was an inspiring and thought provoking edition.

Aside learning how to optimise search engines which was really beneficial, we had an inspiring chat with an Abuja-based independent radio producer. For me, this was the highpoint of the event.

The celebrity of the month was "ordinary Ahmed Isah" (as he prefers to be called) of the brekete reality radio program.

This session got tears streaming down my eyes.

Through the experiences of Ahmed Isah and that of individuals in whose lives he has had cause to intervene, I saw a different world from the one I'm used to.

I saw a world where a woman in labour could be left to die because she couldn't raise as little as 3,500naira.

I saw a world where on a daily basis young girls who are less than 10years old are raped on their way to the stream to get water.

I saw a world where young children are compelled to stop schooling to become the bread winners of their family by doing menial jobs.

I saw a world where people serve their countries with all their youthful energy but are denied their entitlement upon retirement.

I saw a world where young people have to drop out of school because their parents couldn't raise their fees which is as little as 600naira.

I saw a world that got me speechless and lost in thought.

All these stories are real and happen everyday around us but we are so carried away with our personal businesses that we don't pause to pay attention to these unfortunate occurrences.

The most touching of them all for me, not denying that all others are equally important and disturbing is the case of a woman who was left on the bare floor of a government hospital in Nigeria for three (3) days with a dead child in her womb because she couldn't afford 3,500naira to evacuate the dead baby.

What sort of "management policy" will make a doctor so heartless as to leave the woman in that state?

Yet we want God to answer our prayers when we pray to him, we expect God to intervene when we are in crisis.

How do you say you know and serve God when you blatantly refuse to help the needy even though you have the resources to do so?

We should note that the cup of water you give to a thirsty man is more profitable than a bucket of water you give when he doesn't need it.

Meeting needs should be our primary focus. I personally believe that we are created to fulfil a purpose in life and destiny. Realising this and finding out our purpose on earth is very crucial.

Parting word: If you live a life that is only useful to you, you have lived a useless life.