My whatsapp screenshot
Greetings.
Well, it's that serious. Like some may already know, that's my WhatsApp description("About") for several years now.
Many years ago in the University in Lagos State, one of the daughters of my closest neighbour at home in Delta State happened to gain admission to join me in same school, so naturally we kept in touch as often as possible. One day she told me her elder brother called her on phone about an emergency on her father's health or something back home in Delta State, which required her attention.[they have lived without their mum since childhood, she ran away from the father and now lives in London].
Then she added that she doesn't know whether the information by her brother is true or not– ie she doesn't know if the brother is pranking her.
I looked at her with an eye of rebuke which she perfectly understood and I think I reminded her why I had since chose the path of truth. She knows my family, as children, we didn't even play the normal game children play by saying, "NEPA,up NEPA!!" then as everyone gets excited thesame child will say, "It's a lie o".
For those from other countries who don't understand, NEPA was the national electric power supply company. Power failure was normal then. So the child chants "Up NEPA", meaning power has been restored, whereas it's not correct it's a prank. My siblings and I didn't play such pranks with ourselves or other children, we considered it an outright lie.
Look at my neighbour and sibling more or less joking with their Dad's health, a man that has laboured to train them(5 of them) alone, just because they never toed the high moral line.
HIVE NAIJA WEEKLY
With this I welcome you to my choice of this week's Hive naija prompt contest– "What is the thing that no one can pressure you into doing.."
You already know the answer. For me, it started with my upbringing:
- a mother who insisted on honesty and truth at all times, because she was/is God-fearing. That led me to start my fully dedicated God-fearing journey at the age of 12.
- a father who believed so much in excellence. He would tell us then, that we should study very hard that he can never ever bribe anybody for us to gain University admission.
- our schools, it was thesame company school from nursery to secondary, a school that demanded truth and excellence. Delta Steel Company(DSC) is the name. Up till today, more than 20yrs after I graduated, they still do wonders. See an example just below
screenshot from my phone
I finished secondary school and Warri and it's famous pidgin English was all around us, but I couldn't speak pidgin English – the school won't allow you and by God's grace I wasn't stubborn to usurp or disobey the law as some did.
In SS 3 I was appointed a leader in the school's Moral Club,which was called Christian Students fellowship in my time. I had been an active member since I was in JSS 1.
So that's why I resent lies, it has no place in good morals. Look, at a time I was trained by Delta State, as a sportsman in the area of Lawn tennis to reoresent the State. I am a coach now. When I was very active back them, there's an event called "the doubles event"— this is where there are 4 players on court, 2 on each side( so it's 2 versus 2).
Now it got to a point that when we play matches and a particular point is hotly contested the opponent will ask me what I saw and whatever I said I saw, that settles it! Why? I am ready to say what I saw eventhough it means my team loses the point.
Now I don't know if you know how difficult this is. This is lawn-tennis and in the heat of a practice match, where you will be fined if you lose heavily and there is no umpire. Look once your opponent is not sure of the point, it's easy for you to kolobi that point take(I mean steal that point).
Not me, I am ready to offend my own partner, by saying the truth. So people got to know that and even opponents respected any verdict from me even if it's against them.
If you truly love God, you will be a truth-addict, if there's a word like that. So by God's grace, lying is that thing that no one can pressure me into doing, no matter what happens or who else is saying/doing it.
Peace✌
Cheers