Some days ago
about 8pm in a departmental store, we were queuing up to pay for the items we
had picked. All five tables were quite busy, so everyone just had to stay in a
queue. Suddenly a young man probably in his early twenties emerged on the table
where I queued from the exit side, holding an item and asking to be allowed to
pay. I wondered why he thought every other person did not have reasons to also
leave the place quickly. Well, it was not my turn and the person before me
allowed him pay.
As he was
about leaving, two ladies emerged from the same exit side, probably thinking
that our queue was full of nice people. It was my turn and I was not sure I
would allow anyone, because I really needed to get home having been out since
morning. But before they would even get to ask, the person behind told them not
to bother asking because they needed to be patient. He proceeded to tell them
to everyone’s hearing that impatience was one of the causes of Nigeria’s set
back, wondering why people would always want to be in a hurry in the country.
As though it
was planned, some other people began adding their voices to the rebuke while
others thanked the young man for speaking up. As I left that place that
evening, I kept asking myself ‘Why are like this?’ Why does it appear as though
we prefer disorder to order? Why does everyone want to move at the same time at
a traffic junction where it movement would require people waiting for one
another? Why do we always have people wanting to jump queue at bus stops, malls
and even ATM stands?
I believe
people do not have respect for other people’s time. Most people who do such
things probably believe they are smart, yet they in my opinion are really
selfish. It is the same reason lateness to events and meetings is seen as a
usual practice in our society. I feel there is a way we are pleased to see that
we’ve gone ahead of everyone even when we did it at the expense of other
people’s rights.
Next is poor
sense of excellence. Actually most people in our society are yet to witness an
orderly society, so they do not even know how else to behave except to behave
the disorderly way they have grown to learn over the years. This point comes
clear when you realize how most of the people who behave this way defend their
actions each time someone tried correcting them. However ignorance should not
be a justification for promoting disorder in the society.
Another reason
is lack of basic amenities. This creates a scarcity mindset in people, such
that they are always thinking that the one available would soon run out if they
did not hurry up. So you see people not allowing fellow road users join a lane
on the road, sometimes I wonder if the other person would have taken the
portion of road home if allowed. You also see people rushing to join a bus at
the bus stop when the number of people at the bus stop would not even fill the
bus.
I also believe
that ultimately Love is lacking in our society. If Love has to do with looking
after the well-being of others and not just that of myself; if it has to do
with providing what makes life meaningful for the citizens by the government;
if Love indeed has to do with bearing with one another. Then it is a scarce
commodity in our society.
We must let
our visit to different worship centres every Friday and Sunday as the case may
be, reflect on the way we live our lives and the way we relate with others
outside the worship centres. Government should provide basic amenities for the
people and make these things easily accessible, to avoid anybody feeling that
those things are so special and must be struggled for. Families should also
ensure that their children are raised to respect order and promote excellence.
Talks
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