O Ri Pe Awon Eleyi Sunre (You See That These Ones Are Sleeping Well), By Johnson Babalola

Related stories

The Oil Price Shock No One Saw Coming

The U.S. bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities has...

Trump Signals Strategic Shift: China Can Buy Iranian Oil

President Trump dropped a geopolitical bombshell: in a post...

Court Fixes October 7 For Arraignment Of MultiChoice CEO, Others Over Alleged Investigation Obstruction

By Kolawole Ojebisi The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission...

INEC Speaks On Why Atiku, El-Rufai, Others’ Proposed Party, ADA, Hasn’t Been Registered

By Kolawole Ojebisi The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), has...

PDP National Secretary: NEC Boss, Yakubu, Asks PDP to Clear Air on Anyanwu, Ude-Okoye’s Status

By Kolawole Ojebisi The chairman of the Independent National Electoral...

A friend I refer to as L told me this story. It was a story his friend, P had shared with him after a visit to Canada by P’s dad.

So, P’s father, who was in his 80s and had zero Western education, had never been outside of Nigeria. He had been invited by his son to spend the Summer with his family.

Right from the airport, Papa was always commenting on almost everything he saw in Toronto. “Gbogbo ibi yi lon dan gbirin” (everywhere is shining). “Ko ma si idoti ni titi ke” (There are no garbage on the roads”. The son would take his time to explain how things work in Canada. “Daddy, won gba owo ori to po lowo wa, sugbon won n lo dada” (they tax us heavily, but they use the funds well), he would often respond.

Papa was always amazed that at P’s home, there was constant flow of public water. “Omi ijoba yin ma dara o” (this public water is good) he would say. He also asked about the constant electricity: “Ina yin ti kii lo yi jo mi loju o” (this constant electricity amazes me)

There was a day that Papa was taken on a visit to Toronto Zoo. He saw the environment and the healthy-looking animals and remarked with all seriousness: “Awon eranko lon gbadun bayi. Olorun ma sanu wa lorile ede wa o” (here are animals enjoying. God, please help us in our country).

Papa on a particular day insisted on accompanying P to pick up his child from school. When they arrived at the school, Papa stood still in front of the school without a word. On their way home, he asked P that the school must have been recently built. P said no. It was 50 years old. Papa’s response was simple: lo wo ile iwe re nile. Ko ni windo ati panu. O ti fe wo tan” (go and check the school you attended at home. It has no windows or roofs. It is dilapidated).

P took his father to a number of places to sightsee: police station, hospital, post office, bank, fire service and many more. Each place, Papa would comment. P would explain to Papa that the leadership and the followership were both responsible for the provision and maintenance of the infrastructures. He would remind his father that if he stayed long enough, he would see the other side of Canada too.

Towards the end of his visit, Papa asked to visit one of his cousins. He needed a change of environment as he was missing Nigeria already. He would remind P that he missed his friends, neighbors, and his community engagements. Despite all he saw and admired in, and about Canada, there was no place like home, he would say.

On their way, they drove by a cemetery. Papa asked P to stop and for them to take a walk. P did and they walked through the cemetery silently. It was a humbling experience. Papa was deep in thought. P allowed him to be, as he was deep in thought too. He recognized that they were both dealing with the reality of death and that one day, they will part ways.

Then Papa sat on a bench, eyes moist, looked into his son’s eyes and said to him in an almost quiet voice: O ri pe awon eleyi sunre (you see that these ones are sleeping well). P looked around the cemetery. He saw well tendered lawn, tarred roads, sitting areas, water fountain, well-shaped trees and a befitting office. It was quiet and peaceful. Truly, these ones were sleeping well, he thought in agreement with his father.

He held out his hands to his father, gave him a big hug and told him: “eyin na ma sun re” (you too will sleep well”. His father responded “hmmmmnn. Ti awon eniyan wa baje nile” (hmmmmnn, if our people will allow at home).

Silently, they walked into the car with deep thoughts about nation building, leadership, followership, responsibility, separation, culture, legacy and death.

NB: Johnson Babalola is a Canadian immigration lawyer, writer, storyteller, and story-based management trainer. Follow him on IG @jbdlaw; FB: https://www.facebook.com/jbdlaw and www.johnsonbabalola.com

The New Diplomat
The New Diplomathttps://newdiplomatng.com/
At The New Diplomat, we stand for ethical journalism, press freedom, accountable Republic, and gender equity. That is why at The New Diplomat, we are committed to speaking truth to power, fostering a robust community of responsible journalism, and using high-quality polls, data, and surveys to engage the public with compelling narratives about political, business, socio-economic, environmental, and situational dynamics in Nigeria, Africa, and globally.

Subscribe

- Never miss a story with notifications

- Gain full access to our premium content

- Browse free from up to 5 devices at once

[tds_leads input_placeholder="Your email address" btn_horiz_align="content-horiz-center" pp_msg="SSd2ZSUyMHJlYWQlMjBhbmQlMjBhY2NlcHQlMjB0aGUlMjAlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMiUyMyUyMiUzRVByaXZhY3klMjBQb2xpY3klM0MlMkZhJTNFLg==" pp_checkbox="yes" tdc_css="eyJhbGwiOnsibWFyZ2luLXRvcCI6IjMwIiwibWFyZ2luLWJvdHRvbSI6IjQwIiwiZGlzcGxheSI6IiJ9LCJwb3J0cmFpdCI6eyJtYXJnaW4tdG9wIjoiMTUiLCJtYXJnaW4tYm90dG9tIjoiMjUiLCJkaXNwbGF5IjoiIn0sInBvcnRyYWl0X21heF93aWR0aCI6MTAxOCwicG9ydHJhaXRfbWluX3dpZHRoIjo3NjgsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6eyJtYXJnaW4tdG9wIjoiMjAiLCJtYXJnaW4tYm90dG9tIjoiMzAiLCJkaXNwbGF5IjoiIn0sImxhbmRzY2FwZV9tYXhfd2lkdGgiOjExNDAsImxhbmRzY2FwZV9taW5fd2lkdGgiOjEwMTksInBob25lIjp7Im1hcmdpbi10b3AiOiIyMCIsImRpc3BsYXkiOiIifSwicGhvbmVfbWF4X3dpZHRoIjo3Njd9" display="column" gap="eyJhbGwiOiIyMCIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTAiLCJsYW5kc2NhcGUiOiIxNSJ9" f_msg_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_input_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_btn_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_pp_font_family="downtown-serif-font_global" f_pp_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxNSIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTEifQ==" f_btn_font_weight="700" f_btn_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxMyIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTEifQ==" f_btn_font_transform="uppercase" btn_text="Unlock All" btn_bg="#000000" btn_padd="eyJhbGwiOiIxOCIsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6IjE0IiwicG9ydHJhaXQiOiIxNCJ9" input_padd="eyJhbGwiOiIxNSIsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6IjEyIiwicG9ydHJhaXQiOiIxMCJ9" pp_check_color_a="#000000" f_pp_font_weight="600" pp_check_square="#000000" msg_composer="" pp_check_color="rgba(0,0,0,0.56)" msg_succ_radius="0" msg_err_radius="0" input_border="1" f_unsub_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_msg_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxMyIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTIifQ==" f_input_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxNCIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTIifQ==" f_input_font_weight="500" f_msg_font_weight="500" f_unsub_font_weight="500"]

Latest stories

NDN
Latest News
The Oil Price Shock No One Saw ComingTrump Signals Strategic Shift: China Can Buy Iranian OilCourt Fixes October 7 For Arraignment Of MultiChoice CEO, Others Over Alleged Investigation ObstructionINEC Speaks On Why Atiku, El-Rufai, Others' Proposed Party, ADA, Hasn't Been RegisteredPDP National Secretary: NEC Boss, Yakubu, Asks PDP to Clear Air on Anyanwu, Ude-Okoye's StatusAlex Zingman: Atiku Faults Tinubu Again, Demands Clarity On 'Chicago Classmate'Abuja: US Warns Citizens To Avoid Military, Govt. Facilities Amid Iran-Israel ConflictNo Cause For Alarm, Abuja Safe Says FG Despite US Travel Advisory2027: Why Atiku, Amaechi, El-Rufai, Others Coalition May Fail ---Baba-AhmedFAAN Bans Cash Transactions, Mulls Tarrif HikeBirabi Drops A Bombshell, Says Saro-Wiwa, Others Not Martyrs But MurderersForeigners married to Vietnamese can gain citizenship without living in VietnamDrama As SDP Suspends Nat'l Chairman, 2 Others Over Financial Misconduct $7.2 Billion Refinery Deal: Insiders Want Mele Kyari Nabbed As EFCC Arrest ex-NNPCL Chiefs Nigeria's Democracy Risks Collapse If Tinubu Fails To Halt Worsening Insecurity -- Senator Ojudu Warns
X whatsapp