WHO BE YOUR MATE?

“See this one o, I will just slap you, your head is not correct, do you know who you are talking to… who be your mate sef?” The unending and intense argument between these two random individuals shouting in front of my house was unbearable since the gate to the compound was destroyed due to the heavy rainfall sometimes in the month of April.

My brother and I were catching fun while watching the Nigerian made wrestling match featuring a heavyweight champion and his slim and short opponent. Passers-by didn’t really care because they were just shouting and bathing each other with saliva as well as raining curses on themselves from a distance. I wondered what they were quarreling about that could be so serious, could it be money? food? Or a game? Because personally, I discriminate fighting and the use of vulgar words on other people.

Settling for violence is not the right thing to do, following this path only insinuates that you are trying to prove something that the other person may not possess, be it fame, high status, age, or money. There is something about this life that must be glued permanently to our brains: everything is vanity, those material things we are fighting for or what we want to die for will fade away because none of these can be carried to the afterlife. If someone wrongs you and is still trying to prove that he or she is right, violence is not the answer. If the person is calling you to be violent, bounce that call and stay calm.

Keep your integrity and negotiate quietly like the human that you are. Try to respect people’s opinions, status, and age, crossing their boundaries can only unleash the beast in them which is not healthy. However, we are humans and we often fail to do the right things, if we remember to stay Safe, Simple, and Live Smart, things will surely get better.

The talk show between the two wrestlers ended when the slim one punched the heavyweight champion on the face, things got rough and worse. While trying to have a clearer view of the match from my room, I opened the window wide (which had no burglary protection). As soon as I heard the shattering sound of a bottle struck against the wall, I lost my grip and fell off the window screaming for help only to see myself on the floor in the living room, in front of the brown sofa where I slept, realizing that the actual noise and quarrel was from a movie on Africa Magic Yoruba playing from the TV that had been on for a while.