So Folks, here is what is going on –someone who obviously was driving through the major road during the time this little chap [captured above] was surrendering to the call of nature [took a picture of this scene].

The person behind the camera captured a minor having a nap in the middle of a busy road; just inches away from moving vehicles as the boy sits-away on a highway divider. By the way, a quick look at those plantains lying in the tray beside him could only suggest one thing: A story of an abused teenager!

As we have it, this picture has found its way to the internet.

A random twitter user posted the said image few hours ago – He writes…

“Nigeria has failed this child”

Well, can I have your attention please? If you think the photograph in question is sorry enough then I advise you to skip the next few lines.

Let’s just keep it simple, the lad is now in safe hands –a passionate Nigerian has gone out of his way to look out for the youngster.

Here is some information I have regarding this situation.

So it happened to be that the young chap in question after he was found on the night – unfortunately – had been starving for three days.

The teenager is from Akwa Ibom and according to the boy; an individual who is supposed to be an Auntie had moved him to Lagos promising his parent that she would put their son in school.

But this has not been the case; the lad was instead forced to hawk plantains on the street of Lagos.

I know that this kind of story could break a heart. Apologies, if I just made you feel bad.

There is however some good news; apparently – the ashamed Auntie –who has also realized that she had failed to live up to the initial intention that made it possible for her to bring the boy to Lagos had succumbed to the guilt of having betrayed the teenager and his parent.

The young chap is now scheduled to be on a flight back to Akwa Ibom where the passionate Nigerian who has taken it upon himself to help the little boy would be holding a meeting with his parent.

He has offered the former plantain seller a full scholarship that would take him all the way. The helper has promised a bright future for the youngster.

I have another story to share if you wouldn’t mind…

I was on a motorcycle earlier today, moving from one side of the town to other part in the land. By the way, I wasn’t the one riding the bike. I had just paid my way on a chartered motorcycle.

As we journeyed on, myself and the bike rider were having pretty much random conversations [the kind of conversation that is often sparked by anything one sees along the way, road scenes, people etc. and sometimes trending news in the country –well, more often I do most of the listening. I try to understand people from their point of view.

It’s just amazing to see the kind of scene or event that sometimes caught people’s attention.

For instance, the motorcycle man had just ended a talk –then he immediately picked up another because he had just seen two horses [each on opposite side; separated by the road] the two horses were signaling one another through attitudinal reactions. You know how animal of same specie reacts when they feel threatened by their kind.

Then the bike rider quips…

“ehe ehe, wan mo ara’won ri o” laughing

The man had just suggested that the two horses know themselves.

Reader! Don’t worry it is okay to laugh.

So just like that, the comment came out of nowhere; it was completely unrelated!

Well, concerning the two horses, I am unable to confirm if the two animals indeed know themselves. I am sorry to disappoint you if you had assumed that I would have more information regarding the two horses.

The random conversation didn’t end there.

Remember it had rained for most part of today –as I continue to enjoy the cool breeze whilst on the bike.

The talkfest continued – at this point the tete-a-tete had switched to politics. I can’t recollect how we arrived at a political discuss. But we got there!

I listened on…

“APC should not even think they would have a chance in 2019” The bike man blasts…

Obviously alluding to the 2019 general election; the rider continues to pour out his disdain towards the ruling party as he engages me in our local dialect.

As usual I allowed the okada man to have a run of flow lending him my ears. Then I came in with a question…

“Sir, if you are offered N5,000 on election day to vote for APC what would be your decision?”

He didn’t think twice before he gave a straightforward answer…

“Yes I will vote for them o”… says the man.

“That’s the problem” I said… “We can’t win the battle if we continue to betray one another at the polls bowing to financial and material inducements”

Folks, the motorcyclist shared a story with me which left me bewildering and at the same time disheartened.

Before I recount what he said [which is the main reason yours truly decides to do a write-up]. Meanwhile, myself and the bike-man had a consensus which is the fact that stomach infrastructure in the face of poverty is the tool banked upon by politicians in Nigeria to keep the masses at their beck and call; to achieve this, the elites simply need to make sure the statusquo remains – which is – ensuring the larger percentage of the population live below $2 per day.

Political office holders are rarely motivated to carry out projects or initiatives that would directly impart the lives of ordinary Nigerians in a sustainable way.

So, the motorcyclist continues…

In his quest to emphasize the degree at which people in today’s Nigeria struggle to get by; hammering on the level of suffering in the land. My biker-friend mentioned it repeatedly “E wo, e’bi npa awon eyan gan ni ilu yi o”… Meaning a lot of people are in need of food.

He shared with me the story of a young girl he carried on his bike two days ago. According to him, the girl –whom he suggested would either be an eighteen or nineteen year-old – had stopped him to pay her way [as most people do] to Ondo road. They agreed on a fee and got underway.

The rider said he was surprised when this lady jovially asked about his marital life whether he has a wife or not. Responding to her, the motorcyclist said [jokingly] that his wife has run away. :)

What followed their conversation as the okada-man recounted is a sad thing to learn. The girl asked for a favor, she begged the bike-man for N500 explaining away her suffering state and how she dropped out in SS-2 because her parent couldn’t afford to be there for her anymore. Then, she practically offered the man sex as she challenged him to take her to a private place.

“I felt sorry for her” says the motorcyclist. “But I couldn’t do it”

I was almost praising the man in my heart seeing that after-all there are upright fellas among Okada-riders on our roads.

At this point [flashing back] I could only wish that the bike-man had put our conversation to rest considering that I was almost at my destination. It would have been a perfect ending if we had parted ways with the picture of his integrity been something to remember of him.

Then he mentioned a similar scenario involving a health-tech student, but unlike the girl he encountered two days ago, he has continually defiled this girl. He was uncouth with his choice of words; confirming that the sexual activity with the student from Health-tech would not end anytime soon.

“You can drop me here Sir” I said… arriving at my destination, I paid him for his service and we went our separate ways.

The level of poverty in the country is alarming. Political heads over the years have failed the masses, nonetheless, like the passionate Nigerian who came through for the young chap napping in the middle of a major road; you and I have a role to play.

Boluwatife Adekunle

@boluzzz