It Pays to Treat People Right by Lanre Olagunju.

Undoubtedly, human beings are the most treasured creature on planet earth; unfortunately, men don’t treat men as such. No society can succeed beyond the premium it places on people, after all government is all about people and people alone.

The parallel reason for the irreconcilable differences between the western world and the poor third world countries like ours is the premium placed on human. Developed countries dwell on the understanding that human capital is the richest and most crucial recipe for economic development. To that effect, they value education, provision of food and water, fine art of hospitality and good health that her citizens may function optimally.

In fact, we think otherwise and it shows. Here people die for very wrong reasons, or how else do you explain that young and old alike die of treatable and curable diseases like malaria and absence of drugs in our hospitals. Asking for electricity is like asking for too much but humans aren’t meant to live without basic survival needs like food and water. Today, bad roads claims lives each day as if granite and coal tar have all relocated into extinction. Little wonder why we as a people despite our dreams to prosper will still wallow in the anguish of poverty.

Young people aren’t the leaders of tomorrow anymore, but leaders of today- so we claim. Although our actions can’t be more contradicting. In fact it’s like we’ve taken an unconscious oat to replicate the wrong deeds of the older generation and we can’t be any better for it. It shows when we scam foreigners on the web and also when we celebrate our scammer friends and relations. Lately, there is this advancement, witchcraft has been successfully rebranded into a money making machine.

“Service to humanity is the best work of life”-so says a creed, and the only way to be impactful and fulfilled is to serve humanity by the giving away of oneself. The shocking irony is that only those who give themselves to others make a meaning out of life. After all, the worth of our days will be measured by what we gave and not what we earned. There is an urgent need to ensure that greed and self centeredness die a natural death by birthing the zeal to help, serve, encourage and inspire others.

The scarcity oriented society we live has succeeded in making us aware of one thing and that’ self and ourselves alone. It is understandable that one’s environment has a whole lot of influence on the mind. Therefore the default in a country like ours is to be greedy, self centered, embezzle and be awfully stingy. Any act short of this can be possibly tagged non -Nigerian.

Let the truth be told, even your future helpers might desperately need your help now. It should be noted that every broken relationship is a broken bridge. Relationship is everything, and only those who have mastered the act of treating others right can love genuinely. When we treat others right, the success we pursue endlessly will be replaced with abundance of wealth, joy and most importantly fulfillment. If all of our net labor is to make ourselves just a little comfortable, then we are by all standards the most miserable creature.

Learn to look out for the genuine interest of others especially those who are despised. Help someone solve a problem, encourage your neighbor, buy someone a gift, call that old friend you haven’t seen in a long time, keep loving that irritable and cocky roommate, go visit that friend who is lying lifeless on the hospital bed.

Great men like Nelson Mandela, Bill Gates and Henry Ford just wanted to solve a problem, and in return life has furnished them with all the wealth and fame they couldn’t imagine, reason that God can’t but reward those who nurture that which he created in the fullness of his power.

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MY FRIEND by TOSIN BUCKNOR

I once had a friend who was quit ill. The least of what he had was a cold. But he also had malaria, and doctors suspected he was anemic as he was severely jaundiced.

My friend was a lovely boy to look at. Well, in parts for some reasons he was developing skin allergies from things that were destroying him internally and so he had some patches' here and there. But he was also vibrant in certain areas and you could see and feel that in him.

He had this wide grin that drew you in, and even though there were a few teeth missing and one or two of the teeth seems to be decaying, you always smile back.

He had a firm handshake and you might have resisted at first, but once you held out your hand to him and he shoot his, you felt a warmth radiate.

My friend was basically of an easy going nature. He liked parties and football. But every once in a while, he would lose temper and then you would be so afraid.

These outburst were temporary but the doctors feared that without some forms of psychological help, he would become permanently angry and at war with himself. These could be true since his outbursts have started increasing and these days last for longer.

My friend refuses to wear glasses although it was obvious he needed them. You can tell by the way he stumbles sometimes and always pulls the paper close to read.

But I think he thinks wearing glasses will be uncool. Well falling down and breaking your hip is also uncool but hey! Who listen to me anyway?

And speaking of listening... that is something my friend is not good at. Listening.

I think he pretends to listen. He keeps quiet and nod a lot when people talk and then turn right to the opposite! It annoys me sometimes because really, some things that are said are for his own good and I will tell you of some things we said.

YOU see, my friend is going to turn fifty I know! I know!

Ideally, one should block the road and bring down heaven and earth. I know people who clear their account just so they can celebrate their fiftieth. People buy new clothes, may be even make new friends. It is not easy to be fifty and as they say, 'then go take'

So, it is only natural that my friend wants to celebrate his birthday right? But you see, my friend is ill, he has a cold, and malaria and he is severely jaundiced.

I think the money he withdraws should not be on the biggest cake he can find, a website in his honor, parties in different states and so on.

I think the money he has should be spent on getting himself treated and better!

I think my friends needs to heal his body, his heart, his memories, his mind.

And this is what we have all told him.

But my friend does not listen and he never seems to learn from his past mistakes.
Like that time my friend celebrated his independent from his parent?

He was so excited! but he had no plans of how he would keep himself on his feet for years, what is children will eat from, and what people will think of him, and how to relate to others.

No, Airegin does not listen to anyone and so come October first, he will celebrate.

Possibly, in darkness, with water drawn from a well that is drying up.

And on the second, he will start all over again.

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