THE WEALTH WE HAVE IN COMMON

What makes individuals so different yet the same?

Divided yet united?

In millions and billions yet as one?

It is neither our thoughts nor ideals,

Neither our past nor present,

Neithercrude oil nor timber,

Neither our languages nor traditions,

Neither money nor properties.

Something beyond that.

 A unified abundance.

Our greatest weapon

A difference maker,

A reflex action,

“HOPE”

Hope inspires when discouragement comes,

Hope realizes sweetness if allowed.

Hope dares to be different.

Hope endures the toughest of pain.

Hope fills us with strength when we are weak.

Hope fills us with melodies when songs of joy ceases.

Hope open doors where fear closes them.

Hope regards problems as opportunities

Hope always sees the light at the end of the tunnel.

Hope desires not be “good” or “better” but at all times the

“best”.

Hope is in our unconscious and even when we don’t feel hopeful,

see or hear hope,

We discover it’s in every man’s words, thoughts and actions.

Hope is right in front of us, behind us and about us.

And when we least expect, it unleashes itself.

A terrorist is hopeful of wiping out an entire nation,

A philanthropist is hopeful to save an entire generation.

A speaker is hopeful of delivering an excellent presentation.

As I look within my greatest desires for my country. I bury

myself in an unfailing strength of hope.

A building block to a glorious African future. I hope we realize

it. Irrespective, of our religious affiliation. After all, we all serve

one God.

I am hopeful that in our diverse cultures, norms and traditions

our universal language will be love.

I hope we realize that relationships rule our world and

therefore open our minds to celebrate each other.

I am hopeful that as we go to Church, holding hands firmly in a

circle, singing “We are family; we are one” that we see it as

more than a song but wellness irrespective of background and

our differences.

I hope that in whatever situation I find myself, I will be able to

exhibit love and sacrifice putting the needs of other first before

mine.

I hope Africans realize that the land flowing with milk and

honey- Cannan land- spoken of by Moses in the bible is Africa.

Let us therefore, discover that what we have been searching for

is right in front of us.

I hope Nigeria realizes that treading one path continuously to

solve our problem will not make any difference but multiply it.

I hope that despite the hiccups in our economy, Nigerians will

still be able to sleep, eat, party and smile.

I hope that Nigerians stop asking what the country can do for

them but rather what they can do for the country.

I hope that during political campaigns, aspirants who later

emerge winners convert their good words to good deeds.

I’m hopeful that a man will love his fellow man and forget his

colour, race or creed. We cannot do anything with hatred.

I hope the sight of men lowering down their car windows

stretching out their left arm and widening their palm screaming

“You are stupid” because he was over taken by another car will

cease.

I hope that one day I get to understand why adults always

stress the sentence “Observe orderliness everywhere you go”

but I constantly see them cutting lines in banks and fuel

stations queues. Are they exempted from these rules?

I hope that Nigerians stop calling young people leaders of

tomorrow and realize that we have the minds to create

innovations that can rapidly develop our country. We are the

future but most importantly we are the leaders of today.

I hope that every individual of every nation develops a childlike

mind and behaviour in their everyday lives. Ever forgiving, ever

loving and ever giving.

I hope that with each and every single day that goes by,

I will be able to contribute immensely  my own

quota, not only to my country or continent but to the world at

large.

I hope people will appreciate me for my ideas, hard work and

determination not for whom I know in power, the connections I

may have or the magic my surname can perform.

I hope we realize that we can’t solve the problem by merely

talking about it. We must act quickly.

I hope we realize that freedom and power brings responsibility.

I hope we all realize that despite our differences we are one

people with a common destiny.

I hope we realize that a country’s’ downfall is of the world and

a country’s’ victory is of the world, therefore togetherness

should be our language.

I hope Nigerians realizes that we need to appreciate what we have

before anyone else can.

I hope we realize that we can’t progress if we see ourselves as

millions but look deeper to find oneness in our speech,

behaviour and relationships with people.

I hope we realize that responsibility is no different from

thinking, eating and sleeping. It only comes with doing all these

and more for others.

Hope always has a future

Hope appreciates the present and always desires to plan for

tomorrow.

Hope seeks ordinary people with extraordinary ideas.

Hope looks beyond our personal interests.

The hands of hope are always open wide not only to receive

but to freely give.

Hope despises laziness.

Hope make us understand that a closed door we thought was

our break through was never for us.

Hope is our smile and laughter.

Hope is our weakness and strength.

Hope is the practice that pushes to perfection.

Hope is in doing the right thing.

Hope is selfless service.

Hope is the willingness to be bent, in order to be taught

properly.

Hope is the fight to finish spirit.

Hope is the sunrise and sunset.

Hope is the rain drops and harsh wind.

Hope is love for a stranger more than your own child.

Hope gives access to progress.

Hope defeats hatred and tribalism.

Hope makes a solider lay down his life for his country.

Hope makes a pregnant woman give way to another life.

Hope makes a teacher diligently sacrifice her time to ensure that her

students come out with distinction.

Hope makes a student in spite of the power problem,

wake up every night to study under a dim light.

Hope makes a sickle cell patient wake up every morning with a

smile, saying “I am going to be healed in a short time”.

Hope makes a child get up no matter how many times he falls

down from a bicycle with the believe that soonest he’ll pedal in

 perfection.

Hope makes voters stand for long hours not just to make a

choice but to be assured that for their country to move

forward, they have a part to play.

Hope makes footballers practice tirelessly so as not to

disappoint their country.

Hope makes musicians turn theirs abodes to studios just

to please their fans with great rhythms.

Hope makes a Father pass through fire just for his children to be

well catered for.

Hope makes us realize that good things never finish. Why then

should you destroy yourself for the least of all?

Hope makes us realize that we can’t make it by walking alone.

We always need someone to lean on.

In our heart lies the fountains of hope and it will spring up only

with hard work, patience and humility.

Hope is what we all need to move forward. It is in abundance, it

will never dry up.

Hope is the bedrock of peace and unity.

Hope opens when we quit thinking of ourselves and rather of

others first.

This wealth can only be  harnessed if we agree to be united.

Hope is Me, Hope is You, Hope is Us, Hope is Nigeria, Hope is

Africa and Hope is the World.

These and more are ideals I hope to live by and to achieve.

This article was written by Aifuobhokhan Mirabel Nneka; connect with her via Instagram @ _nnekawrites