There is dignity in poverty!!!
Many of the ignoble things people indulge in especially in our part of the world is often blamed on poverty. But over the weekend, I got to learn a vital lesson from a personal experience. It was last Saturday's evening and I was enroute Yaba from the University of Lagos where I had attended a Fela Durotoye seminar. It happened that I lost my phone in the course of transit.
In a city like Lagos you know what that means.
However I put several calls across to the line and eventually someone from the other end picks up. she apologises profusely for not picking up earlier calls and said it was due to the fact that she was physically challenged, hence couldn't pick up the call without first gaining balance. She asked me to come meet her somewhere in Ojuelegba, I told her I won't be able to see that evening because I had changed route and was heading home......
Fast forward to monday. I met her on Monday afternoon in her home only to discover that she was one that could have interpreted her discovery of the phone as a blessing from God. She had around her what people would call poverty, but beneath that clothing of poverty was a deep sitted coat of dignity!!! We exchanged pleasantries and she handed my phone back to me.
LESSONS:
One can be poor at least by the world standard and still have dignity.
Poverty and lack should not erode our sense of decency and values.
Lets be the change we want to see in the world by doing the right things. She could have taken the phone but the right thing was to explore all available means to return the phone back to the rightful owner and that she did.
Lets learn from her and be good citizens. I will definitely re-visit that household as I am enabled. People like mama Elijah surely deserves to be celebrated. Do you agree that there is dignity in poverty?
Many of the ignoble things people indulge in especially in our part of the world is often blamed on poverty. But over the weekend, I got to learn a vital lesson from a personal experience. It was last Saturday's evening and I was enroute Yaba from the University of Lagos where I had attended a Fela Durotoye seminar. It happened that I lost my phone in the course of transit.
In a city like Lagos you know what that means.
However I put several calls across to the line and eventually someone from the other end picks up. she apologises profusely for not picking up earlier calls and said it was due to the fact that she was physically challenged, hence couldn't pick up the call without first gaining balance. She asked me to come meet her somewhere in Ojuelegba, I told her I won't be able to see that evening because I had changed route and was heading home......
Fast forward to monday. I met her on Monday afternoon in her home only to discover that she was one that could have interpreted her discovery of the phone as a blessing from God. She had around her what people would call poverty, but beneath that clothing of poverty was a deep sitted coat of dignity!!! We exchanged pleasantries and she handed my phone back to me.
LESSONS:
One can be poor at least by the world standard and still have dignity.
Poverty and lack should not erode our sense of decency and values.
Lets be the change we want to see in the world by doing the right things. She could have taken the phone but the right thing was to explore all available means to return the phone back to the rightful owner and that she did.
Lets learn from her and be good citizens. I will definitely re-visit that household as I am enabled. People like mama Elijah surely deserves to be celebrated. Do you agree that there is dignity in poverty?
Shared by Olakunle.OOM Oladoyin on Google+
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