Walking To The Hilltop

"A man is a method, a progressive arrangement; a selecting principle, gathering his like to him; wherever he goes."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

A lifetime of following philosophy and religion, history has taught me one meditating principle; anytime I bow down my head in prayers, I see how my past developed into my present. I believe we all are Gods in the making just as Jesus taught us to believe. Beholding the lives of Moses, Abraham, Jacob, David and Jesus, religion teaches me how God used man to glorify his name in their exploits. How he blesses them with many ordinary talents and how they blessed mankind with their extraordinary gifts.

In philosophy, I am blessed to sit in the council of great minds, the province of which wisdom takes preeminence, and dialogue with the simplest of men that ever walked our planet. I hear them speak, I listen to them talk, and I dare them to grant me a hearing too.

So when I sit down to think, I close my eyes to see where my story begins and ends to begin - Jacobu, the land of my fathers.

I remember the first time I saw this land from a distance on the main highway. It was the biggest city I'd seen so far! And it was on the hill! There were so many people on that market-day. I was but a child. I was young but I could see.  Hence I remember. I remember saying to myself: I shall live here one day.

It wasn't long afterwards that I came in town to attend junior secondary school. I walked six kilometres a day, to and fro, for three years so I could obtain my first certificate. I loved the school for it was the biggest I'd seen. I had many mates but few friends. In here, the town begun sensing my presence.

A year after my BECE, my family moved into town to settle where my father's fathers once stayed. I was the only one at the back of the vehicle that came for our bags and baggages. I had just lost some friends and I had no idea who my next new friends were going to be in this big town. On that dusty road I felt alone because I have no brothers or sisters of my own. But it was because of me that my family had to move from that village so I could have secondary education in this new town.

Catching a vision at a my secondary school was a wishful thinking for few of us really knew where our tuition could take us. The school was so less endowed. Students were few and teachers were fewer. But for me, I was thankful we had abundance of books. My favourite spot was the library. My worst memory is my school's failure to see individual students as they are. I was misconstrued several times and was generally assumed to be a misfit. But I had friends. Real but few friends. And I am grateful they are my friends even to date!

After secondary school, climbing to the hilltop and be heard was getting in sight. Any little further education and we shall be able to come back one day and effect positive changes in our community. This dream, however, nearly turned into a nightmare. My results were nowhere to be found! It was during those uncertain times that God told me: "Son, from this time forth, learn to trust me."  When at last my results came, a narrow path had been created for me to go to college.

Those three years in the teachers' institution were the times when my manly spirit was invoked. In men-only institutions, your place as a man is always dared, and one must learn to take a stance and defend it with his life. Either by word or by action. And a teacher shall never lack in words!

Also in college days, many in town had got on board the education bus. My choice of friends thwarted to this side. Like minds attract. A whole new bond of friendship had been born among my circle of friends. A bond that was sealed with many years of knowing ourselves, many books we have read together, many perspectives we share and the fact that we share the same land.

Soon after college, many other youngsters had awaken to the reality for a wider bond. It begun with old students' association for our secondary school, to students' union for our constituency and finally to  Jacobu Youth Association. The latter stayed, and to date.

As my prayer begins to end, I spend the last moments in the present time thanking God for how far he has brought us. Today, doors open upon our approaching, the town heeds when we call, the leaders invite us to sit and talk as men, the palace welcomes our view, the church grants us a hearing,the child looks up to us, the youth dances to our music and eat from the table we set before them, and the elderly believes we hold the potential to undo the past in the present.

As we near the hilltop, many are roaring to command the comrades. Men steeped in conceit and vain-glory who have little respect for themselves and for fellow man. Flying from faraway places to perch on the giant tree so they can peck the few fruits we've gathered with our labour. Greed incites them to make false promises; they enjoy to see the strife continue so our people shall have need of them all the time. How wrong they are!

Come let's join hands whoever have walked this hilly path. Just stretch to take the hand of the kinsman next to you, be it behind or ahead, rich or poor, young or old, man or woman. We are so close to the top of the hill. I know we shall get there. In fact I know the way; I was here from the beginning!