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My Village And The Twin Plants Of Technology

By Fatimah Bakare-Dickson
Opinion My Village And The Twin Plants Of Technology
DEC 8, 2017 LISTEN

My approach to life as a young man is to learn daily especially by the mistakes I have made, look forward to corrections and a new life. I live in a beautiful, natural and serene environment, devoid of air pollution, electricity, telephone and whatever thing that will influence negatively. This is our belief and it has worked for us.

The village square is our pride, it is fenced with Agave plants, a lot of people mistake it for an Aloe vera plant. My father told me it was the decision of the elders to do so years back when wrestlers ran after one another just to portray the anger at which lies in their strength.

Aloe vera fits the description of an Agave plant. Looking at the two plants, it has similar appearance but Aloe vera has a gel in it while the agave has more thorns on the body, thicker and grows bigger naturally. The Agave is commonly used for fences in the rural area. It can also help during the rainy season to divert water away from the walls of the house. Physically the Agave and Aloe Vera plants has the same looks but entirely different functions.

I am a twin, the younger one by five minute. I do not know how it is calculated but so I was told since I was a child. Just like the Aloe Vera and Agave plants, we are two of a kind. My brother is quick to anger while I rarely pick offense.

Close to my father's hut is his brother's, a middle age man with scanty gray hair on his head. He is quite huge and fair skinned. He talked very fast whenever he is angry and he is one of the few that resisted technology in our village. In his argument, he believed that technology corrupts the future and it gives sight like Adam and Eve after they had contravened the law.

During the harvest season of Cassava, we were all home after a hard day at farm. Then suddenly we saw a car approaching our compound. It is strange, we all know and an important thing must have necessitated this visit. Masquerades they say just don't appear at ones door step without a reason.

They were two men in European dressing, one had eyeglasses and the other had hair on his upper lips close to his nose. Mustache they call it but in the village we call it "mouth hair".

They called out for my father and my uncle at the front his hut. The four men spent time in what seemed a heated debate on issues I do not have knowledge of, but it made sense to the four. I remember they talked about masts for network in our community and the stream for electricity generation. They were there after sunset and the moon began to appear before the four adjourned their meeting for the following day.

My brother walked in from no where and started singing one of Akins songs "In my journey through the world over land and over seas I see different cultures and different people's ways I was born where the sun never sets and never rises I was born where the heat is like a second skin. children crying on the streets automobiles are making noise the land is growing dry and week spirit dying low. the forefathers are calling me never tired never weaken the pride in me is bursting lose am an African boy".

There was a complete silence in the compound as he was singing and chanting life experience. I expected him to study the mood of father and uncle so as not to get into trouble but instead his fearlessness pushed him on.

My uncle whispered, "the pride in me is bursting lose" he sat down looking downwards with his two arms on his thighs, he nodded his head and looked at my father in confusion.

"An African boy" my father replied. I wondered what my father meant by that statement an African boy, could it be that technology is at our doorstep and we are refusing it, are we the only technology disadvantaged people in Nigeria.

As my father and his brother continue to ponder on their discuss, my brother continued his melody."... seven goats seven beads, seven cowries seven nuts seven lives thats what I've got I am an African boy, over seas over lands over mountains in the wild I 'll be brave and I 'll be strong I am an African boy". My father looks in amusement what a time to sing this kind of song.

My twin brother being a fearless person, I threw a stone towards his direction, he looked at me and I blinked my eyes which could mean "Shshsh, silent" I expected him to understand that simple sign. Instead he shouted, "what is wrong with you" he looked towards my father's direction and raised the stone up to make a statement and then he threw it back at me. Everywhere was silent and waiting for someone to lighten the atmosphere.

Then my brother continued again,"Automobiles are making noise never tired never weakened". My father looked at him and this time cuts in at the middle of the song, "Where are the Automobiles"?

He smiled and gave a vivid description of the tractor in the farm and the noise of the bullock that carries it. He further gave a description of how he enjoys riding on the back of the bull once he is done working on the farm, the bulls are usually slow and it walked sideways even when going forward. I enjoy it when they do the walking for you. It is always a sweet ride after a hard day at the farm, they are the automobiles in this village.

My father and uncle are trying to weigh what the future holds and brings to our generation and indeed time alone; will tell.

Fatimah Bakare-Dickson, B.fa (Bachelors Of Film Art)

Project Manager
Reel Concepts Media
RC is a not-for-profit outfit that utilizes the media in promoting change amongst women and children.

234-8034740500

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