14 Days of Lockdown: Thoughts and Lessons

April 31st — April 13th 2020

This article you are about to read talks about my thoughts at the end of each day during the initial 14 days lockdown and. These are just my personal thoughts, I do not expect you to learn from it neither am I trying to educate you.

As you might have known, the threat created by the corona-virus pandemic has necessitated a compulsory lockdown and restriction of movement in selected states of the country. If you are reading this, you should pour a drink for me. It took me a great deal of commitment for this post to come up on this space. Thanks to Moyotician for sowing this seed, the title and for those conversations that would shape some of my daily thoughts during the lockdown.

This is going to be a long read, it is better you stop here.

Day 1:

“There is no shame in recalling your stand. If you said yes hastily, you can confidently say no when you’re calm.”

The night before the lockdown began, the streets reminded me of the scene from Game of Thrones when the seven kingdom were preparing for battle with the night walkers. Everything was happening fast and simultaneously. I was out trying to find a store to buy a new fan, I felt a familiar vibration in my pockets, absentmindedly I put the phone to my ears and it was a call from someone who felt I could help with palliative fund, because I was on a mission and network issues, I said “Yes, okay, I’ll call you back” without hearing a damn thing.

On getting home, mission accomplished by the way, I received a text from said person with their account number and I was surprised. I called the person back saying my response was not a positive answer to their request and that I would not be able to help them. I later sent something small just to satisfy my conscience but I felt bad that I gave them hope in my state of confusion.

Day 2:

“Lagos people will come outside to see if other Lagos people are inside”

My estate is calm. Everyone minds their business and we know those ones that talk to other residents from their balcony. Today, while some residents were outside trying to see if everyone obeyed the lockdown, a concerned old lady from the building adjacent to my building yelled at them to go back inside and not catch corona due to their recklessness. The scene was so funny, I felt low-key happy that the woman called them out!

Day 3:

“Avoid see finish, stay at home and drink water.

You will not die.”

One of my fears during the lockdown is that there will not be eateries to buy food or if there is, I will have to walk a long distance to get. Cooking is stressful for me, not that I can even cook a decent meal to save my life, that is why I work extra hard to have enough to buy food. But today, I felt like calling someone around to help with cooking but I didn’t want them to think I remembered them because I needed help cooking or the whole cooking thing will open the door to starting another relationship with this person. At the end of the day, I resorted to Amala joint.

Day 4:

“Always be true with yourself and be true with your intentions”

My circle is very small and closely knitted. This is because I am at the stage of my life where I know what works and would work for me. I am passionate about achieving my goals and strategically working towards it. Today, I had to remind someone that our lives are parallel even though we might have started from the same point, moving forward, I do not see any point of alignment. What we want from/in life are different hence the need not to travel together. And that was true.

Day 5:

“Words are like mud, once you throw it on a wall, it might not stick but it will definitely leave a stain.”

Today I exited from a WhatsApp group that I was so fond of because they started to poach my sanity and values. I am big on communication, I do not work on assumptions. I feel if you have issues with me, you should let me know and not keep it for weeks thinking I am a mind reader. Okay back to why I left the group… On this particular day some members came up with some unfounded allegations about some of my actions from over four weeks ago and accused me of being a spy for a foreign country!! (yes, you read that), I had to muster up all the civility in my being to explain because no one likes to be accused falsely especially such heavy accusations. But when they continued to rinse and dry me, plus I found out that they did that to another individual which caused so much personal loss to the person and at that point. I felt I it was time to exit, that was not a community I wanted to be a part of anymore.

Day 6:

“Don’t let other people’s definition of productivity keep you from enjoying your life”

I will never understand how some people feel okay jumping from one challenge on Instagram to another challenge on WhatsApp. I realized that I might have been forcing a narrative on them after I lashed out. My friend, Isisi, made me know that it was never in my place to tell people what to do during this period and whatnots. People are being creative and turning a bad situation into something fun is never a bad thing after all we are all coping with the lockdown differently and that I get to see their waist bead like statuses on WhatsApp. Participating in challenges did not mean they are not productive. And for some people the lockdown is a good opportunity to sleep, relax, bond and wind down with their families.

Day 7:

“Most problem usually start with a good intention.”

Today was so hilarious! Ope, Blessing and Tosin visit started out like serious business not until the devil said they should record #PregnancyChallenge video which Ope said that he cannot post such video because of his religious family background. But the devil took time to work extra hours and Ope posted the picture as soon as the picture went live, their phones lit up with calls from left, right and centre. The family thought the pregnancy was an actual pregnancy and this wahala will last for like three days for them. Poor guys.

Day 8:

“Don’t wait for something that is not coming towards you”

For people like me who have swam through the tunnel of shit and came out on the other side clean, therefore building my character and resilience. I feel sorry for poor souls who feels there is a higher force they can use to compel us to do something we are not cut out for. My word is my bond, if I tell you that I will do something, I will effing do it. Same way I won’t come back, if I tell you to move on.

Day 9:

“It is foolishness to give to the foolish.”

I saw a twitter video about how some entitled individual ungratefully complained about the food a private citizen gave them. These foolish people complained that the meat was small and the food is basic yet they did not return/reject it and the painful thing is that the private citizen did not collect it back! Kai! O ja mi lara je! People that cannot hold their own government accountable!

Day 10:

“Sometimes, distance is the only way to find peace.”

I really do not know why some of you do not get this. Some people do not want you in their space and do not try and force yourself into it. They might not complain because of some things but guy, the moment you come into that uninvited space, na trouble you dey cause for yourself. Stay at your own lane! Learn to understand body languages and cues!

Day 11:

“Chung (Korean word)”

It is possible to love and fight with someone endlessly. And when love turns sour, you can still find it on your heart to be good to them but never love them like before. Over time I have grown apart from certain people, nothing sinister we just don’t vibe like before or even talk at all sef but that does not mean that I will deny them something that I know or see that will do them good. It is not that deep.

Day 12:

“There’s no nobility in poverty. Avoid poverty at all cost. (Legally and morally)”

Iran meta oun to shi.

I am working tirelessly to make a good name and fortune for myself or die trying. I do not want to live a shitty life, rear children in numbers and have money limit me. I want more than that. I know some of us are cut out for the start-small, na-marriage-dey-bring-blessing, children-head-dey-bring-riches type of life. I do not want my children to live the kind of hard knock life I lived growing up and that’s why I am not planning to birth any now.

Also, while chasing this dream, I do not want any daughter of someone feel like I am wasting their time because as you see me so, with my current financial status, I am not ready for marriage this year, next year and second forever. My parents have seen their grandchildren in both sexes, mine is not coming with two heads, so there is no rush.

P.S: If you have money, I mean sustainable money o, please come and marry me. I have sense and I won’t give you problem

Day 13:

“Ebi ni o pá Ìjẹ̀sà to lòun o jẹ ẹ̀kọ́ Ọ̀yọ́”

When Moyotician made this statement, I laughed so hard that I began to cry. The rough translation means that “Hunger has not dealt with the Ijesa man that is why he is saying he cannot eat corn meal made in Oyo”. I could relate to this because some days back I met an old acquaintance in the estate who offered to bring cooked food for me later in the day. I turned down the gesture diplomatically because I felt somehow about the whole thing. But the truth is, if I was truly hungry with no hope of any other food, I would have collected, eat and wash the plate.

Day 14:

“Begin Again”

It dawned on me and Isisi that the whole lockdown is really affecting people’s mental health and causing depression for some. Personally, the news about the extension of the lockdown caused mixed feelings for me. Workloads are becoming more demanding and working from home did not look like what I thought it would be.

I was so optimistic to see the number of cases reduce and increase number of discharged patients. I missed my colleague, Remi, I miss the food seller at the taxi park were we buy pounded yam, I miss our reception where I take fire pictures and above all, I miss seeing hardworking Nigerians going about their businesses and trying to make ends meet.

I believe in our front-line workers, working tirelessly to defeat this virus hence the need to extend the lockdown for our safety. I hope your country appreciates and reward you.

Extras:

If you finished reading this piece, I appreciate your time and the committed effort. I do not have anything to give you but to say thank you.