EMPATHY!

Few days ago, I ran into this young man like ever and observed him with a kind of pity from behind. I walked up to him to greet him and at that point the words of an ancient Greek tragedian, Sophocles, came to me that, "It is the task of a good man to help those in misfortune." I immediately sighted an opportunity of telling his story to Nigerians to rally support for him.

Olumide Thompson, was born on 26th October, 1991 and started his elementary education at Salas Nursery and Primary school, Akure. While he was in Nursery two(II), he lost his mother to child labour complications. He was raised by his father before he remarried years later.

He finished his primary and secondary education against all odds and applied for a four year course at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-ife. The admission came through. His excitement about the admission and the zest for studying his choicest course, English and Literary studies could be felt. Before he began his registration and orientation, he had already composed a number of poems.

During one of my visit to his block 'J', room 2 allotted space in the Angola hall of residence, I read some of his poetic expressions and was gobsmacked at his choice of words. I also remembered he taught me responses to some OAU chants like: Of the greatest Ife! Great!
Articulate Ife!! Articulate!!
Ever conscious Ife!!! Ever conscious!!!

Olumide, 27, was doing fairly well on campus until he started having some unpalatable experiences and began to be faced with huge financial difficulties. His real problem then commenced towards the tail end of the Harmattan semester of his third year when he suffered a chronic neurosis. He was however taken away for care. He missed his first semester's examination and automatically had an extra semester. Few months after, he was back on his feet and picked up his academic work from where he stopped.

After my Youth Service, we met again and he told me he will be applying for the mandatory one year Scheme soon and before the waiting period elapsed, he suffered yet another attack, now with a deranged and more distorted view of reality. Though, he still recognises people around, he is neither wild nor violent and still speaks calmly like he used to, but he is obviously not in his right state of mind.

The pathetic part of his story is that he is just a poor boy for himself alone. His father, according to a close relative, is clueless about what to do.

Olumide is a brilliant chap that must not be lost to psychosis. He speaks correct English that is void of jargons.

It is universally acknowledged that humanity is widely respected for its quality of being benevolent. As a result, I call on the good countrymen to help rescue Olumide back to sanity. He needs urgent rehabilitation as well as your prayers.

Lets treat him as if he was what he ought to be, and assist him to become what he is capable of being.

And to everyone reading;
No parent will loose his/her children to lunacy; they will have no reason to grief over any of their offsprings; None of us will loose our mind (both young and old) in Jesus name!
Amen!