The Line You Should Never Cross as You Plan Your Future

Day 13 Theme: Ambition

I was in class one day when my General Studies lecturer, triggered by an event that morning decided to narrate to us all, a true-life event that happened in the same school, some years back. One that had bewildered many.

It was the story of a girl from a very poor background. She got into campus, full of life and a strong desire to shed her stifling and embarrassing background. To live the life that had been denied her from birth. It was a chance to be free; to create her own story, not what life had so harshly forced on her by no fault of hers at all.

She met a strange company of people and deliberately decides to stick with them and was living the big-girls lifestyle. The one she had dreamed of.

Everything about her began to change. She was recreating herself, repackaging, rebranding. This lady whom we shall call Mmesoma for the sake of the narrative began to withdraw from her family until even they, far from campus began to suspect that something was awfully wrong. So, off went her mother to the school hostel, where her daughter had initially told her she was staying- Mary Slessor Hall to begin her search and enquire after her well being.

She got to the hostel and started asking questions? “Mmesoma?” came the replies. “Who didn’t know her?!” So, hopefully, she waited. When Mmeso was informed that “her mother” was looking for her outside the hostel, she stormed off to answer the call in anger…after denying to her roommates that the shabby looking woman they described could never be from the high-class family she always described to them.

She went outside with her little supporter’s group, ready to witness the exchange, she, ready to pounce on the impersonator. “Mmeso”, the woman greeted in joy.

“Who are you, and who are you looking for” was the disdainful answer.

The exchange continued, the woman calling her by name and she with disgust and impatience denying knowing her or anybody so shabby. “My mom could never look like you, so old and haggard. You look like a cleaner. How do you even know my name?”

This cycle ran for close to fifteen minutes. The woman claiming and calling her daughter’s name in shock, the lady denying and insulting her. Of course, people gathered. The Hostel portal was out too but no one could stop the harsh derogatory words pouring out of Mmeso. It was like she had waited years to lash out at the woman, or maybe the background she represented.

To say the poor woman was shocked would be like saying the rain is always wet when it falls. To say, she was embarrassed would be saying nothing impressive. Soon, the woman could say no more except for crying as Mmeso dished out her commentary.

Finally, Mmeso turned to leave and her weeping mother called her one last time, picked up dust and cursed her, “Mmesoma, as long as there is sand on the earth, it will never be well with you!”

The people around cringed. This was a part of the culture so well known, its consequences widely shown in movies but here they were witnessing it in reality. They tried to placate the woman but Mmeso’s mocking unperturbed laughter as she walked back in rung like crunching gravel.

Still weeping, the woman shook off her consolers to clench her breasts continuing, “As long as these were the same breast you sucked, nothing you do will prosper!” Then, she proceeded to shout after Mmeso never to return home.

I listened to that story and my heart grieved for the woman. Whether the story was made up or not, we cannot deny that things like this happen. It also got me analyzing that day.

I wondered how far as an individual I would be willing to get what I want. What price would I be willing to pay to get the desires of my heart? Mmeso’s case is only out of thousands.

She must have gone through a lot to hate poverty or anything related to it that much. She chose to give up her family to create a better reputation and to humiliate her mother to keep her facade from cracking.

Humans over time have proven that with the force of their will, there’s no ambition, no vision too great to achieve. Heck, some persons once decided to construct a building that would go right into space and God himself affirmed that their crazy-sounding decision was feasible if he let them alone. How incredible!

You’ve may have made plans, written down your long term and short term goals, your vision and mission statement very carefully pasted everywhere around your house to remind you of them.

You may have a top ten list of things to achieve before you’re thirty or fifty…or whatever too. They are all good. In short, you should have stuff like these if you don’t already do.

But I want you to analyze with me how far you’re willing to go. How far have you already gone to get achieve them?

These desires of yours, yes you, “What’s your boundary?”

Nothing comes free. To receive ANYTHING, SOMETHING must be given.

Mmeso gave up her family for her reputation.

Some will give up their friends for a connection.

Some will trample on others for influence.

The assassinations, ritual killings kidnapping, prostitution, human traffickings, drug pushing, lies, frauds, identity thefts, murders, cartels, cult groups, are all means to the ambitions of many. It doesn’t matter how well-meaning that vision is, the end does not justify the means!

I wish to say too that these sacrifices/prices are not always negative.

Some give up their laziness for their dreams. Some, their fears, their pride, their sleep, their eating habits. Others will sacrifice their time to learn, to train, the list goes on.

The end does not justify the means

There will always be two sides of a coin, two paths to achieving your dreams. You must be careful. Choose wisely. Beware that any seed you plant, you will surely reap. Every decision you make, you will dance to the tune of its consequence.

This is not just the law of nature. It’s the law of God.