Tricky question right? Ever wondered how the streets of Lagos became so rowdy with beggars? Have you ever thought of who started it? Do think begging is slowly becoming a profession?
You don’t have to answer the above questions right now but like the bible says come lets reason together. Follow me and let me take you into a world of psychological intelligence and rhetorical jargons.
I was in a conversation with a friend the other day and he said that beggars don’t like being ignored they would rather you tell them you don’t have money, facts from the news room my friends, can you imagine. Picture this am rushing to work on a Monday morning to hustle for my daily bread and this person is on the streets begging from my sweat, when he/she is capable of working himself. Why in God’s name should I give him a glance, when all that’s in my head is how to cater for my family and i.
Trust me when I say if this goes on, very soon there would be a section in the constitution for beggars; very soon an association would come up demanding rights for beggars. Please do not misinterpret my opinion for hatred towards the underprivileged but again should beggars be called underprivileged; who are the underprivileged?
Why should a woman with kids who is capable of working and has no ailment, diseases or defect be out on the streets begging, she is not only making her kids suffer she is encouraging them and educating them on how to beg for a living.
I want us to pride ourselves in Nigeria, in Africa as a whole to say NO; NO to mediocrity, to say NO to people carrying our burdens or lifting our weaknesses and start fighting our own battles.
Let beggars start working, lets live with the mentality of where there is life there’s hope. The child on the streets cleaning wind screens of cars for money does it so he’s not labeled a beggar. I remember a game I used to play as a child;” rich, poor, beggar, thief”; even at that young age we knew there was a difference in being poor and being a beggar.
I believe the poor are the underprivileged and to them we owe our christianly duty, they are around us so let’s show compassion towards them.
So my fellow Nigerians it is not for me to tell you what to do but for me to end by saying “IT IS IN OUR WEAKNESSES WE FIND OUR STRENGTH”. Adios!
