A New Year's Day Full of Unexpected Blessings

Down here in Nigeria, the new year is always a joyous day with loads of celebration, sharing of food between neighbors, dancing, and making merry. This year's celebration didn't disappoint, despite being during a time when there's loads of hardship. Everyone in my neighborhood made it one to remember, and today I'll love to tell you how my new year's day went.

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The first seconds, minutes, and hours of the new year met me in the church. Yeah, that's literally where most new year's days meet me, and this year's own was no different. After the church service, I walked home. Even though my house was pretty far from church, there was no means of transportation anywhere around, but the street was filled with people who were either also just leaving the church, the mosque, or just chilling around the street.

There was a loud noise of music in almost every street, and when I finally arrived home, I once again thanked my maker for the privilege to witness another year after which I slept. My plan for this day was to go celebrate the new year with some of my relatives who live not too far from my place at Ijebu Ode, but something unexpected came up in the morning before I could leave.

So in the morning, while I was bathing and preparing to leave for my relatives place, I got a knock on my door, and I had to quickly tidy up to know who it was. On getting to the door, I realized my landlady had sent one of her grandchildren to bring me small chops and fruit juices to step down before the actual food arrived, and I thanked them before going back to prepare for my journey, for which I had already put on my clothes ready to travel.

Within the next 5 minutes that's left for me to leave the house, I had nothing less than 7 knocks on my door, and each time I open the door, it's someone who's bringing me new year food. While I'm thankful for the kind gesture, it's like a barrier to my anticipated journey.

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To cut a long story short, before 10 a.m., I had received around 8 plates of food, which comprised a variety of different dishes, from white rice to jollof and fried, swallowed like pounded yam, and egusi soup with a lot of meat.

Staring at the food, I know there's no way I can travel with all of this meal, except I want to waste it, which I don't think is an idea, so I came up with a plan to start giving Mr. A food to Mr. D and Mr. D food to Mr. B, and vice versa, until it'll all be given out completely. Well, I couldn't achieve that, I could only give out 4, and I had to just eat what I've left and then warm the other one to be eating at a later time or by the following day.

It's a funny incident that I can't be angry about, despite the fact that it affected my plans. I had to call my relatives and inform them I couldn't come again that very day and would have to come the next day. Even though they were surprised, I explained what brought about the change of plans, and they understood.

But if it were in my power, I would have loved to just spend the new year's day around my relatives. Even if there won't be food, the joy of being around your family is beyond what some special gifts and food can give. Well, that's how my new year's day went, and by the following day, I had traveled down to my relatives place as a reschedule.


Thanks so much for your time, have a wonderful year ahead.


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31 comments
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Bang, I did it again... I just rehived your post!
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!BEER
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Oh! New Year’s Day met you in church? I thought you said you don’t go to church. Well, I didn’t go to church that day due to some reasons. Unlike you, no one brought food to my doorstep. My neighbors are selfish oo.😂

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Lols you better don't too take me serious, was joking then, or you want mum to disappear to my side and knock my head for not going to church, especially on new year day.

Tell us the truth, you took your neighbours children food and they've not forgotten about it.😂

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In the new year, food distribution system sounds good and I liked the idea but in my place there nothing happen that kind of thing in new year day.
!PIZZA

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Oh it's the case here, every year people share food among themselves regardless of the race or religion.

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Heh, what a foodful new year 😁.
I understand that love and kind gestures shown towards neighbours by bringing food to your house, I've experienced that act a lot in my former resident but currently where I am, it's a mind your business kind of estate😅.

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Lols it was indeed foodful day on this new year day for me.

It seems not all neighbourhood indulge in this act, but I'm a fan of it.

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(Edited)

Hmmm, New year also met me in the church and I also attend in the morning, omog see enjoyment after church but no one surprised me with something but we were about to go out before we had a visitors and that stop us not to go out again but we had a nice fun with all of our family members, your landlady surprised you, hmmm see enjoyment oooooooh congratulations boss, God bless her. Lol👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌

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Oh that's great to know you had a great day even though there wasn't a gift from anyone.

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That was enjoyment pro max on a new year day, you are in plenty and still had much to share without cooking.

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Abi na, despite not cooking I had enough to share to others around me.

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Whoa! Did you spend New Year's Day in church? You said, I believed, that you are not a churchgoer. Well, there were a few reasons why I didn't attend church that day. No one delivered meals to my door, unlike you.

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Hahaha I joke alot because most people believe if you don't go to church, then you're a sinner.

I do attend new year and other Sundays and when I don't I watch programs online.

Seems your neighbours are broke o.

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So you created an exchange of food, which means you are good to your neighbors, some people did not see a cup of water because of their behavior, keep being yourself, this speaks a lot about you.

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Smile, I don't really talk to most of them, but I'm best of friend to most of their children and always buy them snacks whenever I'm coming from work.

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The food drama is always an interesting one during New years. This was always done when I lived in Kaduna but I don't know why, it stopped when we relocated to the east.

Thank you for sharing

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That's serious, I expect it to be even more common in east that far north in Kaduna.

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That is definitely new year for you

Lots and lots of food to be shared and received
My mom has this habit If giving people things on normal days
She is a giver and some days it's annoying because she will deprive us just to satisfy another(outsider).

So when it is new year, we get tons of goodies and appreciation for her kind gestures.

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Hahaha I mum does same and while we feel bad, we ripe the benefits at the end of the year, because each house we take food to gives us but gift and cash.

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Haaa....see this guy. Instead of telling me to come celebrate with you. These food were too much for you oo. Omo. Your New Year went well, obviously.

I love the new year especially when it's 12 am and you are dismissed from church. As you walk to your house, even if it's far, you won't mind because of how everywhere would be light up with songs, bangers, people going and coming, gisting and sharing plans up and down. Till you get home, you won't know you have walked such a long distance journey. That was a beautiful celebration for you.

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Yea that's true about new year day, everywhere is always boobling and lively despite the odd time.

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You're a good tenant... It's simply means you pay your house rent in due time. That was the reason your landlady remembered you.
Keep it up

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Hahaha good tenant indeed, well we hardly have issues between us.

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so I came up with a plan to start giving Mr. A food to Mr. D and Mr. D food to Mr. B, and vice versa,

This was a smart one, it would be ungrateful to make those food go to waste.

Nigerians, especially down south, really take festive seasons to heart, that food is what forms a strong bond between them in their immediate society.🤣

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As in ehn we take it so serious, but then I love it because it's one of those times people live religion and race put differences aside.

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Honestly, just like football be it world cup or any other international tournaments, people drop whatever supreme identity they think they have to watch the game together. It actually shows that humans are their own problems.😅

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