CNF - The Price of Silence

Government workers in Nigerian institutions have not been paid really well; chaos everywhere. The ASUU chairman decried that there is no going back on the strike action.

Students ran helter-skelter, looking for the fastest bus to travel home. Immediately, there were hikes in bus prices.

Students lamented because of the high cost of bus fares. I myself persuaded the bus conductor to reduce the fare just so I could get my luggage on the bus.

The struggle was real.

Placards here and there, ASUU members demonstrating, shouting, "We no go gree o, we no go gree!"

Prices of things are becoming too high for us the masses. The Students' Union began to post on different groups: "Don't pay any driver who doesn't collect ₦1,000 from mini campus to the park."

I smiled as I said to myself, "Me, who already paid ₦1,500 to save myself all this stress." This was when I was halfway home.

At home, Mum and Dad welcomed me.

Mum said, "So if not for the strike, you wouldn't come home, abi?" I replied, "Do you want me to go back to school?"

"Oya, go back to school," Dad said.

"No problem; bills are on you, sir."

"He he hey! See this boy o," he said. "Go and meet your mum or use your savings."

"Savings? Me? Students don't have savings in school."

We all gigled!!!

Soon we were in the sitting room.

"Go and shower," "our last born said. "You stink."

Ouch!!! That hit me hard. "Mum, can you hear your younger daughter? She has gotten some nerves."

"Lol. Mum, don't you know that you are supposed to take your bath?"

"So you have decided to tackle me for coming back home."

Hmmmm!

"No problem, I am off to the bathroom."

After a nice shower, I was finally able to eat the yam and egg Mum had prepared for me, after which I slept off.

I woke up the following morning and it was as if there was sleep I hadn't caught up on.

I slept again.

I woke up around 2 p.m.

"Phamzy, your food is in the cooler."

"Okay, Ma," I replied.

I went to freshen up before heading to the kitchen.

So, in the evening of that day, we chatted and dined as a family.

The next morning, when I woke up, I could barely move my body. It was like I was locked in.

Soon I regained movement.

I ate my breakfast and zoomed off for a job hunt.

Mum and Dad had left earlier for their workplaces.

I was in a tricycle that day, along the Epe–Ijebu-Ode axis.

I can't really say what happened, but I know that I was involved in an accident. My leg was also broken.

At the hospital, I called Mum and explained everything to her!

"Ha!" she exclaimed. "I didn't know that you needed a job. I didn't know that you were going for an interview. I didn't know... Why didn't you tell me?"

Immediately, she scolded me before coming over to the hospital with my Dad.

It was really painful.

I told her that I could not bear staying at home alone while everyone was out working.

She was really annoyed. She said, "Had it been that I had known, I would not have had you travel all the way here."

"Mum! I am really sorry; I should have told you."

The doctor said that I was supposed to have surgery. But because of infection, a reduction after the skin had granulated would suffice. We ended up spending more than two hundred thousand naira for a mistake that I made.

According to Nurse Tope, one of the orthopedic nurses, he said that I should go home for now in order to save costs, which I did.

At home, he came to clean my injured leg and give me the medications prescribed by the doctor, some of which were calcium supplements and pain relief drugs.

It was during this period that I understood the difference between bone pain and skin pain.

After a month or so, he decided to do the final image-guided reduction, after which he applied a fiberglass cast.

It was painful, but I had to endure.

A day or two later, he used a medical saw meant for cutting casts to create a channel for the wounds to be cared for.

I learnt my lesson.

I thank God that I didn't die or lose my leg, and I have also come to value my life more than before.

Thanks for reading.

Thanks @ecency, and @theinkwell

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