You Are Not Alone: The Nigerian Story By Martins Richard Ugbegu
Let me tell you a story.
It’s a story of pain, a story of loss, and a story of fear. But it’s not a sad story.
At this moment in time, many citizens of Nigeria have lost so much. Some have lost their families, some their homes, others their friends. But the majority have lost their peace of mind.
A mother has lost her sleep and peace because she still remembers holding the lifeless body of her son just minutes after celebrating with him. A student is too scared to journey home for the holidays because the roads aren’t safe. A father has lost his grip on reality after losing everything he loved.
They might not speak out, but they all have something to say.
For many Nigerians, insecurity is no longer something seen on social media. It is personal, and it is staring them right in the face.
This is the Nigerian story.
In the life of every Nigerian right now is a bitter memory. We have always had our struggles as a people, something that ends up bringing us together as a nation. We are indeed in tough times, and as always, we have adapted to them.
There is a phrase: “Tough times never last, but tough people do.” This phrase has held true until now. We can barely close our eyes at night without wondering if our streets are the next target of these insurgents. A student cannot rest easy in school because his or her mind is at home, wondering if his or her parents are safe, if their siblings are alright in their schools.
Assuming these threats we face came only from outside sources, it would not be a problem at all. But how do you explain being targeted and shot down by the very institutions that were created to serve and protect your rights?
Our shops are not safe. Our homes are not safe. Our churches are not safe. Even our schools are not safe. We are not safe.
But still, we wake up every morning to go to these places because what other choice do we have?
We leave home every day to go to work. We wake up our children every day for school. We pack our bags, dust our feet, and get ready for the day, even if it means it might be our last. But still, what other choice do we have?
The usual noise of activities in our streets is no longer there because we are all filled with fear, and the only sounds we hear are the echoes of the thoughts we push down in our heads, saying, “What if I am next?”
There is only one thing keeping us going, and it is definitely not our government. It is our shared faith in God and our strong belief in a better tomorrow. Whether the majority agrees with me or not, I know we all believe that one day we will step out of our homes without fear of death or harassment.
During an academic activity in school, I realized a burdensome truth, and that is that we have all undergone one terrible experience. In a room of about 50 people, 40 of us had something to say when we were asked, “Have you ever been a victim of insecurity?”
I was not shocked by this. In fact, it seemed normal. Even out of the remaining 10, they also have their stories, but they are too painful to share.
In times like this, we often feel alone, and we carry our burdens by ourselves. This should not be so.
Nigerians have a habit of normalizing suffering. We have been conditioned to mask our emotional distress and ” hustle through ” it. It may seem like the Nigerian way, but is this really the way we want to live for the next generation of Nigerians?
Recently, there was news of terrorist activities being foiled by the police in Lagos.
Now, that is my home. As a student far away from home, my heart is still with my family.
When I first heard the news, I was shaken. It is true what they say: you never really feel the pain of the victims until the trouble is close to you.
There is no night I do not pray for the safety of my family, no morning I do not pray for their peace. I carry this fear within me all alone. I did not tell any of my friends. Why? I just felt they would not ‘care’.
Often, we ask ourselves if anybody understands what we go through. The answer is ‘yes’ – more people than you think. Millions of Nigerians understand these struggles because they have lived them too.
It’s now, more than ever, we need to stand together and support one another. It is time we care for each other. It may feel like you are alone in your pain, but I assure you, you are not alone.
We are with you.
I use WE because you have your story, and I have mine.
What then is the Nigerian story?
It is the story of a nation’s resilience, a nation’s rise in the midst of hard times. It is a story of shared pain. Some stories are visible; some stories are hidden. Some involve loss; others involve survival.
Yes, sad things happen, but that doesn’t make our story sad. It just makes it incomplete.
This is just the beginning of our story, and it will not end like this. The next chapter is ours to write.
Stay strong and survive.
About the Author
Martins Richard Ugbegu is a law student in the Faculty of Law, Delta State University, Oleh Campus. A native of Oleh in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State, he is based in Lagos, Nigeria.
A passionate writer from an early age, Martins has always found expression through words. During his secondary school years, he wrote Wild Dreams, a work of fiction completed as part of a literature project, marking an early milestone in his writing journey.
Beyond academics, Martins is actively involved in leadership and campus politics. He serves as the Head of Administration of Growth Opportunities, an Executive Assistant to the Southern League Leader, and is holding various leadership responsibilities within the university community.
His interests include writing, listening to music, and spending time in fellowship with God. With a strong passion for justice, leadership, and advocacy, Martins aspires to become a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), contributing meaningfully to the legal profession and society.
“You Are Not Alone: The Nigerian Story” By Martins Richard Ugbegu is a Guest Post on PositiveNaija.
