TakingITGlobal - Panorama - The State of...

Published on: Sep 13, 2004

Topic:

Type: Short Stories

https://www.tigweb.org/express/panorama/article.html?ContentID=4305

Once upon a time, there was a Nigerian boy who was fed and cared for by his parents, he grew and finished high school and was still cared for by his parents and fed about 3 square meals daily. He finished university and went to work for a year then quit. He came back to his house and the parents still cared for him, but he started eating twice daily with one meat, he stayed one year at home at it reduced to without meat.

On his second year without gaining employment the parents started giving him food once in a day and on the third year feeling the circumstances and situation he went to search for an opportunity, he searched and searched but could not see any vacancy. Finally, he went to a zoo not far from the city to look for work. He met the zoo manager and asked the man if there were any vacancies for him to work because he has made up his mind to take any available job that he saw in order to feed and look nice. The zoo manager did not look at him but told him that all vacancy is filled up. The boy pleaded with the man, begged him even, for the post of a gardener or the commonest job there but the man said that there is no vacancy.

Then the boy decided to leave. Suddenly, the zoo manager remembered that their monkey has died and that they needed another monkey to replace it, he asked the boy if he can perform and act like a monkey, the boy said that he will be able to do anything provided he will pay him.

So, the zoo manager accepted the boy and trained him in his new profession and he started work in the zoo immediately and he was paid N30, 000 as the starting salary per month and he gave his family some of the money an they started providing him with food again but he wouldn’t have the time again to eat.

One day, the boy as he was acting and entertaining some zoo visitors acting as a monkey he mistakenly fell into the lion’s cage. Immediately, the lion rushed to eat him up, roared then the boy jumped up, took out him monkey's voice and cried, "Ohafia Leee!!!" The lion on hearing his cry jumped back, cooled down as if coming to retaliate used a lower tune and asked the boy “Are you from Ohafia?” On hearing the lion speak the boy replied "Elu Ohafia Udumeze" Immediately they exchanged greetings and in order for them not to lose their jobs suggested ideas of how to get out of the cage.

The lion rushed and helped the monkey who found his way out of the cage immediately. The people were very excited and happy - some even paid more to watch the scene.

*This story illustrates the face of unemployment in Nigeria, my country, a place were human beings act like animals in other to be fed and employed.

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by Henry Ekwuruke
Published on: Sep 13, 2004
Topic:
Type: Short Stories
https://www.tigweb.org/express/panorama/article.html?ContentID=4305


Once upon a time, there was a Nigerian boy who was fed and cared for by his parents, he grew and finished high school and was still cared for by his parents and fed about 3 square meals daily. He finished university and went to work for a year then quit. He came back to his house and the parents still cared for him, but he started eating twice daily with one meat, he stayed one year at home at it reduced to without meat. On his second year without gaining employment the parents started giving him food once in a day and on the third year feeling the circumstances and situation he went to search for an opportunity, he searched and searched but could not see any vacancy. Finally, he went to a zoo not far from the city to look for work. He met the zoo manager and asked the man if there were any vacancies for him to work because he has made up his mind to take any available job that he saw in order to feed and look nice. The zoo manager did not look at him but told him that all vacancy is filled up. The boy pleaded with the man, begged him even, for the post of a gardener or the commonest job there but the man said that there is no vacancy. Then the boy decided to leave. Suddenly, the zoo manager remembered that their monkey has died and that they needed another monkey to replace it, he asked the boy if he can perform and act like a monkey, the boy said that he will be able to do anything provided he will pay him. So, the zoo manager accepted the boy and trained him in his new profession and he started work in the zoo immediately and he was paid N30, 000 as the starting salary per month and he gave his family some of the money an they started providing him with food again but he wouldn’t have the time again to eat. One day, the boy as he was acting and entertaining some zoo visitors acting as a monkey he mistakenly fell into the lion’s cage. Immediately, the lion rushed to eat him up, roared then the boy jumped up, took out him monkey's voice and cried, "Ohafia Leee!!!" The lion on hearing his cry jumped back, cooled down as if coming to retaliate used a lower tune and asked the boy “Are you from Ohafia?” On hearing the lion speak the boy replied "Elu Ohafia Udumeze" Immediately they exchanged greetings and in order for them not to lose their jobs suggested ideas of how to get out of the cage. The lion rushed and helped the monkey who found his way out of the cage immediately. The people were very excited and happy - some even paid more to watch the scene. *This story illustrates the face of unemployment in Nigeria, my country, a place were human beings act like animals in other to be fed and employed. « return.