ALLOW US TO BE FRANK by Obaya Egume

In an age where social media is the order of the day, everything is practically at the tip of our fingers. Any information you need on any topic at all is waiting to be plucked from the vast garden of the web.
However, there is a downside.

We are fast becoming an apathetic society. It is almost as if with each day that passes by, we lose a little bit of what makes us human.
We ‘lol’ to almost everything. Be it someone crying, dying..name it. We are also very quick to give way to anger. We have suddenly all become cyber high court judges as well.

The world is tough enough as it is. The economy isn’t getting any better. The least we can do is to be there for each other.
When last did we pick up the phone to just call and say hi to someone we are not in a relationship with?
“Hey, good day. How are you feeling today?”
“Fine.”
That is the general answer. We move on.

But he isn’t fine. She is going through a lot. No one is saying anything. Even when you are standing face to face, everyone says they are fine. No one is saying the truth.
Nobody wants to be an object of laughter because, well, he has no job but you see him every day on Facebook ‘keeping up appearances’.

She is searching for a mate but doesn’t want to be called cheap so she sees someone she likes and looks the other way because he has not made a move towards her.
His rent is due. Her pad is finished and she is broke. He is confused and doesn’t want to cry. She is a working class woman and a mother of three.
Heavens! The pressure
We just want to be calm to be fine. We want someone to have our back and tell us we would be alright.

Then the cliques, oh lawd! The cliques.
Everybody wants to identify with a cause; you want to be left alone. You want to live your life in peace. Treat others the way you would want to be treated.
Oh no! How dare you not identify with our cause? Who the hell do you think you are? You have no right to your individuality.
We believe in uniqueness as long as it is according to our rules.
We have a right to demand freedom and change from the world. You do not have a right to demand freedom and change from us.

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Facebook- Bismark Ekenedilichukwu Benson

Is it not enough? Don’t we all get tired of the whole façade?
Sometimes, we long for comfort in the arms of a stranger because the ones who love us would take us for granted and make our worries heavier.
“Is it not just…”, they begin to say with impetuousness, oblivious to the pain in your eyes.
The eye says a lot you know. We all look but have forgotten how to see.

You: “How are you?”
Person: “I am fine.”
Eye: “This hurts so much. My heart is breaking apart. I am so ashamed of myself right now. I can’t bring myself to ask for help. I need to be held. I need to breakdown in tears. I wish to end it all.”

We need to be more sensitive.
Bashing folks online, bullying them because they do not agree with our cause is wrong. Do not force your belief on me and I will respect you.
Many at times, we are a few steps away from the edge. All we need is love and care. We need hope
We are fast becoming robots.
Always plugged in, desperately waiting for the next update, gist, tea, just name it.

We are getting more connected every day to the rest of the world while getting disconnected from ourselves and the world around us.
We are fast becoming an apathetic society with cyber bullying as the order of the day.
Make a move. Change starts with you. It is true.

“How are you?”
“Fine?”
“Tell me the truth, I am listening. ”

Oghenekevbe Egume works as a customer care representative in the bank. He is a foodie who describes himself as ‘unseriously serious’.