EDEN BENIBO
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EDEN BENIBO

Writer, Story teller & thought Leader

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Monthly Archives

April 2020

AloudArticlesEXPRESS~SHUNPublicitySalted Words

Where Will The Homeless Stay During This Lockdown?- Jegede Joseph

by Joseph Jegede April 29, 2020

Under the bridge, in street corners, on doorways, in free public spaces then to waking up before dawn to use cheap public bathrooms or opt for open defecation – this is what shelter means to the homeless.

After this ritual, the older ones disappear into the street to find their daily bread, mainly a day’s job and survive on it proceeds, living the lyrics of the song “One Day E Go Beta”. But how will they cope in a time like this? Who caters for their welfare during this lockdown?

At nightfall, the homeless are the direct receivers of moonlight, they know the rhythm of the night, sometimes they are comforted by stargazing which ends in ecstatic sleep, they shiver through cold nights, juggle through shattered umbrellas and blankets, they camp in uncompleted buildings and hide under thin bushels on rainy days, while some have no choice but to be drenched.

Image By: Joshua Oluwagbemiga

Since the lockdown, public toilets are hardly functional, public spaces are rarely open and the most important aspect, Survival. How do they survive with no money, no job, no loads to carry? The streets of Lagos are empty, no hustling and bustling, no one to beg from, they just sit and watch with hands akimbo.

How are they handling hunger, how many of them will be reached by the palliative measures of the government? From those reached so far, how many can be sustained in a time like this? How about those with school-aged children with no access to electricity, the internet or Tv for online classes? Can we just neglect this section of the society and keep silent?

Image By: Oshomah Abubakar

According to data published by the World Bank in 2018, Nigeria has a housing deficit of 17 million units and about 108 million homeless Nigerians, these figures include those displaced by natural disasters, violence and poverty. These are Nigerians who also believe in the Nigerian dream, families raising children that will lead us someday. Yet, we are very far from addressing this issue. As of 2018, Nigeria provides less than 100,000 housing units per year as against the 700,000 advised by experts.

Image By: Namnso Ukpanah

There is a huge challenge for the homeless in Lagos. As one of the 3 States experiencing total lockdown for over 4 weeks, there is a need for more people to get involved in helping the destitute and homeless around us. We can expand the words of Chief Obafemi Awolowo that “The children of the poor you failed to train will never let your children have peace” for the homeless we fail to help today will make peace far from us in the days to come.

This is not an article that plans to stop at extolling our challenges and weaknesses in helping the homeless, it goes beyond numbers or government actions and inactions on this issue, it is a call to reach out as individuals to the homeless in a time like this. We need to answer the question – How will the homeless survive during this lockdown?

How can you help the homeless during this lockdown?

Acknowledge and Engage:
We need to admit the fact that there are homeless people around us, and they need our help no matter how small it is. It is about being deliberate, rather than tagging them as beggars, we should get involved.

Use your skills to get involved
Many are really interested in helping the homeless but they don’t know how to help or where to help from. We need to start with what we have, volunteer to teach them new skills while remembering to keep social distancing, help them with what we have – cook good food for them and with them if possible, help them mend their clothes, provide them with necessary information.

Be ready to help anytime
One of the greatest gifts we can give others is the gift of time, we need to be willing and ready to help the homeless anytime we see they are in need. Most of the time our own convenience is not suitable for them. So we need to go the extra mile.

Ask Questions
We need to ask where they need help and not just assume, one of my voluntary outreach to the homeless went sour as the food we provided was rejected, because we fail to ask the right questions about their needs before going for the outreach.

Image By: Babatunde Olajide

Donations
We need to give too! Donations are not just about money. We can give other things – food supplies, household goods, medical supplies, and information. Information is one of the reasons some are homeless, they need to know about the latest housing scheme or other organizations focused on helping the homeless.
Donations to organizations helping the homeless in a time like this will go a long way.

Don’t give up after one bad experience
This is very important, especially when we have experienced hostile homeless people. Some of them are just scared of how they will be treated, we need to be seen as someone they can trust.

Advocate For Affordable Housing
Join the campaign for cheaper housing, the average conducive apartment in Lagos is between N150,000 and N200,000 and other levy by house owners and caretakers. We need to join the campaign.

Image By: Ouinuchi Ejiohuo

Safety first while helping out
In a time of this pandemic, it is very important to obey health regulations and other safety rules in helping the homeless.

We need to get involved, we need be part of those putting smiles on people’s faces.

By: Jegede Joseph,

Lagos, Nigeria.

April 29, 2020 6 comments
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AloudEXPRESS~SHUNPoetrySalted Words

A Beautiful Mess

by Leke Aderinola April 15, 2020

Beautiful Humanity is a
Beautiful slave and we are
Beautifully Ignorant.
Beautifully mundane,
we want to be like gods,
Beautifully we are not.
Beautifully we find reason to struggle and destroy one another,
Beautifully we Stand as one when faced with a common enemy,
Beautifully we all serve an higher power,
Beautifully we live like we never die but
Beautifully we do.
What a creature we Beautifully are..

#myexpressions
Aderinola Leke

April 15, 2020 11 comments
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AloudEXPRESS~SHUNPoetrySalted Words

THE ROUGH PATH

by Fale Derek April 11, 2020

The 50,000 feet tower high towards the heavens
With two tendered windows made at the top temple
By which the ray once shined through
From its foundation, basking in the light of darkeness
Grovelling in condemned witness
Opened to weathers in difference
Yet, hoping in one day fortress
Out of a million seconds extent
Help she yelled, out in silence
Often better than not, no excellence
Schools of thought gave their views
Some tagged her to be melanin good
Out they see, but lack the in look
We all hope that one day, once again, heavens will spark in smiles
And make her dark days in bright.

–

Derek

April 11, 2020 5 comments
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AloudArticlesEXPRESS~SHUNPoetryQuotesSalted Words

On Covid- 19: They Say Life is A Teacher || I Say Take Note

by Eden Benibo April 8, 2020

First things first. How are you? Sadly, it’s been a while here, but trust you’ve been pulling through. Keeping afloat in a world flooded with so many ‘this and that’.

Trust you’ve been- Staying safe. Staying clean. Staying hydrated. Staying at home. And most of all staying happy.
I know telling you to stay happy in times like this may seem absurd. But I insist. Please, stay happy

-because being sad won’t change a thing.
-because staying happy is everything.
-and finally, because wearing a ‘proper’ smile from the heart will serve as a bullet proof for guarding your health, your peace, and your ‘everything and more’. However, putting on a fake smile is simply what it is- a mask. Making you resemble the same things you frown at…(story for another day).

Just for emphasis
Staying safe- Why?

-because I need you. I do. Having you read my works and allowing them get to your heart to leave positive footprints, gives me fulfilment untold.

– because you need me. Yup!😊
– because we all need each other.
-because we are all that we have.

Now To The Matter

Still, baffling! That in a jiffy, the world is put to a stand still. Everything we’ve always lived for. Our businesses. Our daily ambitions. Our daily lives, all seemingly paused.
Well, this article isn’t to fuel your fears by going on and on with the ever alarming statistics and all what we already know are the negatives of the times we are in.

This, is simply a gentle call for us to breathe. Pay attention. Listen, and read the handwritings on the wall.
“During each disaster, we have to invent a magnificent tomorrow.
Always, be ready to pickup the stars during the dark.”- Amirah Writer/Friend

I strongly agree with the quote- “there’s a light at the end of the tunnel”, but it’s high time we realized that the LIGHT is you. Me. Us. The makeup of our world. When we get sick, so will our world. And when we heal, our world heals also. I bet you now better understand the phrase – ‘we are the world.’

Before Now

All these years of existence, we (our world) kept moving in such a fast pace. Daily, we woke up to changes. New innovations. New technologies. New thought patterns; birthing ‘refined humans’ constantly trying to keep up with the trends. To keep up with life. Maybe in this race, our beings got modified too. Our ability to pause. To listen. To feel. To be human. Maybe, just maybe the world grew too cold. The clouds got full

And COVID- 19 stormed
a world where anxiety has no color and fear has no race…

And for the first time (in a long time) the world paused. To breathe, after all these years of panting ‘to meet up’ with many things inexplicable. Running within its own circles. The world paused. A break time to: – reconnect with our God/our families/ourselves

-understand our essence
– relearn how to listen
-relearn kindness
-reframe our priorities
-broaden our perspectives
Noting the very things that matter, in all.

Do not talk about ‘heal the world’ without speaking about healing ourselves…

P.S: The power of words in times like this cannot be overemphasized. As we continue to share the statistics of death. Let’s endeavor to share life too.
I’m currently working on a collection… To be a part of it, kindly forward just 2 lines of hope/life on the current pandemic to [email protected]
You don’t have to be a “writer” to be part of this… 2 lines😘 links to published works will be forwarded via email.
.
More to come on this space: edenbenibo.com
-a duet on Covid- 19 by a new ‘writer friend’ and I.
-forthcoming article- On Covid- 19 and The Roles of Communication in Our Lives. (To be published by Etu Odi Communication)
.
Stay tuned
Stay Safe

Much love,
Eden

April 8, 2020 18 comments
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About Me

About Me

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Eden Benibo is a writer, story teller and thought leader whose works revolve around positivity, . . . Read More

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