Long before you were born, I always had a father and mother; then a brother and later sisters. When I was man enough, I married my wife -your mum and we bore a son. The only thing missing was a daughter.

The ladies had several times broken my heart and left me with knives of pains buried deep inside my heart, but I always wore my heart break beneath my sleeves concealing it with smiles on my lips. I broke hearts too and I bet you, men will always break hearts just as ladies will continue. Now you complete me and I laugh at all those ladies who once thought beauty was limited only to them. I now own my own beauty. My pearl, my snow.

Long before you were born, I always had a father and mother; then a brother and later sisters. When I was man enough, I married my wife -your mum and we bore a son. The only thing missing was a daughter.

The ladies had several times broken my heart and left me with knives of pains buried deep inside my heart, but I always wore my heart break beneath my sleeves concealing it with smiles on my lips. I broke hearts too and I bet you, men will always break hearts just as ladies will continue. Now you complete me and I laugh at all those ladies who once thought beauty was limited only to them. I now own my own beauty. My pearl, my snow.

We call you “La Cutie” because you really are cute. I know your eyes sleep mostly at day while I am away and it wakes at night when I come back fatigued and fagged out. I would have loved to stay all night with you but I need to be in shape to go out the next morning in search of bread. Soon, you will adjust and regularize to our own clock and who knows, I will have to start sneaking to work because like “Sweet Sweet”, you may hold my legs when I want to leave in the morning.
You were born a Nigerian, and I don’t know how long you will remain a Nigerian. Come Post 2015 I won’t know if you will be a Nigerian or which country we will belong to. Spin masters have predicted by 2015 we may cease to be Nigerians, meaning you would have been a Nigerian for barely two years. But unknown to the war mongers, war is not a child’s play at all. We are better as a united country than a divided country. We may be a divided people already, but no matter how we still have a country keeping us united. If by accident or design, by will or by compulsion, by commission or omission we happen to be a divided nation; life will not be easy. We are already inter-dependent and it is somewhat difficult separating sugar from milk in a solution of sugar and milk.

La Cutie, our nation now stands at a precarious state where life is meaningless. People find it easier to kill humans than to kill a fly. Fundamentalists, extremists, terrorists, cultists, militias, kidnappers and what ever have gradually ascended the public sphere of our nationhood. Unlike when I was your age, you can’t get into church at this age without been screened for bombs or terror devices. No one is sure of the next minute in our country. The politicians now steal in billions of Naira and the people are left to die in countless numbers. Our rulers pass annual budgets in trillions of Naira but nothing, as in nothing concrete is visible in terms of progress. Politics of do and die, endemic corruption, sycophancy, greed, ungodliness, wickedness have taken abode in our once serene country.

Nigeria has become like a basket, a worn out basket which as you patch one end; another end is tearing. Boko haram in the North, MEND and other militants in the South South, OPC in the West, MASSOB in the East and lately Ombatse in Nassarawa; and the Fulani killers every where. Our greatest threat to survival in the middle belt is the Fulani murderers who have laid siege on innocent villagers in the central part of the country pushing down south. Children, women, pregnant women, old people and men have been systematically killed, gunned down, hacked and burnt to death by these merchants of death. Funny enough in recent times, boko haram has gained a wider support from some quarters and rather than having them brought to justice, they are begged to accept amnesty. This to me is a reward for killing thousands of Christians, Muslims, soldiers, policemen, customs officials and prison wardens; and harmless civilians.

The man with a Port harcourt Degree who once said he could not grant amnesty to ghosts typical of Nigerian rulers, against public emotions and opinions did a U turn and decided to constitute a committee to offer amnesty to the bloody boko haram. And just this week, a lose canon called Asari Dokubo dared the country to arrest him and Nigeria would be history. This is the height of our descent into anarchy. We are in a lawless and rule less country where people who ought to either be in the penitentiary or sanitarium are out there either as rulers or as mischief makers.

My cutie, our greatest challenge has been lack of commitment and sincerity of purpose especially from the ruling class. We were promised housing for all by the year 1990, health for all by the year 1990, education for all by the year 1990,almost every thing for all by the year 1990; this is 2013 and we have nothing for all but everything for an infinitesimal few. Just three years ago we were promised fresh air but alas, the air has never been this foul. A country that finds it expedient to punish hardworking people with stiffer economic policies is unable to prosecute oil thieves and subsidy cabal. A security network that is unable to protect innocent citizens provides a ring of services to those who have raped our nation. Sadly, the return to democracy since 1999 has harvested more deaths, stealing, violence, injustice and hunger. We are now officially the richest poor nation on earth. We are very rich yet so poor. Our leaders no longer drive in cars but fly in jets. Public education has been declared dead, public services are no where, security is in limbo and our fates hang in the balance.

Unfortunately, rape and sex crimes have attained alarming rates. Sexpreneurs have taken over the landscape and many are caught between sexploitation and morality, morality at high costs. Avarice and other forms vices are officially our creed; with conscience since gone on exile.
Mariana, I need you to grow up a wise and confident girl. The world out there is wild and cruel, your mum and I would protect you; yet we have our limits. You will have to get on your feet some day. The better you know this the earlier you prepare. You will have to be smart, intelligent and brilliant. You will have to speak up at the right time and place, but you must learn to listen more and speak only the right words. You should discern between hypocrites and genuine friends, you must seek to have more than education, enterprise is key in this knowledge economy. Choose your friends wisely and do not allow just any friends to choose you. Look for worthy models and mentors. Shun arrogance, even as a lady don’t belittle male admirers. Say no to suitors you do not like, but never insult them or judge them based on materialism. Keep this rule: always leave a window open. Neither shut the world against you nor shut your self against the world. Know when to smile and when to frown. Play, catch your fun, but also know when to be serious. Stand on moral principles and justice. Befriend humility, piety, perseverance, resilience, respect and seek synergy. Keep your words and be dependable.

When you do fall in love, lower your guards and love freely like a woman. No straight man wants to marry a man, so don’t worry about being strong in love. Your heart may get broken but you must never be broken. If you love and lose, love again until you win. Treat all people fairly. Do not feel inferior to anyone but do not feel superior too. Nothing you have or you will have that is not from God or will not be from God. Nothing you have and will have that someone else has not had or will not have. Inner beauty is more important than outer beauty. Pride is evil. Be wary of gossips. Learn to say please, excuse me, and thank you. When you have to exhale, even if by crying; cry my baby. Tears soothe and wounds will surely heal. When you do good, do not expect a payback. To serve God, you must first serve humanity.

We love you and will always do, hence we want you to grow up and live a Nigerian. But not just a Nigerian that is endangered. I want you to grow and live a happy Nigerian, a fulfilled Nigerian. A successful Nigerian, a protected and secured Nigerian. These can only be possible if we restore Nigeria for you and your mates. This impudence must stop, these reckless killings must stop, the power sector must be fixed, corruption must be tamed, opportunities must spring up, exploitation must be stopped, human and religious freedom must be guaranteed and protected; and hard work must be rewarded. Liberty must never be sacrificed on the alter of any religion or class.

Until I write again, I pray for good to supersede evil, I humbly beg God to protect you and protect us all. I pray for hope to return to our lives as a people. I pray that evil men will meet their waterloo if they fail to repent. I sincerely pray that things should not fall apart more than this, I pray that the centre should hold stronger. May juggernauts not get to taste power in this country again. You complete me and I love you!

by Samuel Stephen-Wakdok

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You complete me: A letter to Mariana