BREAKING BARRIERS (THE NEED TO BE THE CHANGE)
Self pity is termed as having a self indulgent attitude concerning one’s own difficulties or hardships. Self pity breeds negative emotions and does not help deal with adverse situations.
Qulthum Banji is from a humble background and after passing her O’levels and Jamb exams in flying colours gained admission into the university; being the first child among three siblings, a father who is a professional wristwatch repairer and a mother who fries bean cake across the road every morning, the Banji family resides in the very busy Ajegunle area of the state in a popular “face me I slap you” bungalow.
Qulthum got through her first year only by the grace of Allah, as paying school fees was always a herculean task for her folks. However, she had an option of either cutting corners or studying hard, of which she chose the tough road of studying hard and maintaining high morals all through till her final year, she is presently top of her class and is guaranteed to finish with a first class; Qulthum, during her first year at the university had a roommate who could design fabrics, she developed the interest in designing fabrics and pursued this interest during the holidays at every slight opportunity. All through her second year till date designs clothes and makes good money to supplement what her folks give her and even assist her younger ones.
In summary, things might look very bleak given the Nigerian stagnant economy, looking at graduate unemployment, failing power sector, drowning state of the educational system and also knowing that the government has failed to include the youths in Her priorities e.t.c. however, we can choose to write our destiny, be the change around us or wallow in self pity. Qulthum chose to write her destiny and thus, she has been able to break grounds despite her background and difficult school environment she found herself.
And Allah says in the Qur’an, ‘’verily, we have created all things according to Qadar(destiny, proportion, measure) surah Al-Qamar 54:49.
Disillutionment in the face of joblessness is a great catalyst for hopelessness among the youths; the need to develop a skill in addition to having a first degree cannot be over emphasized as this will certainly give hope to youths in the wake of unemployment in the labour market.
Don’t wallow in self pity, get up, strive hard, think of ways by which you can better yourself spiritually and academically, be the change you want to see, you might not be able to change the world, but you will certainly make positive changes around you that will benefit a lot of people.
And Allah also said ‘’ O son of Adam! If you look for me, you will find me; and when you find me, you find everything; and when you miss me, you miss everything, and I should be more beloved to you than everything else’’.
And the problem with changing your outer world without changing yourself is that you will still be you when you reach that change you have strived for.
“You must be the change you want to see in the world”…Although life changes are inevitable,we can also initiate personal change so we can rise to the challenge and become a bigger and better person.
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