Get out of my Street! said the clueless Nigerian Boy

"Get out of my Street!" said the clueless Nigerian Boy.

In my first two years of Uni, I lived in the university halls of residence then I moved out and lived with some close friends. Some of them are still very close to this day.

My friends and I would normally order a cab to get to church on Sunday as the public transport wasn’t very good. On this very faithful day, we ordered the taxi but it didn’t come at the time the company said and we kept waiting so we got frustrated and ordered another taxi from a different company. (P.s In hindsight we should have rang the first company to cancel)

A few minutes later both taxi drivers arrived together. So we decided we would go in the taxi that kept to time but the delayed Taxi driver understandably got very angry and somewhat aggressive. In a rage of anger, I shouted "Get off my street!"

My street? What gave me the audacity to call it "my street!"

You see in Nigeria where I grew up there was a strong sense of community. A good street would not tolerate bad behaviour. A good street looks after its neighbour and there is a sense of being your brother’s keeper.

“A good street would not tolerate bad behaviour ”

– Bolade

In summary

I have been blessed to live on good streets in the UK but we could be the change we want to see in a sense of greater community cohesion. Why don’t you invite that old neighbour for a meal? You might help kick loneliness and depression out of your street!

P.S. The picture was on the same street but I’m pretty sure a different day!

Bolade Onilari

Pharmacist
31 January 2025
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