A FRIEND IN NEED IS A FRIEND INDEED

Life's journey would have been lonely if all we had were ourselves and no friends. Do you know why? It's because life itself is an adventure. It comes with a lot of loads and friends help us lessen the burdens. They are always there to act as a support when we are at our weakest and strongest.

Every friendship involves sacrifice and total support. When two or more people come together as friends, they get to learn, explore, build and appreciate one’s potential in good faith irrespective of their gender, tribe, social status or race.

Friendship can be thrilling and fascinating as it is a process that educates one on humans and their capabilities. On the darker side, some friendships end tragically in bitterness, pain and regret. But this does not dismiss the importance of building friendships.

Members of this great community sit elegantly with your both fingers crossed as I take you on this smooth ride about my mommy's interesting FRIENDSHIP STORY.

My mom's maiden name is Ubong Silas. Ubong (an IBIBIO name) which simply means Glory, was born into a very poor background, a family that laboured hard for everything they possessed including a cup of drinking water. Glory is dark-skinned, of average height and skinny due to early child labour and malnutrition.

In the early 1900s, she was privileged enough to attend one of the secondary schools in the next community. She became friends with a girl who goes by the identity AKON (Akon is a name given by the IBIBIO tribe located in the southern part of Nigeria to any female gender born at night). Akon has toned ebony skin, is average in height and is chubby in physical appearance.

A few days into their friendship they realized their homes were not far from each other, and this discovery made them walk back home after school together. Every day of the week, after school, Ubong assists her parents at the farm since her parents work as labourers, and this has caused her not to spend quality time with her friend and studies.

Akon complains bitterly about it to Glory and she has to state her reasons. Akon being an understanding friend offered to sacrifice her rest hours to assist her. During the season of the team working together, Glory was able to pay her terminal school fee. She also bought a new set of school uniforms, sandals and some compulsory textbooks. Then something happened.

In their final year in secondary school, Glory was bitten by a snake on her way back from the stream, which led to her being seriously ill. It wasn’t good news to Glory because all the money she saved for the initial year exam was used for medication and venom antidotes. Akon knew very well that Glory had not registered for the exam, and there was no way her friend was going to participate in the external examination. She needed to do something urgently to help her needy friend. Akon sold all her textbooks, literature text and novels from her junior class to her senior year, then used the money to purchase the WAEC form for Glory.

They both graduated with flying colours. Life separated them a few years after secondary school, but the memories with Akon remained evergreen in the mind of my mom because without the presence of Akon in her life her secondary education could have been incomplete.

(This picture was taken in their school reunion thanks giving in the year 2002)

What memories do you have of your friend?

I specially invite @ukpono to engage in this thrilling challenge