My friend Yussif

I've never felt this sober in my life, I write this with tears drawing contours on my cheeks.

Credit

I've this Muslim friend in my neighborhood called Yussif. Yesterday I closed from work and got home around 7:18pm only to find him sitting at the corner of a park doing nothing. When he saw me coming, as usual boys boys thing, he started "Poko, ahr say your money come oo"(Poko, I hear you are rich now).... and I jokingly replied "Charley the money de33 ecome but time no dey to spend am"(Friend, there's money but no time to spend it) Right after saying that, I could see sadness written all over his face but I ignored it, cracked few jokes with him and started walking home.

He called me back and said, "Poko, Charley ehard oo. A come dey house like 3 years after university but no job. Mommy too dey give me pressure say make a do wild den start life. A dey see say boys all dey go dey come but me p3 notin dey go on give me. A see you p3, den a shy. You plete uni and now you dey job fine fine. Hommie, a dey feel say abi waste oo. A just wan end everything and be free". (Poko, things are hard. I've been home 3 years after graduating from the university, but can't find work. My mom is pressuring me to leave home and start life. I see all my friends doing this or that, but seems i'm not able to find anything to do. I feel bad whenever i see you. You got a nice job immediately you graduated. My friend, I feel useless. I just wish to end everything and be free.)

My friend got me all sober with his lamentations but there was little I could do to help. I simply said " Charley ego bee, gave him GHc10 but he declined. That was how my meeting with him ended.

I'm here on my bed watching movies and I can hear shouts and cries from their compound. Only to go out and find out that My friend Yussif just committed suicide this dawn; he took some unprescribed drugs in excess.
Yussif, the first and only son of his parents is dead and gone.

Maybe I should have paid more attention to the latter part of his lamentations (I know you didn't read it, go back and read).
Maybe I should have told him, me being all dressed up for work doesn't mean i work in any big company but I only go to town for "kpakpakpa"(hustling) to make a living.
Maybe I should have spent hours talking to him when I saw him at the corner of the park.
Maybe I shouldn't have lied that "I've made more money now after university and only needed time to spend it'. I only said that to portray satire.
Maybe when he declined my GHc10 offer, I should have inssisted and ensured he bought some food with that money.
Maybe I should have gone home with him and spend time watching videos on 4syte-TV together. Just to take his mind off stress and over thinking.

Maybe most importantly I should have spent hours convincing him that "no where cool" and that we all are suffering but choose to keep it to ourselves.

I don't know why, but a part of me feels I could have somewhat prevented this suicide.

#Suicide is real

If you find a friend suffering from depression or over thinking and continually makes suicidal remarks, get closer to him/her to talk them out.

Rest in Peace Yussif

By Poko Poko