It was raining one Morning in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, the current of the water was high and it started flooding. So we were outside, wet in the rain trying to direct the flow of water.

I still remember that very day, it was on 6th May 2010 we heard the news that president Umar Musa Yar’Adua had died. The president's death came as a shock to me in person because I loved him even for his popular “7 points agenda” & particularly the amnesty he granted the NigerDelta militants which then brought a pseudo-peace.

Though there were a series of controversies surrounding his demise, my focus is, I got to know about his demise on the 6th Of May.

As a Muslim man that he was, he buried that same day, and that very day his position was relinquished to his vice president, Good luck Jonathan.

I was in SS3 then, I remembered in Science School, Jalingo we were asked to stay at home for a few days, and for that week, the Nigerian flag was brought to half & it was applicable nationwide.

But when he died, it looked like the country would crash but it didn't. What caught my attention was, the very day he was announced dead, he was immediately replaced by his Vice President, Goodluck Jonathan. It's 10 years since he died but Nigeria didn't stop working.

A few months ago, A basketballer, Kobe Bryant
had a plane crash that claimed his life and that of his daughter, social media was filled with so many tributes, his pictures even became stickers on several social media platforms. It looks like basketball would stop but then a few days later everyone returned to normalcy and the world continued.

The very day Chadwick Boseman, the Black Panther actor died, social media was flooded with his pictures, scenes from movies he acted in and it seems the world would be put on a hold up. But on the contrary, life continues.

When President Yar’Adua died, It might interest you to know that his vice didn't reject the seat because he loves his boss so much. But the Constitution demands he replace his boss which he did. This is evident that life continues.

When Kobe Bryant died, Basketball won't stop, his team won't be disbanded just because their star is no more, instead, a new champion will emerge. Life continues.

Acting movies weren't stopped because Chadwick Boseman died. If he died while acting in a series, his role would be given to someone. Life continues.

From the aforementioned stories you will realize that no matter how influential or powerful you are, once you depart this earth, life continues. Even those who seemingly appear they can die for you will move on. Not because they are evil or don't care but the world can not be placed on hold because you are dead.

My point is, the day you die, people will only cry and mourn you only for a while but life itself continues. The world won't be on hold because you are dead.

So what's the point of trying to impress people who won't even die alongside you?

What the use of subjecting yourself and your life to torture because you weren't able to meet a certain target you set?
Maybe you failed JAMB, promotional exams in the office and you're feeling frustrated?
Or you want to commit suicide because your lover left you or was cheating? If you die, life will continue.

Oftentimes we get carried away by the pressures of life, society and in our quest to impress certain people or prove a particular point about something for whatever reasons, we end up subjecting ourselves to unnecessary pressures and leading a life full of depression.

Mind you, I'm not trying to discourage hard work but I want to draw our attention to the fact that you weren't sent on earth to prove a point but you were sent for a divine assignment.

When you are gone, the memories you left while trying to fulfill your assignment will be used as a reference point to remember you, not the competitive efforts of trying to impress people.

Musa Affos (Rhapsodi) Is A Blogger & Social Media Activist.

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