Israel Daramola

Today, October 1st, is Nigerian Independence Day. A day important to me as someone born of Nigerian parents but moreso than that, aday that makes me think of family. This is my 2nd independence day away from home, no big deal other than I miss out on a lot of food, but it does make me think back to being a kid again. A kid who couldn’t care less about my heritage because I was too busy getting teased for it in school. Most of us kids were that way, we didn’t know much about the culture we were in, yet it was still something cherished in our own way, how else can you explain the wistfulness in which I recall those moments. So on this day of independence, I think back to the people who gave me some of the best years of my life. You know, when you’re young your parents tell you that family is all you need; you never really listen to them because when you spend all your time with the same people, you tend not to appreciate them. But they’re right essentially, all you have in this life is your family and the ones close enough to be considered family. So to all o my family, I wish you all a Happy Independence Day.