Societal Myths Painting the Innocents Bad!

Author: David Oletu

We live in a society where evil has overshadowed good.

It’s very disturbing how a single bad person affects the reputation of a thousand good people in society.

Perhaps that’s because we are more excited to promote evil than to promote good.

There are indeed so many ungrateful people who don’t know the worth of the role we play in their lives; hence, they disregard us when we eventually meet their needs.

As a result of this, a lot of insecurities and skepticism in social interactions and relationships arise because no one knows who is who.

Societal Myths Painting the Innocents Bad!

On a Tuesday morning, September 5, 2023, I was heading to the Agege Local Government Secretariat, Lagos State, in Nigeria, for my NYSC monthly clearance.

I boarded a tricycle (kekenapep) to the place.

The moment I alighted at the Agege under-bridge, I saw a tall, dark-blind man from afar, who was also alighting from a tricycle he boarded.

Societal Myths Painting the Innocents Bad!

I noticed that the blind man was all alone with his sticks; there was no one directing him to his destination.

One more thing about him that captivated me was his appearance—

he dressed neatly and corporately with his bag, as though he were going to his place of work.

I wondered how a blind man could take such an audacious step to go out alone!

So, I stood afar to observe him a little.

Then, I noticed he was trying to get people’s attention to help him, but no one gave him attention,

except for one street boy who was struggling to read the message the blind man was trying to communicate with his pen and book.

The street boy was probably not educated enough to know how to read.

Later on, I moved closer to them, proudly on my NYSC uniform (khaki) and jungle boots.

“This may just be an opportunity to add value to someone who is in need in my community, as a youth corper,” I presumed.

I asked the blind man where he was going, and to my surprise, aside from him being blind, I discovered that he also couldn’t speak.

It was as though his mouth were sealed with glue. But he could hear.

“Now, I’m in; no backing out. God help me!” I muttered deeply.

Societal Myths Painting the Innocents Bad!

I took the blind man’s book to read what he wrote there; however, there were a lot of messages in it.

That seems to be his only means of communication, I guess.

The blind man, having noticed my confusion in trying to figure out his destination, opened a fresh page and wrote boldly:

“SANGO PRIMARY SCHOOL, AGEGE”

“Oh!” I finally figured out where he was going.

I was amazed and impressed to see such a smart human whom society calls disabled but proves himself to be ‘able’ even in his indisposition.

Being new to the environment, I asked around where the school was located, and I realized he was heading the same route as me.

So, I held his hands and helped him cross the railway.

Amazingly, the moment I took my time to help him, people started to gain interest in also supporting me,

paving the way for me and the blind man to pass and ensure that he didn’t fall because the road was so crowded and muddy.

We were eventually able to cross the railway successfully and board a motorbike together to his destination.

I also paid his transport fare, even though I sensed he was a very hardworking and independent man, despite his condition.

The moment he heard his T-fare had been paid when he wanted to bring out money from his pocket, his heart was filled with joy and gratitude,

but he couldn’t express it with words because he couldn’t speak.

The teachers who were at the school gate leading the students in were also filled with gratitude,

with smiles all over their faces as I handed the blind man over to them.

Oh, what a day!

Societal Myths Painting the Innocents Bad!

Later in the day, when I got back home to narrate the story to my mother out of excitement,

I got to know why people may have been skeptical about moving close to the blind man to render help to him.

Some people may have assumed he was a beggar because most beggars on the roadside are either blind, lame, dumb, or deaf.

But I only saw him as one who is like everyone else,

who wakes up every working day to go to his workplace rather than stand on a spot begging for money.

Some people may have also assumed that he was evil. Perhaps he has an evil past or connection that led to his condition.

So, out of fear, they do not want to involve or associate themselves with him.

My mother also admitted that she would have feared helping him because she wouldn’t have been able to tell who he was in a society filled with so much evil.

But I saw him as that harmless man who only needed help to get to work, and there was nothing more attached to it.

I felt glad and proud to have been like the blind man’s guiding angel that day.

That’s an experience I won’t forget.

Societal Myths Painting the Innocents Bad!

Many times, due to certain bad societal myths about people in general;

We completely ignore others who genuinely need our help when we have the capacity to help them,

and would be willing to help out in normal circumstances.

There are indeed so many ungrateful people who don’t know the worth of the role we play in their lives;

hence, they disregard us when we eventually meet their needs.

It is also true that some people can be evil.

They can plot evil against us when we grant them full access to us, just because we want to help them.

However, in rendering help to people, avoid generalizing.

Generalization increases your level of insecurity when relating to people and trying to interpret their nature from afar.

Just as we have ungrateful people, we also have grateful people.

Likewise, the same way we have evil-minded people is the same way we have people with a pure and honest heart, whom we will never regret helping.

We shouldn’t let our assumptions and generalizations be to the detriment of those who are genuine and really in need.

If you are capable and willing to help people who are in need, do not draw back.

Just help! Just give! And be discerning.

Societal Myths Painting the Innocents Bad!

Also Read: The Abandoned But Gifted Street Boy – Diademng (thediademng.org)

How to Help a Blind Person (with Pictures) – wikiHow

Societal Myths Painting the Innocents Bad!