Chidimma Writes

  TRYING TO FIT IN By Chidimma Placid Nwaka

  THE FEAR OF STEPPING OUT By Chidimma Placid Nwaka Fear has always been one of man’s greatest cages, regardless of his ego or humility. According to Sigmund Freud, fear is described as a response to a known and definite external danger. He distinguished fear from anxiety, explaining that fear has a specific object, while anxiety may not. Fear respects no one. Like a virus, it spreads and, when left unchecked, can grow into trauma. Everyone has something or someone they are afraid of. This fear may arise from both internal and external factors. Internal factors stem from how we are treated or perceived at home, while external factors relate to how the world treats and judges us. The fear of stepping out is often the inability to adapt to change. Change comes through different stages of life, and these stages can be uncomfortable. Sometimes, stepping out may strain relationships or detach us from people we once held dearly. It may change how we speak, think, or feel about others. So...

  THE WORLD I GREW TO LOVE By Chidimma Writes Everyone has that special moment in life they wish could return  like a boomerang spin through time. And I am no exception. Growing up, I loved the world I was raised in  a place where I found comfort in spite of chaos, a place that recognized my presence before my voice. A world where I slept without worries, where my mind carried no heavy thoughts, where my heart was light and my feelings were pure. A world where people mattered, where wisdom was pursued, not ignored. But when I left that world, life became different  difficult to understand, harder to navigate. Promises began to sound like threats, like oaths taken with knives at our throats. Circles of deceit kept turning, one person using another without remorse. Humanity began to fade from many hearts. They move like gentle geese, yet the hawk within them never dies.

IF WE EVER GET MARRIED… A decade and six years ago, I had this imaginary person I loved so deeply. Someone I had found, yet never seen a solace after long, sometimes dramatic days. Someone to chitchat with in the quiet corners of my mind. I described him like characters in movies; Hollywood mostly. If he was the handsome hero, then he became my imaginary portrait. As time passed, I would wrap myself up in a double sofa, close my eyes, and imagine he was right there beside me. Sometimes I wondered if I was abnormal… or maybe every girl had this feeling and just never spoke about it. I did not know, or perhaps, I did not know how to know. Funny, “know how to know.” I was so attached to him that when my teenage hormones began to bloom, reality tapped me on the shoulder. I realized I needed to be realistic. He wasn’t real. So I took it upon myself to look for him. How toxic. In my dreams, he was more Asian. In my mind, he was the loveliest doctor– a surgeon. In reality, I wavered for a coo...

  THE VALENTINE EPISODE By Chidimma Placid Nwaka  When I was younger, I read and heard many deep stories about Valentine. Some of them were comical, tragic and even romantic. I would stay indoors and stare through the window as if I saw something. Truthfully, I saw nothing. I only heard the noises from the streets, music and motorcycle engines. When I joined the teenage community, Valentine changed every year. At school, a handful of students surprised their so called “Mkponta” as they described themselves. School daughters were loyal to their school mothers and the whole school gifted trinkets to one another, except me. Not because I did not have friends, but I was just what was described as “unlucky” to be gifted by anyone because I was simply “the good girl” with nerd friends. On the street leading to Tinappa bar, cars and motorcycles caused traffic in the evening. The noise polluted the environment and I watched them with a smile as my imagination carried me into a beautif...

  PAUSE AND REFLECT – IT WAS THERE WHEN YOU NEVER NOTICED By Chidimma Placid Nwaka  Man is a liability even when he lies to himself not to be one. He needs help even when he thinks he has it all. Funny how life shares our problems in portions,  you can never have everything at once. We are a bundle of expectations. Every year, we write New Year resolutions in a life book, or in the safest place in our hearts. Sometimes we do not live up to them, and somehow we feel life is unfair. In that frustration, we fail to notice the good that comes in every single day. Sometimes, we have to pause and reflect on our lives daily; comparing yesterday’s outcome with today’s. The difference often becomes clear: life has been partially fair to us, even in the midst of unfairness. When I was young, I always imagined having money and living in luxury. I prayed for the future. As time went on, it began to feel like a sham dream. I didn’t pause to reflect. Sometimes, life slows down just to ...

  U.S. to Deploy 200 Troops to Nigeria for Military Training By Chidimma Placid Nwaka  In a significant development for Nigeria’s security sector, the United States has announced plans to deploy approximately 200 troops to Nigeria. According to reports, the mission will focus strictly on training, advisory support, and intelligence sharing with the Nigerian military. The deployment is aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s efforts in combating insurgent groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP, particularly in the northern regions of the country. U.S. officials have emphasized that the troops will not be involved in direct combat operations. Instead, they will support capacity building and strategic operations while Nigerian authorities maintain operational control. Security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States has existed for years, but this move signals a renewed commitment to tackling terrorism and regional instability. Analysts believe the partnership could improve milit...