Three Sundays ago,
my husband drove to the nearby filling station with the aim of getting a
vulcanizer to fix the car's tyres. He succeeded in getting one who I'm sure for
want of the gbemu* that comes from being one of the scarcely available service providers
did not stay back at home to relish 'the Lord's Sabbath'.
Well, the
vulcanizer fixed his tools in the usual places, placing the jack in the
rightful position and with the help of the four wheel spanner and his
rotational hand movement; the car was lifted off the floor giving way for the
tyre to be freely unscrewed from its metallic dominator. As the vulcanizer held
the tyre in his hand and my husband awaited the ritual application of water and
spittle, a colleague walked up to the vulcanizer and engaged him in a
conversation. As if the rude disruption of work process was not enough, the guy
on taking a quick glance behind him nervously dipped his hand into his pocket,
took out a stick of cigarette from a near empty pack, expertly lit it and
calmly released about 60 carcinogenic chemicals directly into the face of the vulcanizer and further directly into the hitherto
uncongested air.
Curiously, my
husband struck a dialogue with him and the below interaction ensued -
My Husband: O
boy, why you dey smoke?
Smoking
Vulcanizer: E don tey wey I don dey do am o
My Husband: How
long you don dey smoke?
Smoking
Vulcanizer: Hmmm, na since Primary 4
My Husband: Ha! Na
who give you the money
Smoking
Vulcanizer: Na me use my money take buy am for myself
My Husband: How
many sticks you dey smoke for one day?
Smoking
Vulcanizer: Me, na one pack per day (A quick reference to last week's post will
let you know that this invariably means twenty (20) sticks of cigarettes a day)
My Husband: Why
you dey smoke?
Smoking Vulcanizer:
prolonged silence
My Husband: Who you see around you wey dey smoke &
make you wan try am too?
Smoking
Vulcanizer: prolonged silence and then no
further answers
The language
barrier between the smoking vulcanizer and my husband limited their ability to
converse smoothly but he graciously pointed out his partner-in-smoking, a
nearby car wash operator who goes through 2-3packets of cigarette a day (Simplyinterpret as 40-60 sticks of cigarettes a day).
This short
conversation set off several thought threads in my husband's mind and he
returned home a disturbed father. He wondered aloud how old the smoking
mechanic could have been when he got drowned in the lethal habit of smoking. Likely
between 9 and 10 years old. He also expressed astonishment at why at that age,
the seller did not refuse selling cigarettes to a minor.
His astonishment
did not last long as he remembered how in his childhood days some fathers,
uncles and elder brothers would send children to nearby shops to buy cigarettes
and the kids would have to cleverly hide the product in order to prevent their
mothers and sisters from sighting it.
In a country
where anyone below 18 years old is considered underage by law and not allowed
to cast votes, should they not also be protected from the clear, scientifically
proven dangers associated with smoking tobacco products? Should we not use the
laws of the land to restrict tobacco availability so these young ones will be
able to productively contribute to the progress of their fatherland and not be
snatched away by myriads of health complications that develop as a result of smoking?
Lets make the
choice today to bequeath a smoke-free Nigeria to our Generation Z.
You can join the
campaign for Tobacco Control today -
On Twitter:
Follow @TobaccoCtrl
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Visit and like Tobaccoctrl
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Tobaccoctrl to your circle
On 2go: add Tobaccoctrl
Gbemu* -
Financial reward
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