INSIGHTS ON LIFE

THE THINGS I THOUGHT IN THE LOCKDOWN

1. COVID-19 and the lockdown are some of those things in life that remind us that tomorrow is not certain. Plan for tomorrow anyway.

2. This present generation now has an idea of what House Arrest means.

3. If during the outbreak of the pandemic and the lockdown you’ve not sat down to deeply reflect about life and everything you’ve been told; you probably aren’t truly living.

4. This period has put so much of our beliefs to test and in so many instances some of us are shaken, even though we won’t admit it.

5. The way people are becoming opportunistic during the lockdown is quite thoughtful for me. Especially here in Nigeria. They speak to others about seizing the window of the lockdown to jump on online business as if the lockdown will remain more than is expected, if not forever. Certain economic institutions have become slow in their services, or even on lockdown too; how then do these preachers of online business want people to facilitate online transactions? Internet subscription is expensive and unreliable, and too many businesses are “ground/offline” businesses, at least here in Nigeria.

6. If the pandemic grows beyond proportion and movement is totally restricted, many of these dreamers of online-lockdown-business will have a rethink. How may delivery men can service the whole country? How many supermarkets shall feed all households? How many people will care about what luxury you sell online when they are trying to stay alive and overcome the fear of uncertainty? Ghost riders won’t deliver items when silent roads burn with police fury in the event of total lockdown.

7. The prayer should be that this virus is defeated. The science and medical community need all of the support they can get. All hope is on the cure.

8. There are those who use the moment to call out people for online courses on how to carry business online during this lockdown. Opportunists! They give no serious thought to the other person but themselves. The only online course which thrives mostly is those whose business relies solely on the digital space. Content marketing, writing of all forms, digital marketing, and all that leads to business solely done online. Mastery in this makes the student use his computer and internet connection. What if his bank can’t dispense the money he made? Any course promising success in online businesses that rely on the bone of offline activity is only a scam to fleece people.

9. Don’t sell how to build a business online course when you have not built one yourself. First, build, then teach.

10. The online courses mostly needed in this lockdown period are those on psychology, psychotherapy, spirituality, personal development, and the likes. People need to know how better to keep themselves sane this period. People need to reappraise their beliefs, to reflect and meditate on life and existence, to develop coping mechanisms, to learn meditation, to create exercise routines for body-mind health, and to be pointed to their gifting so that they can better prepare for the post-lockdown-post-COVID-19 world.

11. While you and your family enjoy the protection of your homes, remember that there were once the homeless and beggars on the streets near you. Have the homeless got a home? Have the beggars been provided for?

12. Prepare! Should things fall apart, will you still be standing? Should the virus lock all things down, would you be found standing? While we laugh and play, the fire may be stoking.

Victor Negro is based in Lagos. He writes on matters of life and existence as he thinks, preferring a better understanding of common questions.