https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOCBDr5JWZH9-7K6zAfbOHWR0MCFf4CXc. This is a playlist with specific songs that I have chosen for you to listen to while you read my story. Enjoy :) You are here, in your room, sitting in front of your laptop watching some stupid TikTok videos, sometimes laughing and sometimes just with a poker face. You look through the terribly dusty window on which the sunbeams fall and what do you see? Some people may say that they don't see anything because there are no people, though, look at the trees, how tall and strong and powerful they are. Look at the leaves, have you ever seen them so green? No artist can ever depict such art on their canvas. Now ask yourself: did nature look so delightful, so colourful when there were so many people outdoors? Did it look like that? I guess you didn't remember because you were busy hanging out with your friends, huh? Had good times with them, I believe discussing some boyish or girlish stuff. I am sure you liked it. I am sure you want to experience the same but were you grateful for what you had and are you grateful for what you have now? Do you think that you lived those days correctly? Think before you answer. Everything happens for a reason. One day you woke up and realized that you can't go out: no more boring physics classes with fatty Mr Pinchpockaley who has a torn pocket on his beige suit, no school community workdays for taking care of the school gardens, no school at all. Seems like you shouldn't be sad about this, you didn't have fun there. You loved the late-night parties, drunk kisses with random people. You liked running away from your house, ignoring your parents, ignoring that they could be worried about you, you just didn't care...You cared about friends or better to say “toxic people”, who made you as much toxic as they are. You liked gossiping, laughing at others, especially Dorothy Angelson from your chemistry class. She is a nerd, she is so smart, and it always made you angry. Though you remember your small garden in front of your house, where you and Dorothy were taking care of flowers. -One day, when we grow up, we gonna take care of all flowers all over the world! -Yes! We will take care of all flowers and trees all over the world! (hug) -Dorothy, you are my best friend! -You are my best friend, too, Melly! You want her back. She was always there for you, you want back your dreams. You are lying there in your bad, in your headphones, ignoring the daily news about thousands of people who die every day because of the disease. You don't know what you gonna do for the next 24 hours, you don't know when the quarantine will end, you have no clue how you gonna stay indoors, you are lost. You feel like you are out of your mind, you feel like this is not your life. Suddenly, after 6 hours that you've spent in your room, thinking about those last 2 years, wondering whether you've lived them correctly or not, you hear a knock. -Honey, the dinner is ready. You feel bad because you don't remember when you had dinner with your parents for the last time. Downstairs you heard the smell of freshly roasted chicken with french fries and your favourite salad. In 5 minutes when you began eating your chicken, you realized, how much you have missed, and you just couldn't keep those tears anymore… After long hugs and kisses and apologies, you enjoyed your meal, helped your mom with the dishes. That day you finally found yourself and realized how much you've missed your parents. When you entered your room, you whispered: -I am back… You knew what you must do next -- get Dorothy back. You've spent a great deal of time searching for a good present for her. There was nothing until you went to the garden in front of your house and saw the flowers you and Dorothy took care of… you have never seen them so pretty. -Wow, seems like nature had to have a rest from people… After gathering the flowers, you put on that uncomfortable mask which covered your favourite dark purple lipstick and ran out of your house. In five minutes, you were in front of Dorothy's house door, and it opened. -I miss you Dor… Sorry for what I've done… I miss you so much. You cried a lot and very loud as if you needed it so much. -You know, I believe that this quarantine was just meant to be. I found myself! Dor, I am back! Dorothy was silent for a couple of seconds, then she said. -Wanna me to show you the book I got? It's about the correct way of taking care of flowers and trees. -Yes, Dor, I'd love to… She hugged you so tightly, and you both cried.. Sitting there alone in your room made you think, made you be alone with yourself and realize that you must take actions, you must fix your young teenage mistakes, and you did it… Sometimes staying all alone with themselves, people may start looking at everything from different angles and perspectives. Sometimes a long silence is needed to fully understand who we are.

When the Covid-19 Coronavirus started in Nigeria, I was leaving Kano State with my dad. We had gone for his eye treatment at ECWA Hospital, and spent more than two weeks there. Few days after we left, Kano State experienced an unprecedented increase in the number of Covid-19 cases across the State. The hospital we left had to shut their doors, so as not to risk the well-being of patients that came for their eye checkup. In fact, States across Nigeria closed down their borders few days after we made it back home. It was a mayhem. Most times, when I think about our " lucky escape", and the turnout of events, I just know that we were really lucky and fortunate. Back home, we had to engage in all the precautionary measures as directed by the health authorities. Dad was recovering, and so it was a very sensitive time for everyone. All hands were on deck. Yes, we were keeping safe for ourselves. But more importantly, we were doing it for my father. And the reason was quite obvious. His health wasn't a hundred percent, and that means that any contact with the Coronavirus will have a devastating effect on him. On my part, I had to reduce my outdoor activities and work from home. It was quite challenging for me, because as a journalist, most of my work was done outside the house. But just like everyone else, I had to improvise. Thank goodness for the internet, I had to leverage the online space to conduct interviews, research, have meetings and even publish my articles. I even got to meet more people and engaging leads to work on after the stay at home experience. The whole stay at home experience gave me the ample opportunity to appreciate the little things of life and also to read more and watch what I eat. I had to look at my vision board and projections for the year, and even had to work on my podcast more. It just seems as if I was given a grand opportunity to get my house in order. Meanwhile, the virus was still ravaging different States across Nigeria, and people were dying in numbers. Most of us had to stay indoors because people were not following the precautionary measures by health authorities, and also, most States across the country lacked the equipment to test residents. So, it was far better to be safe than sorry. Many people refused to follow the figures by the national health authorities because for some of them, they are yet to see anyone killed by the Coronavirus. I lost an uncle to the virus. He was buried on June 26, 2020. He was a spectacular person, and I miss the way he genuinely listens to you when you're speaking to him. In fact, I miss his positive outlook on life. When he took ill, everyone thought it was the usual Malaria or typhoid. It was not until he started showing symptoms of the virus that everyone became genuinely concerned. Before his death, his lungs collapsed, and he was practically gasping for his last breath. These days, when I think about him, all I can remember is his warm smile and his positive energy towards life, living and spreading happiness. He once told me to live very intentionally and make an impact, even if it's just in the life of one person. I guess he was indirectly talking to himself, because his life is an inspiration to me, and I got to learn a lot from him. These days, when I look at how fast the year is running, I also remember that I have lit up the path for others to find their way. The Virus may have made all of us stay in doors at some point, but then again, it didn't stop media professionals from doing the needful. One of the proud moments I had during the lockdown was when I worked with a lady who is into digital literacy in her community. Due to the pandemic, her work became very important because people began to depend on the online space to get gigs, have meetings and even make sales. It was a humbling experience for me to share her stories, experiences and knowledge. In fact, my work with her renewed my faith in humanity and our ability to keep pushing, even in the midst of challenges. I may not know when this pandemic will come to an end. But just like everything else humans have faced over the years, we shall overcome. Impossible is nothing.