A REFLECTION ON THE PRISON CALL MBER MONTHS

Some years ago precisely during my childhood i often hear of "Mber Months" with stories of boyfriends going on strike while girlfriends and evil increases in the available market and the need for everyone to be careful. In my childish imagination i will ask myself what's mber month and the need to be very careful. Within myself fear will set in, any wrong step while walking or a sight at any beautiful girl the first thought that will come to mind is mber months and i will so begin to rebuke loudly.

It took me courage and inquisitiveness to understand that mber is a period from the month of September to December and evil manipulation was more predominant during this period. This believe is still on till date as it is seen as the prime of witchcrafts activities, money rituals,prostitution, fatal accidents, kidnappings and relationship saga.

The increase in the rate of crimes and afore mentioned things is often for money , fame and protections but while wait till mber to carry out such things remains the question. For Christians Mber is a period of Christmas celebration and in our Nigeria Society So much value is placed on exorbitant celebrations. Nigeria breweries records the highest sales during Mber cum Christmas period. You are seen as poor if you can't afford rice, new car, gifts, vacation or Cloths for your family in that period of increment in the price of commodities with no increase in the circulation of money.

Thus desires to satisfy and be satisfied couple with the wickedness of man increases social vices, in an incident i witness last year a young man at his late twenties was given a handshake and before he could say Buhari is Alive his Joy Stick, yes his great Resource heritage was gone. He began crying and people soon gathered to beat up the man responsible. It took a while before it was returned to the young man who wasn't satisfied till a girl was paid one thousand naira to arise the joy stick that proved it elegant with just One touch from the girl,how starved it may had been . The man later confess it was main for money rituals.

In this period of Mber also two years ago, a 18 sitter vehicle on route to Calabar from Obudu that belongs to Transit Care Travel had an accident in Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State with only one survivor,the rest died on the spot. Sad, dreams caught short in accident during this period. No week passes by that accidents are not recorded during mber months resulting to people avoiding traveling.

Kidnapping is one of the activities during this period too, many go missing forever , radio and television are dominated with missing persons announcement during this period. No one is safe, children, boys, girls, men, women, police all are targets. In an incident i witnessed in Marian Market, one man called a young girl who sales banana to his compound and after her sister waited for so long she went in and never came out too. As God will always work, Someone who watch the children went in became curios as they won't come out,he immediately mobilized boys and they storm the man house only to see the children in the fridge cold death. He was arrested and the case is what i don't know till date as informed as i am.

Armed Robbery increases too during this Mber period along high ways, streets and homes. most of the robbery are done comfortable without fear of police whoever tries to stop them is gun down. Last Year a youth leader in Edim Otop street of Calabar was short dead and stabbed severally because he was an informant to Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS).

Mber records terrorist activities too , Christians are targeted by Terrorist like the bomb blast in 2011 in Abuja during Christmas mass that left so many death. Pastors target Members, Members target themselves.

I have grown to accept that as real as all the happenings in Mber are which i know you have more sad stories, it is vital to agree that it is not just Mber period that records all these happenings, they happened often through the year. The reason why it looks so more in Mber is because of increase in recklessness, drivers are so in hurry to make more money, there's high alcohol consumption, God is forgotten and replaced by merriment, there is strong existing fear or mentality that mber is a period of evil things and that's self acceptance.

The notion of Mber is just a philosophy of the faithless, all months contain days that were created by God and has God. God doesn't go on vacation in Mber, Whoever dies in the period of Mber was permitted by God the finisher of our faith. If our ancestors were negative about Mba, let this society throw that shirt away and be positive about it. Mber remains the most bless months to me, my stomach shines and puff out, my face smiles, my hands and mouth are so friendly, my body has general balance and my hope is never hopeless which all constitute my happiness and yearning for Mber months.

However, i admit the evil practice during the period but understand the wickedness of man has no season. Understand & believe more that no plan of the wicked ones shall see you nor any member of your family and friends. Understand very more that the only great help anyone can do to you is to kill you (this is not for canal men) but God won't allow any harm come to you except he has a reason. God reasons are so mysterious.

Outgrow the Mentality of Mber,Come out from that prison.