I have never been in such a hurry to turn 45 years old as I was last week after NSSF announced the 22.53 percent interest rate, but most especially when I saw how much that interest translated to on my account. In fact, I have since started taking very good care of myself because I want to live to see the goodness of the Lord in that 15 percent midterm access.
I have changed my diet to only healthy meals and portions. I am sleeping for the recommended number of hours per day, reading my Bible and praying every day because I want to grow to 45, exercising, journaling, staying away from orange dera dresses, generally doing all the right things in my power to stay alive. The rest I give to God, who ultimately grants long life.
Speaking of life and staying alive and the thing that eventually kills you, Afrigo Band’s Moses Matovu’s death last week left me thinking about something. I do not know whether it is age, but when certain things happen under what many would call questionable circumstances, these days people are no longer quick to judge loudly. A few outliers will stand on their social media podiums and preach and condemn and call forth fire and brimstone, but the rest, not so much.
I think it is a good place to be as a society, where we all know that all have sinned and let he who has no sin cast the first stone. And that it is only by the mercy of God that you are not held prisoner to strange appetites. Or have not yet been caught. It is not because you are the Holy Spirit’s first cousin. None of that.
I am not saying we should sweep things under the carpet. I am just saying we should judge slowly. The sentence will be served; just do not be playing jailer and yet you are in the same prison. Allow the judge to judge; you, on the other hand, just be there, pick a leaf from what has happened and, if need be, the whole branch.
Truth is that we all are only one decision away from scandal or gross misunderstanding. So yes, it could have been you. If you have sold yourself the lie that by your own effort, you are infallible to anything and can never or will never be caught with your hand in the cookie jar, I congratulate you. You have surpassed the acceptable score in delulu.
There have been many lessons from the deaths of prominent people in the last couple of months. In the space of three or two months, we lost the absolutely brilliant Alex Mukulu, the young King Oyo and now musician Moses Matovu. Earlier, there was rugby player Sydney Gongodyo and footballer David Owor.
Of course, there has been others in there who we might not recognise, but you get the point. Every single one of those deaths has had some really expensive lessons. It would be a pity if we did not learn, or at least acknowledge them.
I wish you a long life, long enough for you to enjoy your NSSF money, not just at midterm but at full term. But if it turns out to be shorter than we’d all hoped, I hope it would have been a life well lived.
PS: Who introduced dera dresses in this country anyway? Take them back. See the problems they have started causing us now!