A friend from my perception is an individual that understands the attitudes and ways of a person he or she befriends. Friends to a large extent share similar interests and look out for each other. They support themselves especially in periods of challenges. Friends acts as a support system outside an individual's family unit. They help us explore our social skills. Friendship is a relationship that benefits the parties involved and can last for a long period of time.
Dikko(using his alias, I don't want to disclose his real name) is a close friend of mine whose relationship I cherish a lot. I dedicate this article to him. I grew up as a kid in Festac Town, Lagos. I made a lot of friends and enjoyed living in my neighbourhood. I have a lot of fond memories about the time I spent there. The house where I lived with my family got sold in the early 2000's. I remember being unhappy about this development but understood that I had to accept the reality of the situation. My parents had to get us a new apartment. Several attempts to secure an apartment in Festac Town failed. Consequently, my parents decided to look for accommodation in another town.
They finally secured an apartment in another town in Lagos. I was happy but also sad about leaving the lifestyle that I had become accustomed to in Festac Town. The thought of leaving my friends made me unhappy. I had formed a strong relationship with them! I informed my friends of my relocation to another town. We reminisced about the time we had spent together, the fun moments especially. It was a special and sad moment for me. We moved out eventually and I bidded my friends farewell.
On our way to our new apartment I felt better about leaving my friends. I began anticipating how things were going to pan out in our new neighbourhood. We moved to our new apartment and slowly adapted to our new environment. I was overwhelmed by the kind and friendly nature of kids my age. Although I moved in recently I was treated like someone that they had known for a long time. This act of theirs made me confident and happy. I settled into my new clique with ease. Over time we became close and enjoyed one another's company. Dikko was one of the friends I made back then.
Dikko and I were friends but not really close. Little did we know that we shared similar interests and perceptions. We became close after my return home from a holiday that I spent with my aunt in Mushin, Lagos. I had asked Dikko to lend me a book that I need to prepare for an exam. He lent the book to me. I returned it back to him later and felt good when he told me to feel free to ask him for any other book that I may need for my exams. I was moved by his will to assist me and offered my gratitude for his help. I was unaware that this conversation was going to initiate the beginning of a close friendship.
Dikko and I gradually became close. We engaged each other in conversations whenever we met. Thus meetings revealed to us that we shared a lot of things in common. We loved cartoons and art. We enjoyed listening and watching the same genre of music and movies. We listened to the same radio station and both had a strong devotion to our respective families.
Our relationship continued to flourish and we enjoyed it. We hanged out a lot. I recall how we discussed about issues like our favourite OAP on the radio station the Beat 99.9fm, cartoons and animes like Superman, Naruto and Bleach, TV series like Game of thrones, Spartacus and Jumong,the state of insecurity in the northern part of Nigeria and Michael Jackson! Dikko who is a trained mechanical engineer and also a model was inspired by MJ as a kid and is passionate about dance. These conversations bring back pleasant memories that I cherish.
I admire Dikko's generous and considerate nature. He is a guy that is willing to assist people that need help, sometimes at his own detriment. He has a good heart. I will like to give an account of an occasion where he portrayed this attribute.
My mum was hospitalised for a month due to an injury she sustained on her foot. We had spent a lot of money on her treatment and at a point were in need of financial support from family and friends. During this challenging period I contacted Dikko. I explained the situation of things to him and asked if he could assist me with some money. He sympathised with me and told me he was broke but will get back to me. He contacted some of his friends and took a loan from them. He got back to me later in the day and sent the money to me. He also wished my mum a speedy recovery. I was happy about this news. I was also overwhelmed by his kind gesture. It made me respect him more. I am glad to have him as a friend! He has proven to be a reliable and supportive friend. I hope our friendship continues to grow stronger.
Thanks for reading. I wish you all a pleasant day.