Source: Meta AI
Everything in life is governed by the factor of time. From the birth of a child to its first steps, it is all a matter of time. Some experience puberty earlier than others. However, it is wrong to determine a person's maturity using age as the primary factor.
There is a saying: a fool at fifty is a fool forever. Maturity and experience work hand in hand. Mental maturity, on the other hand, is a hard-earned ability to control and withstand certain situations that could otherwise escalate into a catastrophe.
Emotional maturity has to do with how one expresses their feelings without negatively affecting others.
Baba Ejiro... may his soul rest in perfect peace. I was washing my children's clothes in the backyard when I heard Baba Ejiro scream, "Mummy Joseph!" It was so loud that I ran to him. In the sitting room, he was lying flat on the floor, unconscious. I called my first son, "Joseph! Joseph!" He responded immediately and alerted the neighbors because it was an emergency. They came and dialed the emergency line.
However, you know how it is in Nigeria; the emergency services are poor. We called emergency service, and the response was, "Hello, ma, what is the nature of your emergency?" I responded, "A 60-year-old man is lying unconscious!" They asked for our location, which I gave them. It was a painful situation. However, to this day, we never saw an emergency vehicle.
I asked Joseph to flag down any vehicle on the road, which he did. All of a sudden, I couldn't hear a heartbeat, and Baba passed away right before my eyes. A white, foamy substance appeared at his mouth. There was another elderly person present who did nothing but thought it was appropriate to call Baba's wife and deliver the news of her husband's death bluntly...
Painstakingly, Mama Ejiro comported herself, but we were scared for her throughout the process. I have heard of people fainting or collapsing upon hearing about their husband's death. It is not a new thing at all. In Yorubaland, where I come from, you do not disclose news of death carelessly; you do it with maturity.
Soon, church members arrived. One thing I appreciate about Nigerian churches is that information about their members travels faster than an emergency call. Immediately, the pastor and other members came with their vehicles... How I wished we had known to call them first. Anyway, Baba's friend explained that he had been at the hospital that morning, and the doctor said Baba had hypotension. Hearing that he died not more than an hour after returning from the doctor and taking the prescribed medication created mental distress for his friend.
The pastor was calm. He was concerned about Iya Ejiro, who had traveled far to get food stuffs for her business. The pastor and other people admonished the woman who had delivered the news so bluntly. They told her never to do such a thing again. "Next time, You should wait for her to return home," he said. The woman, being from the Isekiri tribe, saw nothing wrong in her action...
At the same time, I have brothers from that region who would never do such a thing... Just imagine the emotional state of that woman... If she had collapsed on her way home, who would have transported her back?
We thank God that she returned safely that day. However, she had a fatal accident later that year which claimed her life.
Mummy Ejiro, I miss you and Grandpa. Your kindness is irreplaceable. A lasting legacy for generations.
Bye