Phew! What a very wet Sunday! As I looked gloomily out of the window, my mind raced through all the places I had planned to go that day. Obviously, the outing would be impossible with no end in sight to the hard falling rain. When would my visiting be? Next week, the week after that? Of course assuming the rain would not disrupt my plans again! The rains have come down pretty hard particularly in Lagos this year; with so many roads and houses being flooded; only those affected can tell the bitter tales! I had heard many bitter tales of heavy flooding before coming into Lagos but I assumed that the stories were widely exaggerated until I saw things for myself. I had a particularly memorable experience when I left home to visit someone about 10-minutes walk from my house without an umbrella.
The weather had seemed clear enough for an evening stroll. To my utter shock, about halfway from home, the skies suddenly darkened and it became very windy. Before I could make up my mind whether to return home or continue to my destination, the skies opened up. Fat drops of rain began to fall. In my confused state, I began running towards my destination-my mistake! Within a minute, I was totally drenched. Even at that, I could not continue; the rain and wind were coming down so hard that I felt I would be blown like a leaf into one of the fast-filling gutters beside the road. . Soaked and cold, I managed to find a flimsy shelter. After about 15minutes of waiting under the makeshift shelter, I decided to move on as it was beginning to get dark.
By the time I arrived, I felt as bedraggled as Iooked! I had to change into the clothes my hosts kindly offered as soon as I stepped into their house to get rid of the chills I was shaking all over with. After that experience, I have become very reluctant to step out whenever the rain clouds gather. You can then imagine the mixed feelings I experienced when I hesitated before stepping out that Sunday only to find out that not only did the rain fall all day but so many roads were flooded and many people were displaced from their swamped homes. For those who were badly hit; either by having to relocate from flooded homes or other means; it may be hard to see any good in the rains especially those of this year but at less testy moments, we would all admit that Allaah's mercies; countless as they are; include the rain. From my position at the window, I looked around me. I could see some people enthusiastically fetching water.
Their source? The rain! They were collecting the water falling from their roofs. These are people who spend so much normally to buy water for their daily use. Imagine how much they would save that day alone! The corn harvest is always at its peak during the rainy season. I had been looking forward to eating some corn for a while. As I gleefully munched some soft roasted corn and pear, I could not but thank Allaah for His mercies! I am just one corn lover out of many; what of the farmers and the chain of sellers up to us the final consumers; imagine how many grateful hearts are out there! Quite a number of people also enjoy increase in sales during the rains. Manufacturers and sellers of umbrellas and raincoats will go smiling to the banks during this period; after aII, how many people buy them in the dry season?
On a lighter note, canoe operators seem to have also discovered a new market in flooded areas where they make brisk business ferrying stranded residents to and from their homes! Better than resorting to sharp practices to make money wouldn’t you say? With the almost constant power outage in most parts of the city, shouldn’t we be thankful for the rains that bring cool breezes with them, even when the rains abate? The weather remains cool and this makes the absence of electricity easier to bear. What other benefits do we derive from the rain? I’m sure you can think up some more! We all know that the rains should bring with them relief.
Most difficulties we encounter now like flooding are mostly of our own making. How many houses have been built on drainages? How many drains have been blocked by careless refuse disposal? How many times have we emptied refuse in the fast flowing gutters when it rains or seen people doing so without correcting them? I may have been forced indoors by the rain that Sunday, but I still thank Allaah for the rains; at least I did not have to endure the stifling heat. And of course there was the promise of hot roasted corn down the line!
"Which of the favours of your Lord do you deny?" Soorah Ar-Rahman (Q 55)
This article was culled from the publications of Deen Communication Limited