A MENTALLY UNSTABLE MAN FINDS LOVE ON VALENTINE'S DAY

Background Story of Minabelem Hilary, the mentally unstable man from Bakana, Rivers State, Nigeria.

Hanging around Banana Town Square in Port Harcourt, (Degema LGA) of Rivers State, Nigeria is a mentally unstable young man known as "Minabelem". He often hung out at the Bakana Town Square. With his dirty hair and dirty clothes, one could hardly miss him.

On occasions when there were programmes in the Town Hall, organizers of the programmes would shoo him away with sticks and brooms even though he had no violent history.

Anyone who ever sat close to him would hear him mutter about dimensions and drawings. He spoke quietly and almost imperceptibly, but his eyes lit up and a wide smile covered his face, showing his hidden beauty, whenever he spoke of his calculations. Events will later reveal that he was a graduate of architecture who suddenly became mentally unstable on the eve of the defence of his Masters Degree. But no one seemed to know this. He was just the mad man around the town square. Some folks fondly referred to him as FIFTY CENT. Locals say he was given that name because of his love for Hip hop and rap music.

And then on Valetines day, 14/2/2022, fortune and live smiled on him. He received some visitors all the way from Abuja, Nigeria; turned out there were his old classmates from the University of His (Unijos), Plateau State, Nigeria. They had heard of his worsening condition and had come to Bakana looking for him, to celebrate Valentine with him. They brought food, drinks, clothes, etc. But most of all, they brought love, selfless love, divine love. Propelled by this love, they hugged him, played with him and exchanged jokes with him. For once, he did not feel different. He saw himself in them just as they saw themselves in him. He recognised them, remembered some names and welcomed them, laughing. They were his friends and after they got him changed, they took photographs with him. Love broke all the barriers between them and without any form of resistance, he agreed to follow them to the psychiatric hospital, Rumuigbo, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.

His friends stayed with him until he was settled in a private ward they paid for then after taking pictures with him, they left.

They have done their bit. They paid N320,000 for his admission, drugs and upkeep. A doctor at the Psychiatric Hospital says Mr. Hilary is expected to make a complete recovery if he took his drugs religiously.

This indeed is the true meaning of Valentine. His classmates have done their bit and life will definitely reward them for that kind gesture. It's now left for his family, the government and men of goodwill to continue from where they stopped.

May God bless us all with true friends. (Gogo Iyalla)