Why should we wash when pollution dwells within us?

by Wole Adegbule (Nigeria)

A leap into the unknown Ghana

Why should we wash when pollution dwells within us? So I started my adventure in search of a clean and green surrounding to dwell in 2017, from a local community in Kumasi, Ghana with the hope of returning fresh and cool like the dew of the morning. Muds, Huts and Humans are what I see, less noise with no stormy sea. Cheerfully, I flowed with them like a stream being intuitive to being in a place of my heart desire but suddenly, I noticed unfounded acts displayed by the people at homes and on the streets. Alas! They had mistaken logging for farming, they thought poaching means coaching so sad, a mother asks her little son to pack their last night food wraps and dump inside the community river, houseflies everywhere unfortunately, some still putting blames on the Ruler for their households' lack of latrines and toilets. So I learnt only 1 day in the month is compulsory for chores and laundry, I might not honour it, should they come to me for persuasion, I wouldn’t but ask; WHY SHOULD WE WASH WHEN POLLUTION DWELLS WITHIN US? I proceeded to the City of Accra plying the highway that leads to Cape, a place of elites and unselected, home of factories and industries, the region of gas flaring and fossil fuel burns. I moved to GRA, so cool and quiet where everybody looks conserved and gay, I could see some port-holes free roads with compounds made of interlocks and German floors. Beautiful it was and cheerfully I flowed with them like a stream being intuitive to being in the place of my heart desire but suddenly, I noticed a rich man in adjacency who bought 8 cars for his 8 children as birthday gifts with no tree nor flower in his compound, little wonder Carbon emission is everywhere as bicycle or mass transit seems a thing of the poor. So I learnt the last weekend of the month is usually meant for chores and laundry in the area, I wouldn't do and should they come to me for persuasion, I wouldn't but ask; WHY SHOULD WE WASH WHEN POLLUTION DWELLS WITHIN US? Virtually everyone forms opulent in Ghana, in a 3 hour journey from Accra, I got to Capecoast campus. The students were energetic and vibrant, looking futuristic and gallant. The day was for festivity, so it was partying all night long as the DJ kept giving us beats with loud noise, cheerfully I flowed with them like a stream being intuitive to being in the place of my heart desire but suddenly, the party was ending and people were leaving, who will join me in sorting out heavy wastes generated was the question I asked. A young man beside me was overfilled, passing out on the ground, a disappointment it was in an environment of scholars. So I learnt only a day in a month is compulsory in the school for chores and laundry, I wouldn’t participate and should they come to me for persuasion, I wouldn’t but ask; WHY SHOULD WE WASH WHEN POLLUTION DWELLS WITHIN US? Disappointed me was heading back to my base but thinking tirelessly for movement creation to connect the farmers in the north, the scholars in the south, the herdsmen in the middle, the business tycoons of the coastal area, the magnates in the creek of the Delta and the lawmakers in the Central, I was motivated to informing the 3 countries about the menace of pollution on their Environment, I wished to let the people know Environment deserves a daily attention for Hygiene, Survival of Ecosystem, Nation building and absolute removal of impunity suggesting an efficient fine on indiscriminate environmental practices. So I started by enjoining my fellow passengers in the bus to stand and raise the banner high to prioritize the environment beyond greed for pollution mitigation. My travel experience across the 3 West African countries was fun for mere tourists but a mixed feeling it fetched me as an Environmentalist, years after the trips I still think… WHY SHOULD WE WASH WHEN POLLUTION DWELLS WITHIN US?