“I hope for a future with freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want and freedom from fear.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
It’s said that it’s hope that keeps us going. It grants an illusion of a better future anchored of mutual good. If you envision having a family of your own, you wish your children get to live in a safe neighborhood, don’t have to fear for their lives in the hands of police officers, have access to opportunities to put to good use their industriousness and ingenuity among others. If you aspire to achieve your personal development goals i.e. professional, financial, business etc. you hope for a future where there are enabling policies that ensure you can perform at your best, create value and most importantly realize your magnificent aspirations. Hopefully, they come to be and if not at least we try to work towards it and that’s one thing that really counts.
I am writing this from a point of concern, fear and apprehension for lies ahead for the future of our generations as a continent and as a globe. From the superpower nation like United States of America’s (USA) presidential aspirants lowering the standards of a nation during a debate to tensions and killings in Nigeria and corruption in Kenya among others. It’s a sad state of affairs. I have this great friend from Nigeria, Daniel David Otobo, with whom we’ve had heated discussions over the past few months and genuinely, there is hope for Africa; it’s just being held on by fewer people than we need. Additionally, it’s going to call for more than hope but action to make it a reality. We’ll need to have faith in our abilities as a people to drive change and act on making it happen. For this matter, I decided that I’ll let my favorite song for such moments do the talking for me on this piece, enjoy.
Better Days by Tupac Shakur
Lookin’ for these better days
Better days, heyy! Better days
Got me thinkin’ bout better days
Better days! Better days, better days
Hey! Better days
Got me thinkin’ bout better days
Time to question our lifestyle, look how we live
Smokin’ weed like it ain’t no thang, so even kids
Wanna try now, they lie down and get ran through
Nobody watches ’em clockin’ the evil man do
Faced with the demons, addicted to hearin’ victims screamin’
Guess we was evil since birth, product of cursed semens
‘Cause even our birthdays is cursed days
A born thug in the first place, the worst ways
I’d love to see the block in peace
With no more dealers and crooked cops, the only way to stop the beast
And only we can change
It’s up to us to clean up the streets, it ain’t the same
Too many murders, too many funerals and too many tears
Just seen another brother buried plus I knew him for years
Pa**ed by his family, but what could I say?
Keep yo’ head up and try to keep the faith
And pray for better days
Better days, better days, hey!
Better days, got me thinkin’ about better days
Better days, better days, better days
Hey! Better days
Got me thinkin’ about better days
Thinkin’ back as an adolescent, who would’ve guessed
That in my future years, I’d be stressin’
Some say the ghetto’s sick and corrupted
Plus my P.O. won’t let me hang with the brothers I grew up with
Tryin’ to keep my head up and stay strong
All my homies slangin’ llello all day long, but they wrong
So I’m solo and so broke
Savin’ up for some Jordan’s, ’cause they dope
I got a girl and I love her but she broke too, and so am I
I can’t take her to the place she wanna go to
So we argue and play fight, all day and night
Makin’ pa**ionate love ’til the daylight
Plus we about to get evicted, can’t pay the rent
Guess it’s time to see who really is yo’ friend
Tell me you pregnant and I’m amazed
So many blessings while we stressin’
Lookin for them better days
Better days, better days hey!
Better days (Oh better days)
Thinkin’ bout better days (I’m lookin for better)
Better days, better days, better days
Hey! Better days (Better days)
Got me thinkin bout better days (Oh)
Now me and you was real cool, hell on them square fools
Since back in high school, we was true, me and you
Hardly parted or seperated, we stayed faded
Affiliated with gangbangers and still made it
Up in the gym, mess with me, gotta mess with him
Still dressin’ like grown men when rollin’
I went to dark, smokin Newports, gamin’ marks
Got a place in my heart, homey stay smart
Locked you up in the pen, and gave you three to ten
I send you letters with naked flicks of old friends
Hopin’ you well, I know it’s hell
Doin time in the cells, you need mail, when you in jail
And me I’m doin’ cool
I settled down, had a family, workin’ in night school
Every once in a while, I reminisce
And wonder how we ever came to this
I miss the better days
Better days, better days, hey!
(Better days) Thinkin’ bout better days
Better days, better days, better days
Hey! Better days
Got me thinkin bout better days
I send this one out,
To all the homeboys down in uh, Clinton lockdown
Rikers Island, all them dudes I was uh locked up with,
E Block, F Block, lower H
N-I-C in Rikers Island,
Downstate
All the peoples I met along the way
Better days is comin’ homeboy, keep your head up
Better days, better days,
Lookin for the better days hey
Better days, hm better days, lookin for the better daysBetter days, better days,
Lookin for the better days hey
(Better days)
YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgoK1npGvoI