The Breeze of Joy at a Party Exposes Hidden Poverty
By Olusegun HOSEA.
13th April, 2026
It was a celebration galore all through yesterday, 11th April, 2026, at one of the mega primary schools located in Akure, when groups of people gathered for both a wedding ceremony and other socio-cultural celebrations. The event was fun for the celebrants and other well-wishers who took their time to rejoice, dine together, and relax for the weekend. Indeed, these activities served as a reunion for many and also as a way for some philanthropists in society to display their wealth and see it as an opportunity to bless others by giving out cash to some less privileged people.
The event was glamorous and joyful as many people danced to the rhythm of musical artists who gave live performances and entertaining music for the guests. Many guests supported the celebrants with their financial substance. This act was a good and great support to their friends, as it showed the level of friendship and cooperation that existed among them. It also showed that the celebrants had supportive friends they could rely on during such celebrations.
Similarly, this kind of celebration also afforded people from diverse ethnic groups the opportunity to display different clothing styles, and some adults wore uniform dresses to the occasion.
The women’s headgear also added colour to the event. Women, in particular, were known for their necklaces and other jewellery for fashion purposes. All these were sources of attraction and added beauty to the event. Coming to the African and other foreign dishes served by the caterer or chef to entertain the guests, the tables and serving plates were struggling for space. Most decorated tables were fully occupied with different African and foreign dishes for people to eat. The drinks too were sufficient, as most celebrants entertained their guests and friends with enough food and wine. This gesture showed a kind of appreciation for their invited guests at the occasion.
The environment was decorated with different kinds of balloons along with other interior decorations, which added beauty to the compound. Standing fans were also provided to support the natural breeze that blew across the guests. The event planner ensured that guests were satisfied to a reasonable degree by providing basic necessities that gave them comfort. The generator was working perfectly, as the power holding company had decided to withhold electricity, and the organizers had no choice but to provide a standby generator on ground to avoid being disappointed by the so-called PHCN. However, throughout the event, there was no such disappointment.
During the gathering, the servers were seen busy all through, serving guests table by table. As they moved around, they also packed dishes for washing in order to serve others. In this regard, people at each table commended the prompt and active service of the servers, as everyone ate to their satisfaction at the event.
The environment was also secured to some extent. The organizers were able to engage the services of military personnel to provide security for those who came to celebrate with them. They were seen moving up and down the nooks and crannies of the venue. The presence of these security personnel gave confidence to guests to stay comfortably at the event.
In another development, when this type of grand event is organized in our community, some side attractions cannot but surface to show that all is not well with everyone in society. This is where the breeze of joy at a party exposes hidden poverty among the people. This is what the writer refers to as the stratification of society in this article. As the event was winding up, some people were seriously struggling for remnants on the tables. Some were packing and putting them into their bags and nylons, claiming that it would be used to feed their pets at home. In some cases, these less privileged individuals were seen eating those remnants on the spot. This shows that there is serious poverty in the land, and this is a challenge to the government of the day to take action and strengthen the welfare aspect of its administration for the betterment of the people.
