There is a reason why the unknown is associated with feelings of uncertainty, fear, angst, hope, trepidation, delirious expectations, and a myriad of emotions yet unnamed. The future and what it holds are unknown to any and every person. Besides the fact that certain chains of events can be somewhat predicted based on the experiences of others, the bulk of what will happen tomorrow remains undisclosed and mysterious.
Despite the existence of these feelings and emotions that ravage the consciousness of man, almost to the point of control, one may never get a grip on them until the unknown finally becomes known. The very thought of this drives people to set goals, structures, and vision boards that give them a sense of foresight and help them conceptualize figments of their imagination for the future.
One may think the fear of the unknown is non-existent until they are made aware of the lengths people go to get a grip on the unknown. From western solutions offered by fortune tellers, tarot readers, soothsayers, mediums, and the like to the Nigerian realities of evoking traditional powers or gods or relying on prophecies, people place their trust in these channels so they have the edge of having a glimpse of an unknown future as they race through life.
Explaining the impact of fortune telling, the National Institutes of Health noted that people who believe fortune telling hold superstitious beliefs that their future can be predicted by fortune tellers based on information about basic external factors. Furthermore, Amy Hamper, in an article published by the Prague Post, emphasized that people’s love fortune telling is important because, through it, they can be redirected towards a better path in their lives, as it serves as a guide towards a better future.
It then remains clear that the pursuit and maintenance of control is a key human motivation, even though such control might be an illusion or a false sense of order. The thirst for clarity continues as people continue the cycle of getting predictions, hoping they come true, accepting the disappointment when the predictions are wrong or joyful relief when they are right, then going back for more predictions.
Looking in hindsight to a few days ago, the 16th of January was one night the residents of Ibadan would not forget. Just like monumental occurrences in Nigeria like independence, the COVID-19 pandemic, and EndSars, that particular night is one that will go down in history. A discussion of that day would portray how almost every person, building, living, and non-living thing living within Ibadan felt the impact of that night, some more than most.
What started as a quiet night was suddenly interrupted by a loud sound, to some, and vibration from the ground, to others. One thing that was common to all was the question, ‘What was that?’
It’s no secret that Nigerians response in the face of the unknown is humor, whether dark or light. Many tried to lighten the atmosphere by asking whether rapture had occurred. Memes and WhatsApp statuses filled rapidly as people jested and laughed. But the gnawing question remained, hanging above our heads as we waited for the other shoe to drop.
The uncertainty and angst of the unknown started to settle in the hearts of Ibadan residents as each person tried to give an explanation for what happened. From speculations that the sound or vibrations came from a sonic boom, a gas plant explosion, gunshots, the passing of a jet, an earthquake, or a bombing by a terrorist, people continued to churn out various responses to answer the question of what was not known.
I once heard that bad news circulates faster than good news, and that night proved no different. One by one, videos of the destruction that lay in the night started to surface. Houses demolished, windows broken, roofs destroyed, popular places like Ace Mall and Dominos Pizza ruined in various degrees, collapsed buildings, injured people, and even lives lost. The realization of the casualties suffered in one night settled gradually in the minds and hearts of Ibadan residents with each video or picture that circulated.
Slowly but surely, the unknown became known, and its realities left in its wake damages of unexplainable degrees. If a person was told that the 16th of January 2024 would end on such a catastrophic note, they wouldn’t have believed it. In typical Nigerian fashion, they probably would have shouted ‘God forbid’ and proceeded to move their hands over their heads, as if to ward off such a negative declaration.
That night, though not expected, shook our world, and it is safe to say that there would be many more to come. Not many more saddening events, but many more unexpected events. Truly, that’s what takes place with every new year, month, day, hour, minute, and second that passes by.
Live prepared, they say, and then live prepared we will. Make the best of today, they say, and make the best we will. Make memories, they say, and make memories we would. The goal is not to live each day as though it were our last, but rather to live every day with purpose and a vision. Harnessing every moment we have because of its importance.
The future is unknown; we can only control the little that is within our grasp. But for today, for this very moment that is known, we will do all that we have to do, know to do, and choose to do.
OBAFEMI AWOLOWO HALL PRESS 
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