Na me be dis?

I remember when I was younger, when I used sit in the corner of the parlour and listen to my parents as they discussed Nigerian politics with their friends. I used to marvel at the complexity of it all, and how they could sit for hours going on and on about NEPA (now PHCN) or the president (now Goodluck Johnathan) or any number of the various problems that afflict the nation.

Fast forward about 15 years and I find myself in the middle of a passionate conversation about Nigeria. One that has already been going on for about 2 or 3 hours and even now: hours after midnight, the conversation is still running strong. That's when I wondered to myself: Is this me? Do I really possess such strong opinions about my country? Am I the same college student who claims to be apolitical? But more than all that I thought "Have I really reached the age where I can discuss these complexities like my parents used to do? Am I really that old?

Apparently I am. Somehow between learning Chinese, developing websites, going to college, and writing The Red String, I turned 24 - and this year I will be turning 25! I'm in my mid-twenties! Can you believe it? Because I can't.