Society: The Youth Quest

Friday Twilight. Ever had time to notice Kigali city on a Friday evening? If one could sit on one of her a thousand hills and allow one’s eyes to float over her majestic lights on the roads, the already standing buildings and their upcoming relatives, the well groomed gentlemen and lovely ladies of the business class probably going back home after work and the younger searching for where to kick off the week’s stress, the order and organization covering the streets… As if the sun slowly sets with the week’s difficulties and obstacles, and allows a seemingly shy night to restore a youthful energy of happiness that slowly explodes into a fresh breeze of a relaxed atmosphere, to the tune that one can hear the happy laughters across the streets, a few buzzes here and there with frequent polite hoots from taxi drivers, compared to most cities in Africa, I think it’s a beauty worth watching… In pursuit of this evening, gentlemen will meet up with their friends around a table or so and share a drink. The same probably engulfs the ladies. That is not my worry though, being mature, focused and knowing what they want and to have fun away from the week’s work, I wouldn’t really find it a subject of discussion. Am only disturbed by those that do the same at the cost of flying over a school fence, hiding under umbrellas that have been pulled so low that they risk suffocation in fear of their parents or anyone who knows them, if by any chance they pass by and more so face a threat of expulsion or eviction on discovery that at later hours of the night they were not found in their beds. And leave alone mentioning them that will put their whole marriage and vows taken before a priest on a string, just for an eve of a weekend. Surely this evening must be too beneficial to have such a price to it! “I believe youth can last a lifetime. Inner youthfulness is not a matter of our physical age. Rather, it is determined by the passion with which we live, the enthusiasm with which we learn, the freshness and energy with which we advance towards our chosen goals in life.” Friday sunset comes as the day that brings this to reality although it must have slipped whoever said that to mention night clubs and or bars and their morning hang over that follows hammering one’s head like it owns it. Yet come Friday, again and one will offer oneself to it again. Is it just the day or does the evening have a charm to it? An elderly man I once travelled with had this to say; “ Friday evening has a way it brings life to the city and the youth know just what it takes to enjoy it, it is one of the days waited for. You see, a few years ago, the value of visiting a friend, a relative or even a good neighbour was so great that it cost days of travelling (on foot), having to pack food to keep one alive through the journey and spending open nights in caves, forests or sleeping on road sides but when one arrived, we would celebrate. These days that is not there. In those days, that was our Friday and our weekend and it meant something, it kept the family bond, ties and love. It was the cornerstone to family unity. Oh! How we would dance and be merry that is what I see in such an evening” Well, be it from an elder or from a student trying to have fun, or from an artist enjoying the structures set up, or just me writing this article, Friday evening remains favoured to most. Ends