The story of a place carries a lot of value, for many people it is the only thing they will ever really know about that country, city or people. A story stands the chance of being an enlightenment and guide for people, it also faces the danger of being a one sided story that people base all their beliefs on.

Not all the stories we hear are true, not all of them are false either. Many times we refuse to explore many places in Nigeria and beyond because we have heard one or two negative things about that place; many times we go as far as turning down opportunities that involve us visiting such places. Also on the flip side, many people have been able to be better prepared when travelling or moving to a new city because of the stories they have heard.

In actuality, what we hear about other places seem very believable and only sounds ridiculous when other people tell us the stereotypes they have heard about where we live and base them as reasons why they would not want to visit our part of the country or Continent.

How many times have you visited a place and found out that everything you heard was wrong? How many times have you been better prepared because of what you heard  about a place? How many times did you never bother to find out at all the authenticity of the stories you have heard?

The questions really worth pondering about are; is it safer to believe in the stories we hear; do they serve as our guide and precaution? Or is there so much more danger in believing one sided stories and stereotypes, do they stop us from being open minded and make us more judgemental?

  Salamatu Adamu, Story of a Place