By Dr. Nkiru Anyakwo

Fifty years ago, I made my grand entrance into this beautiful world of God right after the baby boomers and before the Millennials.

People of my generation are typically super ambitious, go getters, trailblazers, pacesetters, over achievers, fearless, tough but malleable at the same time, resilient but reasonable , resourceful, appreciative.

We typically do not have a misguided sense of entitlement. We believe in the rewards of hard work. We memorized Modern Biology cover to cover.

We could recite Mark Anthony’s Eulogy at the death of Julius Ceaser. We could develop a two page narrative with the one liner “ No Nile no Egypt”. We are mostly incurable romantics. We believe in love at first sight. We go to Church on Sundays.

We read Chinua Achebe, Daily times and Vanguard Newspapers, James Hardly Chase, Sidney Sheldon, Mills and Boon. We listened to Sony Okosun, Felix Liberty, Chris Okotie, Essien Igbokwe, Onyeka Onwenu, Majek Fashek, Mike Okkri( Time na miney), Cher, Abba, Bonny M, Boyz to Men, New Edition, Bob Marley. We listened to Patrick Oke and Yinka Craig deliver the news on NTA, Pete Edochie and Agbakoba report on Anambra broadcasting service television. We watched Zebrudaya, Tales by moonlight, Cock crow at Dawn, Sound of Music, Ten Commandments, Sean Connery. We are Generation X.

I AM unapologetically Generation X. I have seen the gradual evolution from all of the above to the Now.

From baggy pants to now tight fitting and three quarter length above the ankle. From computers that used to take up the entire space in a room to little hand held devices that slide into your back pocket. From clocking in to work to working from home. From being watchers of content to content creators. From a world before COVID to a post COVID world. From no social media to Facebook, twitter, TikTok, WhatsApp. The world is now a Global Public square according to Fareed of CNN.

But I am thankful to be alive. All the challenges, trials, victories, successes, experiences , detours , straight shots, blessings of the last fifty years have been made possible by the Almighty through His Son our Lord Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of our Faith. I have cried my worst cry, laughed the best laugh, soared the skies but also plumbed the depths. I have gone through it and it through me.

Thanks be to God, I am still standing a conqueror, a daughter, Sister, wife, mother, stepmother, friend, Enterpreneur. Not because I  am the strongest or smartest but by HIS special Grace, the One and Only, the One who was , is and is to come. Take all the Glory Lord. You have done me well. It’s all good.  It sure has been a WILD RIDE!!!! I Look forward to the next Chapter and all it promises to bring and I embrace it all wholeheartedly. Happy Birthday to me.