Page 36 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 7
P. 36
COMMUNITY
THE PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND
THE ME, MYSELF AND I SYNDROME
Samuel Phillips
I passed through that town grow- self and I way.
spent a good sum of my
ing up. Growing up in that town
young adult life in a town
taught me some fundamental
I remember one afternoon I
called Sapele in Delta state
of Nigeria. Sapele is a small
house, we had scheduled song
town with a big history. It’s a lessons about life and respon- went to meet a friend in his
sibility. That's practically where
semi island town because it’s I learnt how to fend for myself. rehearsals for that afternoon.
partially surrounded by the But that's not the reason for this I sat outside waiting for him
Ethiope River and has lots of article. to come out of the house. As
creeks around it, with just one This article is about the psy- I waited, a little drama played
road to access the town and chology behind greed which is out right before my eyes. Three
lots of water ways. Ethiope reflected in the Me, Myself and little boys were playing just op-
River is on record as being the I syndrome. And by the way, posite where I was seated; they
deepest river in Afrika. And I the concept of Me, Myself and should have been between the
must also add that, that little I syndrome is one of the things ages of 3 and 4 or thereabouts.
town has produced some of I picked up growing in Sapele. As they played, they saw a man
the most amazing talent in the I remember we usually called they knew passing and they all
entire nation of Nigeria. Either someone who didn’t care about ran to him to greet him. He re-
they were born there or they others as behaving in a Me, My- sponded to them for a few sec-
36 | heal . restore . rebirth . Afrika HAPPY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY
