Today is International Day of Happiness, a day set aside by the UN to encourage every individual to contribute their quota in filling the world with happiness
Part of the lyrics of a popular song by Bobby McFerrin says:
“In every life we have some trouble
But when you worry, you make it double
Don’t worry, be happy
Don’t worry be happy now
Ain’t got no place to lay your head
Somebody came and took your bed
Don’t worry, be happy
The landlord say your rent is late
He may have to litigate
Don’t worry, be happy
The point of McFerrin’s song is that one’s happiness should not be dependent on his or her circumstances. This is also in line with the thinking of Jayme Illien, a prominent UN special adviser, activist, statesman and philanthropist who conceptualized and founded the International Day of Happiness.
In the recently released Happiness Report ranking, Nigeria is placed 91st in the world and 5th in Africa. Time was when Nigeria was ranked the happiest place in the world. What has changed? Are Nigerians no longer happy? What does happiness mean to Nigerians. The Next Edition posed some of these questions to a few people.
Mr. Chukwudi Obi, a farmer and restaurant operator defines happiness to mean having less things to worry about and more things to celebrate; More things to be happy about. He disagrees with any notion or school of thought that says Nigerians are happy people. “Fact is that we are a resilient people. What late FELA described as “suffering and smiling explains the average Nigerian for you”
He argues that the present administration “has cut dreams short, stunted development and reduced governance to a thing for the dogs.”
Mrs. Comfort Ogwude, a retiree says happiness to her means both inner and outward well being. She is not surprised that Nigerians now rank 91st on the table of world happiness as she contends that any survey ranking Nigerians of today among the happiest people in the world would be a ruse.
Happiness, she insists, can never be achieved by make belief action “just as the government of Imo State is pretending to do with their Ministry of Happiness.”
For pastor Sunny Obika, happiness equates to peace of mind; a settled mind. “Happiness is when you have peace of mind, when your mind is settled. It is not about how much you have, it is not when all your problems are solved.”
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He expressed the view that Nigerians are blessed because in the mist of all their troubles and woes they keep their smiles on their faces.
“Nigerians have a way of finding happiness inspite of their problems. I believe Nigerians are blessed. When you look at the situation of things, you would think that nobody will be happy but people find a way to make themselves happy. I am not talking about going to the bar to drink, I am not talking about fooling around with women. These will give you temporary happiness. I am talking about the happiness God has given Nigerians, which keeps them going, their circumstances notwithstanding.
“When you travel outside the country to places in Europe, the statistics of suicide will tell you just how blessed Nigerians are,” he said.
Sule, a mechanic says happiness for him is being able to do his business in order to provide for his family. “It’s not that I will provide everything at once but at least, everyday I should be able to put food on the table, meet one or two other needs with the hope that the next day will provide another opportunity.”
He says that anybody waiting to have everything before they are happy will die an unhappy person.
International Day of Happiness was adopted by the unanimous consensus of all 193 UN member states of the United Nations General Assembly on June 28, 2012. It is celebrated by all 193 UN member states, two observer states and 11 territories.
The first ever International Day of Happiness was celebrated on March 20, 2013.
So, as Bobby McFerrin says, don’t worry, be happy. Make someone else happy too. If you are not able to achieve your goal or dream today, tomorrow presents another opportunity. Hakuna Matata!
