Emeralds and Gunfire... by Dr. Strive Masiyiwa.

When I was a little boy, living on the Copperbelt, in Zambia, during my family's exile, in that beautiful country. Emeralds, were discovered in an area, not far from our home. It was just amazing to see people from all over the country, and as far a field as Senegal, and Mali, (from West Africa, 3000 KM, away); pouring in to dig for the stones. Some of neighbours, who were well respected professionals, even working in banks, quit their jobs, removed their suits, and headed to dig for emeralds.


I heard that many people were getting very rich, and there were flashy cars, everywhere. Instant riches, indeed! But one day, there was an incident, from which I drew a life lesson:
One of the consequences of the "Emerald rush", was the emergence of sprawling settlements, in areas where the digging was taking place. Early one morning, we heard a burst of gunfire. Soon we saw police cars, and then we saw the bodies, being driven away: several young men, had been shot dead!

What happened?
"Same old story.."
"A trader sold crushed, Sprite bottles (they are green, the colour of emeralds). The buyer, came back and shot the trader."
"How can you buy crushed Sprite bottle chips, thinking they are emeralds?" I asked.

"Most of the people, digging out there, have never seen any emeralds, they do not know what they look like or what they are used for... They have just heard, it will make them a lot of money. In the end having sold all they have to get rich quickly, they become desperate."
The Emeralds rush ended just as quickly as it had started; as these things often do. Someone, somewhere made money, but it was not our neighbours, or the young men from the villages.
One of our neighbours, committed suicide.
I listened. I watched. I made a note:
Don't run after such things.
The End.