Not too long ago, we attended the birthday celebration in honour of one of my wife’s old schoolmates. What ought to have been a warm evening of laughter and genuine human connection unfolded instead into something strangely theatrical. From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere carried the unmistakable air of performance rather than celebration. The celebrant appeared in multiple costume changes as though preparing for the Met Gala. An overly animated master of ceremonies repeatedly urged guests to “show love,” while hired entertainers performed elaborate routines before an audience that seemed only marginally interested. Hovering above the evening like an invisible tax was the unspoken expectation that attendees must publicly demonstrate financial generosity.
The Odogwu illusion: When life becomes content, By Osmund Agbo
