Why Are You Laughing?
On a bright and bustling morning in Avia
Nkwo, the scent of ripe tomatoes hung like a promise. While Mma Ngozi waited in
line at Mma Chinedu’s stall, she witnessed something odd yet peculiar: a
customer offered a ridiculous price for a bowl of tomatoes that could have
insulted the integrity of the fruit itself. But instead of getting angry, Mama
Chinedu, the black beauty with open teeth and a sparkle in her eyes burst into
a rich, unrestrained laugh, one that was straight from her bowel.
"Why are you laughing?" asked a
stunned Mma Ngozi.
With a gentle smile, Mma Chinedu replied,
“Laughter is medicine to my body, it refreshes me. Can’t you see how young I
look?”
That statement lingered. Could something as
simple as laughter be a tonic for youth, health, and resilience?
So, this got me thinking too, is laughing
that important? In this maiden edition of the Knowledge Sharing Session (KSS),
let us look at the topic of laughing and laughter together.
Really, what is laughter?
Laughter is more than a reflex. It is a
social signal, an emotional release, and often, a subtle rebellion against
stress and sorrow. While the American dictionary defines the verb to laugh as
making sounds and movements of the face and body
that express happiness or amusement, or that
sometimes express ridicule or anxiety in real life, it is a
language of the soul. Laughter breaks the tension, disarms conflict, and builds
bridges across differences.
What Science and Scripture Agree On
Long before laboratories confirmed it,
ancient wisdom understood the power of a merry heart. Thus, the Holy Bible says
clearly “A merry heart does good like medicine.
The Medicine We Overlook
Science is catching up with what culture
and wisdom have long known:
Physiological Healing: Laughter activates your diaphragm, increases oxygen intake, and
boosts circulation like light exercise. It enhances endorphins (nature’s
painkillers) and reduces cortisol (the stress hormone).
Immunological Power: Regular laughter has been linked to increased antibody production
and enhanced immunity.
Emotional Detox: It helps recalibrate perspective. In challenging circumstances,
laughter gives us permission to feel joy without denying the struggle.
A Joyful Heritage
In communities like ours, where life often
dances between hardship and hope, laughter becomes more than emotional, it
becomes cultural. It is how we process grief without being consumed by it. It
is how we connect, even without a shared language. It is how we remember that
we are still human.
Our laughter carries the voices of our
ancestors. It flows from the lips of mothers trading in the marketplace, from
children chasing tires down dusty roads, from elders telling jokes in hushed
tones under mango trees.
In many African communities, joy is not
only an emotion but also a form of resistance and resilience. In our stories,
in the rhythm of folktales, and in the laughter at family gatherings, we find
healing beyond medicine. As our elders say, “He who laughs, lives twice.”
Mma Chinedu is not merely being youthful, she embodies wisdom.
Interesting, Mma Chinedu is not the only one who understands the healing power of laughter. Our esteemed Eze Aro IX is also an embodiment of joy and wisdom. He knows, deeply, that laughter does good like medicine because he laughs with ease and makes others laugh too.I
remember in 2024, at a wedding ceremony in Lagos, a heated discussion arose
comparing the stature of the Oba of Benin and that of the Eze Aro. The
atmosphere grew tense, teetering on the edge of tribal misunderstanding. Then,
with calm assurance, the Eze Aro took the microphone and shared a cleverly
timed joke, one laced with wit and wisdom. The people erupted in laughter, and
just like that, the tension dissolved. What could have divided us became a
shared moment of joy. That day, His Eminence reminded us that humour, in the
hands of a wise leader, can be a bridge rather than a wedge.
Why We Must Laugh More Than We Frown
Let us not underestimate the spiritual and
social power of laughter. Laughter
·
Builds connection in strained
relationships as seen in the Eze Aro’s action described above.
·
Breaks fear in public speaking
or tense negotiations.
·
Anchors us in gratitude, even
when life feels uncertain.
You do not need a reason to laugh, just the
willingness. Practise it when you are alone then watch how it will lighten the
room, lift your face, and strengthen your spirit.
A Final Thought
Joy is not the absence of pain, but the
decision to meet life with grace. Although laughter is free, it is not trivial,
it is sacred. Sometimes, as Mma Chinedu knows, it is the greatest proof that we
are still alive and well.
As you take out time to reflect on this, we
celebrate the one-year coronation of our highly esteemed Eze Aro IX, His
Eminence Eberechukwu Oji and pray he has a beautiful reign steering the
leadership of our great Arochukwu Kingdom. May his reign be filled with peace,
development, and plenty of LAUGHTER.
Long Live Eze Aro!
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