Nigeria: The Alternative Country
Survival is a better word to describe living in Nigeria. Over the years, successive governments have created gaps in the provision of infrastructure that the citizens to survive continue to fill those gaps in their quest for better livelihood. Fulfilment is far from the experiences of a people whose country is filled with abundant resources but their lives do not manifest it. Many point to lack of visionary leadership from governments that failed to prepare for the increasing population. Some lay the blame at the feet of citizens who they regard as indiscipline and lawless. Both factors are correct and acceptable if the mounting corruption of public office holders are laid on the table.
These corrupt activities are responsible for the unfulfilled lives of the citizenry who in the 21st century are still being cajoled by politicians with the promises of motorable roads, potable water, electricity, effective transportation, job creation and skill empowerment among other degrading promises.
These promises are what make Nigeria the alternative country because the citizens have learnt to provide alternatives to government’s inadequacies. The average Nigerian provides his own security by employing a licensed security guard or a random fellow as gateman and in the absence of the former, we have gated homes and communities with high fences. The epileptic power supply have contributed to a social malaise in irritating noise pollution with the riotous noise of innumerable generators plaguing the neighbourhood. It comes with an extra in air pollution as fumes choke the environment, resulting in people closing their windows but who blocks it from destroying our aging climate? Like people digging for oil, gold or other mineral resources, boreholes have been sunk in nearly every home due to the poor water supply as the water corporation has become moribund. And education has become a very colourful story best told through the various uniforms of students of private primary and secondary schools; the public schools have come to be known with every bad name in the book from being poorly funded to battered images of incompetent teachers and poor quality education. Want to talk about health? Then, visit one of the general hospitals in a time of emergency and you will hear ‘no bed space’. It takes some name dropping to get the required attention.
It is no doubt that the rudderless leadership, degeneration of societal values, lack of basic amenities among other webs of confusion are the very reasons the average Nigerian wished they were born in another country or continually dream of a better life in other climes.