How It Feels To Be Nigerian





   As I pondered on what the future held for my dear country Nigeria, curiosity hit me. "what is the original meaning of the phrase 'Third world country'?". Then I checked; dictionary.com defined the phrase as an underdeveloped country with widespread poverty.  I just asked myself,  when are we ever going to get out of that label "third world country"? when are we ever going to reach our full potential? These and many more questions that I  ask myself almost on a daily basis, yet with no tangible answer. Years and years have gone by, yet no change. Nigerian situation, it's like that of the people of Israelites before they crossed the blue sea.  The obstacle being the blue sea. Now the only
difference is, Nigerians can't cross the sea, we are just standing and staring at the sea, waiting and thinking on how to cross. Our issues are so many and so intertwined.

           When I was much younger, my teachers would say" you are the future leaders of tomorrow". Tomorrow, you say? We are in "tomorrow", yet the old goons still holds the forth. Old with gray hair, and pot bellies. Bellies filled with money from stolen salaries and pensions.  Salaries and pensions that families are supposed to survive on. Who ever said the older you get, the wiser you became, lied big time! A wise man is an honest man. A wise person is a humble. A wise person has a beautiful heart. But the hearts of these leaders are wicked and ugly.  They are liars, and dishonest. Can someone please! please !! tell me why it's so freaking hard to pay people their monthly salaries? People will dedicate their whole lives to serving their country, yet won't receive pensions. Do they ever wonder, how these people cope on a daily basis, without six months salaries?!  What is the Nigerian government doing?


          Slogans like" Education is the key to a better future" keeps circulating during electoral campaigns.Which better future are they referring to? A future of unemployment, depression, and heartache? People invest four good years of their lives attending universities in a broken education system;  only to come out unemployed and stranded. Mind you, most, if not all the kids of Nigerian Leaders studies overseas. The only option they unfortunate Nigerians are left with is to start their worlds from scratch. Why?, because, some unqualified persons are sitting on their rightful seat.  Talk about hardship.  People end up working at places they never got a degree for just so they can survive. What is the Nigerian Government doing?

            No basic social amenities. People don't have access to good quality roads, electricity, and water. Talk about being underdeveloped. When the old goons in charge, gives out contracts for substandard goods.  Nigeria is highly blessed with natural resources and mental skills, yet we can't afford the basic needs to survive. That's shameful. Nigeria is like a wealthy family with self-centered parents who starves and maltreats their children. Why do we have a government, when the citizens provide almost everything for themselves. People open boreholes with their hard-earned money. No electricity, so people survive by generators, which they have to fuel with money ( six months salaries withheld). Communities come together to construct their roads for easy access; since there isn't any good accessible road. Yet we have a government, or do we?

            I sound calm, believe me, I  am not. I am so pissed and angry at the way things are. At this age and era, one would think we would be moving forward and getting better. But no, we are moving backward at an accelerated rate. Almost everyone I graduated with is unemployed. Our leaders are corrupt and greedy. We have no checks and balances, or if we do it ain't functioning properly. We have poor maintenance culture. If Only the government will give contracts of quality standard and be able to maintain these goods, maybe, just maybe, life will be less difficult. We have so many smart and bright youths wondering the streets with brilliant ideas and innovations yet no available fund.
Like every other Nigerian, I can only rant , because our government doesn't give a rat ass about our welfare. It's  feels like we are talking to a brick wall. 

SaveSave
SaveSave

Comments

  1. Never knew you had a blog Ugomma.... Great piece......We're blessed with almost everything except Good Leaders!.....

    #Dubai.....

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Names of Animals in Igbo Language

Skinny Girl in Transit S5E1 : RING

Jidenna - Bambi