I just read this. Practically everyone I know has been robbed either in traffic or in their homes. A gun has been pointed at me not by robbers but by agberos(perhaps there is no difference) who scampared off when I gave them NGN500 originally meant for my dinner. I, like many Lagosians had almost come to accept crime as part of our lives in this crazed country. You hear of robberies and rumours of robberies and shrug, how many times will you shed a tear? But this story gets to me,it sobers me. Why? When will it end? Will it ever end?
A friend of mine tells me the soaring rate of crime in the country is caused my unemployment. I disagree, I think greed now lives in us. If you aren't making quick cash off politics, then you should be making it off yahoo,yahooo and where you cannot break into either field,you carry the gun. If your friend's driving the latest BM, you've got to get one for yourself. Yes there's unemployment, but there's employment too and self employment.
And of course, there is the fact that the government has gone to bed. last year, you couldn't walk leisurely on my streets in the dark, you had to walkrun to avoid running into the dark guys. We resorted to OPC, and now I can take walks without much fear(cos you still have to be afraid).In the mornings,I see them brandishing guns meant for the police. We bought the guns, we pay them a salary and we pay taxes too.
This is not my country,this is not the Nigeria of my childhood where my family sat under the moonlight listening to Grandpa's tales. The Nigeria where we had no fences nor gates.This is not the Nigeria of my dreams where everyone has food and water,and power and security and laughter. Where did that Nigeria go?
I am also sad that Yinka Craig is dead. I really wanted him to win the fight against cancer. Like Fela, his works,his name will live long after him.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Where did Nigeria go?
Posted by For the love of me at 11:44 AM
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10 comments:
Nigeria can be found again if we all collectively try. Sometimes I think 'rogues' understand how to work together better than we do.
You hit the nail on the head, GREED. Our value system = get rich or get rich trying.
Lovely picture of your son...soo cute!
Yes i agree the root of all these things is greed! God please bring back our Nigeria! Is that a prayer that can be answered???
Greed. The bad thing is although robbery is bad. Its justifiable by the robbery of our leaders from Babangida to Ibori whose a.c balances are in billions of dollars. What do they or their descendants nedd hat money for?
i feel you pain sista cos my heart bleeds for this country on the eve of our 48th independence. i cant but ask which way nigeria...?
crime is due to greed like you said, a lil of employment causes it too, then don't forget laziness. some are just to lazy to work and earn a living.
welcome back didnt know u where back. ur son is beautiful. good he is a boy, so i can start planning for the girl abi?
OH We would find Nigeria again....i remembered when i got robbed on the highway in lagos...all while i lived in naija i never got robbed..now i come for holiday and they rob me. I don't know how this govt would tackle this
Mhh…Nigeria…what can I say? I can only pray 4d safety of my self and luved ones. Iv been robbed too at home, but I actually think crime rate has gone down sha…
I have a theory, and it all has to do with The Nigerian Psyche. Check out Persistent Psychological Paralysis.
Nevertheless, e go betta.
I remember the Nigeria of my youth, where you can roam the streets and drive at night with no fear of night marauders...Oh, where did we go wrong?
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