Have you ever seen a drunk man who, despite his hazy vision, tries to move by any means necessary? You notice how he dances from side to side, swaying left and right, until he either lands in a gutter to take a break or finds a spot to take another shot, even when he knows the implications on his health. This vivid image serves as a metaphor for the current state of Nigeria’s economy.
Nigeria, the great giant of Africa, is a land rich in natural and mineral resources, yet it remains oblivious to the treasures it possesses. It is ruled by leaders who claim to know the way but are primarily focused on satisfying their selfish desires. Every four years, they pass the baton, with each successor leaving the nation in a worse state than before.
Nigeria cries out in utter displeasure, and the people stand by in pain as the prices of commodities surge drastically, prompting the question: “Is there any hope for the common man?” The youth have resorted to finding alternative means of survival, coining phrases like “Education na Scam” and “Heaven helps those who help themselves”.
We watch as it seems that indeed “the labours of our heroes past are nowhere to be found”. Where is the once-beautiful legacy that was spoken of? There is no room for comfort as everyone must hustle to survive in this land of survival of the fittest. Even children are not spared, as “child hawking” has become prevalent. You see a child who should be in class learning chasing after a bus on the street instead, hoping to earn a mere N50 for survival. Another child may be found napping beside a gutter, worn out from the exhaustion of trying to sell his wares.
You hear a mother scolding her child for asking for food in the morning, saying, “Do I pluck money from trees?” and you wonder when it became this bad. Indeed, the nation is in a drunken state, and just when you think it can’t get any worse, it stops at another spot to take another bottle. Just when you think the economy has hit rock bottom, a new implementation by the leaders emerges, leaving you to wonder how it got this bad.
Who will save this once-giant and booming land from utter destruction? It’s time for her to take a break because, for now, what we have is a nation that is “drunk but still moving on”.
