Can you believe it?! This week’s topic is a phenomenon that reigned (in words) in Nigeria some months back. Why did I use the word ‘reigned’, you see in Nigeria when something is in focus or en vogue for a while, we call it ‘REIGNING’. https://silverthreading.com/2016/05/11/writers-quote-wednesday-writing-challenge-change/
The new dispensation or crop of leaders came in with their Mantra tagged ‘Change’. Has much changed in Nigeria? Yes o! Positively? Depends on who is looking. The person selling the Change story would say YES things have changed and improved. For the sakes of fairness, I will only address what concerns me.
For the past week or more we have been in darkness and PMS (Gasoline) has been up and up and down and upper, sometimes none at all. Do we still get to buy? Eventually, at a cost to your pocket, body, car etc.
- For the Pocket, the guy by the roadside sells his black market at a ridiculously high rate, we don’t patronise him or her, but people do and they are situated right beside the fuelling station. I hear from the attendants “we don’t sell to anyone with Jerrycans, bring your generators” and by the next day, “we don’t sell to generators too!” So we are wondering, how we will have power in the house when we can’t get fuel for the generator or get power from Power Holding Company of Nigeria?
- For the Body, you will suffer bodily wise with dragging on the queuing line with agberos (touts) manning the gates, men of the force and other car-users looking to get the product too!
- For the Car, whilst you are trying to push your car that has no fuel into the station, another car smoothly turns in front of you.
Now, it is Tomatoes whose price has skyrocketted and no end in sight to its increase. The sad part is when you complain, the mallam, tells you ‘nah Change’. I thought Change was meant to be positive or at least yield positive results. In a way, it has made many of us return to other recipes we abandoned and local food.
Whilst there’s so much to complain about the current system, I have decided to work on some changes personally. Watch what I say (as always) because words are seeds and I’m expecting a harvest. Come up with new and creative ideas and strategies to change situations around me. Be the Change I want to see in my home, to my King, colleagues, family and Lagos road-users…for this set of peeps, you need special GRACE, I tell you. But it will work together for good!
Picture Sources: http://quotesgram.com/it-starts-with-you-quotes/
http://ryan30rapadas.blogspot.com.ng/2014/03/i-m-t-h-e-key-to-change-when-we-are-no.html
©2016. Frances Kelvin Otung. All rights reserved
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10 replies on “#WQWWC – Change”
I love the first quote as I think it defines Nigeria situation better…it will not be easy but I can see it will be worth it in the end.
The petro palaver is long coming, although we have always been able to ‘manage’ but in reality crooks are making big money at the expense of Nigeria public – I believe subsidy removal will benefit Nigerians as a whole.
The tomato issue is insane, from what I have read/heard tomato at home now is more expensive than in London – how can that make any sense? We should have seen this coming a long time, when you give power to one person, they monopolise the market, holding ordinary folks to ‘ransom.’
We in the south can perfectly produce tomatoes, but for a long time we have heavily relied on the ones that come from the north – why? OBJ has a lot to answer for this.
This situation will repeat itself in near future until our farmers in the south receive the similar help the feds give to the northern farmers.
I feel you Queen, I really do – this is more the reason ‘managing’ is never sustainable.
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I love it when you write like this. I just wish one of them … would tag on your post or comment and use it to plan forward. Hmmm. Shebi you will write an open letter to these people, seeing that even when they go for correct meeting, they don’t even go with a recording device or something to write on. So how do they keep records of other people’s useful contribution and find ways to improve their economy?
We have to wake up o! Plant our own tomatoes and everything plant-able! Before the hand-shake passes the elbow.
#WordsOfAConcernedNaijaWoman
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Thanks, That’s a cool hashtag btw.
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Frances, this is why I love hearing about your world. It is a fundamental law in the universe that change promotes obstinance! It is amazing women like you who make the difference. I hope things change for the better. Whatever “illness” it is in the world today, it seems like it is everywhere. You keep up your positivity! Hugs to you! ❤
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Definitely keeping the positive attitude Colleen. It’s one of the things we have going on for us. People, might call it a fool’s paradise, but it’s better than a hellish paradise of negativity.
That said, thank you for reading as usual, I wonder how you are able to do that and always find time to respond too! Much luv
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We need more people like you, Frances. I try to surround myself with the positive also. So important! Somehow I know things will get better. Hugs to you and your lovely family. 😊❤️
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BIG Hugs ❤ to you and you are still online Colleen! You should be resting you know.
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Hello! I enjoyed your quotes. I’m sorry for the hard times in your country. I hope things get better soon.
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I pray so too Vashti but I’ll keep look up! ❤
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Good for you. 🙂 xx
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