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THE CRISES OF LIVING IN NIGERIA :(Part One)
*Poverty, Hardship Hit Homes
“There are only two families
in the world, the haves and
the have-nots_Miguel De Cervantes.
In the present day Nigeria, sighting of crowds at events or ceremonies is a common phenomenon.
Whether invited or not, properly dressed or not so properly dressed, people are there in their numbers, expecting that, which must be part of that event or ceremony -provision of FOOD.
Some people even wait more patiently to the end end of the event to beg for the crumbs to take home in polythene bags.Street boys and girls of school age who fuse themselves into the crowd are seen, struggling in competition for the left overs just to ensure that their stomachs are filled for that moment.Some of them even get injured or wounded in that process of the stomach.The message here is quite clear -No Food or Insufficient Food In Majority Of Homes- a consequence of poverty. One may argue that it’s not so in all homes given the fact that there the haves .But in a situation where the majority of people living in the same environment are inadvertently groaning and gnashing their teeth under the pains of lack,it becomes true to pronounce that the people are in the dire straits of hunger.
Granted that haves would continuously swim in their ocean of “sufficiency” and flamboyance to the detriment of the have-nots, chances are there that the off-springs of the former being nurtured by the hash and breath-seizing variables of the environment would become societal deviants: drug addicts, school drop-outs, cultists, bandits .And, characteristically,they would vomit their venom on the larger environment that includes the haves and might suddenly,rudely,crudely and even gruesomely say “enough of the flamboyant life style of the haves” . In other words,if Nigeria policy makers don’t re-define or re-engineer the operational variables of the environment for a meaningful life, poverty, in its ramifications will continue to hold the populace prostrate taking its toll homes in dimensional consequences that would include increase in cases of broken homes,
No gain saying that poverty engenders crises of living and it has been in Nigeria over the years like, especially,in third world countries varying in degrees and periods.But the worrisome aspect of Nigeria’s poverty is its boldness or audacity in holding Nigeria and Nigerians captivity; Nigeria’s type of poverty has legs and hands and bestrides the homes and streets like a colossus.Worse is the situation where in its audacious movements and humiliating demeanor,it brazenly entertains the haves as the have-nots or their off-springs knock knock at the gates of haves begging for crumbs.
In other countries that have similar socio-economic variables as Nigeria and, perhaps share poverty borders, their own type of poverty somehow hides or operates in fears but that of Nigeria lives in pride and harassment of homes by engendering crises of living.
Recall, about three years ago, the United Nat in ions described Nigeria as “the world capital of poverty” .The truth is that poverty, manifesting in various forms in Nigeria is real; the country is in dire straits of socio-economic quigamire.
Sometime in April or May this year, the International Monetary Fund(IMF) Asst.Director, African Department Mission Chief to Nigeria,Axel Schimmelpfening lamented on poverty and crises of living in Nigeria.He said ” there’s alot of pains for Nigerians right now,and,our policy advice aims to provide support to those indeed while re-invigorating growth and job creation…” As a way forward he added “.. there is need for ( Nigeria) to re-prioritize
expenditure to ensure social protection as to save Nigerians from inter-genetional poverty traps as inflation and low income growth adversity effect on the poor ”
The debilitating effect of poverty and hardship in the country also attracted a caustic reaction from Arewa Consultative Forum ,the apex body of the Northern Elite.The body met on May 21,2024 and,in its communique warned against the possibility of a “social chaos ” due to high level poverty, hardship and hunger. It(poverty)is making tough and challenging for average Nigerian who is daily confronted by the crises of inflation, unemployment,rapid deterioration in in standard of living “.
From the Anglican Archbishop Owerri Ecclesiastical Province,Most Rev.David Onuoha what looked like a bombshell.He lamented on the crises of living in Nigeria and thundered “Nigeria of today looks like a land that devours its inhabitants -one that looks more like a murder-land than a mother -land”.He spoke from the throne during the11th Synod of the Okigee South Dioceses held at Emmanuel College,Ehume,Obowo,Imo State on May 12,2024.
