What A Black Friday It Was

Yesterday, I felt a very great disappointment in our government; badly let down, in fact. I am not one to complain about the government and their ills; all I do is shake my head at their antics and sit back and watch for the next season, while going about my business. Because yes, to me, the Nigerian government is run like a seasonal movie that never ends. Unnecessary drama, year unto year. Dear people, this here post is a rant. Pardon me in advance, for I intend to vent my spleen on here. 

In the past week (a total of 168 hours) I have had electricity for a total of 3 hours. Yes, three. As in ato in Igbo, meta in Yoruba, uku in Hausa, just in case you thought that was a typo. I normally would not feel so bad about this as it is the trademark of our Power withholding Companies, but for the circumstances that surrounded this blackout. You see, we do not depend on the Water Corporation for our water supply, because we know just how reliable they are. Therefore, we pump our own water; but today, there was not a drop of water left. That was not the problem, really, you know we Nigerians have such tough skins. Now, almost every gas station in Lagos is closed down because of the senseless fuel scarcity going on right now. And so we had no power, no water, and no petrol to generate the both. You may have to experience this personally to understand the feeling of utter helplessness and anger that it brings upon you.

I mean, how do you explain why an oil producing country has no petrol in its gas stations? Our electricity gets taken away, we divert to generators. Now our fuel has been taken away and we are left stranded. Its funny how there's no petrol to sell to consumers, but the guys who sell in the black market always have petrol to sell. At 200 Naira a litre! Who are we kidding? Where do they get theirs from? Thin air? I am certain that there is constant power in the homes of our national leaders who feed us with propaganda instead of giving us results. This, to me, is the mark of an insensitive government.  Everyday we are told that we are fighting corruption, while we suffer deprivation left, right and centre! Ha! The irony is laughable. Why will a hungry people not choose the corrupt route when the very leaders they look up to are the epitomes of it?

My generation and I have been heavily let down; so do not blame those of us who are apathetic towards the government and all it stands for, or those who simply dance to the tune of corrupt politicians in the hope of getting crumbs from their table to make their lives a little more bearable. Everyone is going on and on about black friday, and I'm here in the dark like,"Yeah, its a really BLACK Friday for us over here". No pun intended. 

Are we the generation to effect change? Maybe, but first, we need a complete overhaul of.... many things. My fury is not spent yet, but I have to pick up my gallon and continue my hunt for petrol. This girl and her family must survive. See you soon.

"No matter the era, no matter which side you are on, and no matter where you live, the government will find ways to break your heart...." - Kurt Vonnegut