YOU LOVE THIS NIGERIA?
You love Nigeria, I know that you are
now smiling due to this love. It is this
the same smile you smiled when that
governor came to your village.It was
almost the same with your laughter and
shout when the President came to your
state. You, just like many others from
your village told the governor that he
was trying. He was trying because he
gave keke to the youths in the
community. The President was trying
because he commissioned a re-painted
airport and tagged it international. Your
child is home for close to 5 months due
to a strike but that is a little case
because of the money that was given to
the women by the governor and you are
your community women leader.
You love this Nigeria that is almost
synonymous with corruption. You tell
your friends that at least we are better
than some African countries. You said
that we are not Americans or Europeans
but when your elder brother got visa to
Europe, you shamelessly danced in the
church during the Thanksgiving. You
and your family gave Thanks with a
whole cow because poverty is packing
away with your Europe bound brother.
You have been unemployed but you
can’t blame God because he made you a
Nigerian. Did God make you to have no
job? This you can’t answer and only
wave off with the comments that we
are trying.
You love this Nigeria even when you still
ride the same old Yamaha motorcycle
that your first girlfriend fell for. You are
the headmaster of your local school. You
know that a higher wage would be
better for your family but the
government can’t even pay the peanut
fee of minimum wage. You are paid just
a little over what your headmaster
earned when your were in primary
school years ago. You always loved your
country and you know you cannot
change it. We are Nigerians is your
favourite statement.
You love Nigeria because you work at
that office where you had to grease the
hands and feet of your boss before you
get it. You are paid a stipend but it is
enough for your BIS, rent, new clothes
and to give your girlfriend a little for her
hair. You are comfortable and enjoy live.
You said that Nigeria is the best place in
the world even when a soldier slapped
you for talking back at him, you did not
do anything because what can you do?
You said you love this Nigeria and that
you are proud of it. Then looking at your
mouth, I tell you that you are a big
pretender and as we use to say,
pretenders do the worst. Only
pretenders can love this Nigeria with it’s
system that clogs goodwill.
Onah Nnabuike is a student of university of Ibadan. He has been published in Kalahari review, and naija stories. He blogs at buikewrites.blogspot.com
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