Lord, work on us.
I remember trying to retrieve my number and slowly growing livid from the time it took. I saw a man coming out of his car, it was an unimpressive norm but what got me interested was the fact that he reached out to open the door of his car from the outside. I remember not caring about the bemused look on my face as he put off his engine and dragged his window up with his bare hands.
This right here is how Nigerians live. Managing anything and everything, coming up with creative ways to live with disrupt.
What even makes it more saddening is the fact that we see it as creativity which I beg to differ. It only speaks badly of our maintenance culture. That car could’ve been normal. All he needed to do was fix his window and door handle. The “oyinbo” that put a button to raise the window and a handle from the inside knew what they were doing “abii?”
My Lord, may I? If I may, my Lord…
It reeks in all aspects of an average Nigerian. At home, our switch over box has a problem. I called the electrician the other day to correct it and if possible buy a new one. He looked at it and said it was okay and nothing was wrong with it. I believed him and life went on. Just yesterday, our light went off. It was the same box. I felt ashamed that I hadn’t practised what I always preached about maintenance. My brother went and fixed it, I thought to myself that he was stressing himself. I thought then, that we as a people love to correct things which normally should be corrected long while ago and feel creative or smart. After 2 fixings, it came good. The light came on till morning.
Look at me now, I’ve forgotten to call the electrician. That’s exactly how we are as Nigerians.
Who’ll help us, Oh Lord?!
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