By: Hurricane Dave
Many years ago, I left my country to escape a tragic end.
Now, as I remember home, I can assure you that it is not nostalgia I feel. Instead, I remember my country with a shudder of disgust. Things have changed, but not for the better.
Today, I will tell you the tale of a country that imprisons her freedom fighters and immortalises corrupt leaders. I come from a country where the wicked are proud to flaunt their wickedness, and good men hide to avoid being called weak.
I come from a land where things are far from ideal. The saddest part is that the citizens take pride in this. They call it “uniqueness”. Weird, right? Well, what do you expect from a country where you can see two perfectly “sane” men on the street arguing about who is madder?
“Guy, ask about me, I dey craze gan o,” the first man would assert. To which the second man would say, “Na where your madness stop, my own begin o!” That should have been my first clue that something was terribly wrong. How could sane people want to be mad so much?
When I thought I had seen the height of it, they showed me an all-time high. It was time for elections, and I realised that some of the citizens who appeared to be the sanest were actually the most insane. I come from the “most educated” ethnic group in my country. Yet, during the elections, those same educated people were convinced to vote for a man who had no plans — just because he claimed it was his turn. Emilokan was the slang on everyone’s lips, and he won the “election”.
Clueless Emilokan came into government and turned a land flowing with milk and honey into a land where birds no longer sounded like birds. Yet, through all of this, the citizens kept smiling and suffering.
Of course, some complained about the government on social media. Some made videos and had to apologise afterward for speaking the truth. Others stood by their words and were thrown into jail by criminals. Yes, the country was a living paradox.
The truth was that no one dared protest on the streets, not after the incident during the last protest. The military opened fire on peaceful protesters, then conveniently disappeared the bodies and ensured that the CCTV cameras in the area were mysteriously off duty that night. That was the night they finally crushed the collective soul of the citizens.
“You can imprison my body but you no fit capture my soul”? They didn’t just capture our souls. They squashed it. We were broken and never recovered. The rulers got what they wanted. Docile followers, incapable of nothing but a few dissents here and there. The prison song is still a great song but I sincerely hope that there are some citizens in that land with liberated souls. I hope, because I am an indefatigable optimist.
In my country, corruption is the order of the day. Bribes have become so normalised that even kids demand bribes from their mates. Collectively, the citizens decry the corruption of contractors who execute government contracts shoddily. The giant craters called “potholes” on our roads are evidence of this. Yet, those who decry the corruption of these contractors also seek bribes before doing their jobs.
I come from a country of religious people, yet we are the most corrupt nation on earth. In my country, even the oppressed oppress other people.
I know you are waiting for the events that led to my departure from my country. Sadly, the events are yet to occur. I am a dedicated citizen who still harbours hope for a better country. Yet, a part of me wants to leave it all behind. I feel like a caged bird that dreams of freedom. Freedom to spread my wings. Freedom to attain my greatest potential.
Well, until this is fulfilled, these remain the dark thoughts of a disillusioned Nigerian youth who wants the best for his country but also wants to escape the cage.
About the author: I am Dave, the son of Iya David. I was born to annoy ladies. Anywhere there is trouble, you hear my name on everyone’s lips. I am a Nigerian, and I don’t see things as either black or white. Looking at things through my lens is like looking through rainbow-coloured spectacles.
