Huhm, if someone should hand me a huge sum of money today and ask me to choose between staying here in Nigeria or relocate permanently. My response might surprise you and it might not, but without giving it a second thought I would choose to stay in my country.
And, I very well understand why some would pack their bags and baggages and decide to japa(run). We all have had our fair share of challenges here....from poor electricity, to inflation, to corrupt leaders, to bad healthcare, to very small salaries, and the state of education, not to talk of our roads and a whole lot more. Even with all of that...I still choose here, I choose home, there's something about home that no other beauty you see elsewhere can replace.
First, I doubt if I can come across another country like Nigeria, there's a whole lot of things about Nigeria that one would definitely miss if he/she decides to leave. The street vendors that shout or even drag you while calling you “customer!” as if they know you somewhere before, talking of the smell of suyas in the evening as well, also the early morning cry of the woman that sells pap, the roadside beancake...and a whole lot more...These things cannot be bought, seen or recreated anywhere else. This country raised me, shaped me, taught me and gave me the kind of resilience that only Nigerians can relate with.
And, with that amount of money, I wouldn’t run away from the problem here, I would face them, and try my best in investing in solutions. I would see what I can do by creating jobs for young people so that the runaway anthem will reduce. I will also build centers where children and youth can learn various skills, and be able to dream bigger than the situation of things. I would also invest in water projects, water that's safe for drinking and cooking so that mothers and girls in rural areas no longer have to walk long distance with buckets on their heads just to fetch water.
Also, I do try my best to invest in education as well, there are a lot of children out there who have bright future, but there parents can't afford their school fee, uniforms, books, sandals, writing materials and all. Imagine the effect of giving hundreds of kids education.
I would also make sure to enjoy the fruits of my labor, I would travel around the country, Nigeria also has a lot of places to visit, from various parks, to the he beaches, to the hills, to those villages that houses various wonders of the world. I would visit the village to inhale that different air, I would spend weekends there so I could listen to stories from the elders, I would eat fresh pounded yam with egusi soup that no foreign restaurant can match.
Even though I am staying, it doesn't mean I'm blind to the various difficulties and challenges here. Just that I believe in change, and I see my country not just for what it is presently, but for what it can become. Purpose is priceless, and relocating won't give me that. Relocating might bring about comfort though, but for me..... It's all about purpose.
So, with that huge amount of money, I would stay here in Nigeria. I would try my best to make life better and convenient for others as well. Because at then end, I want to be able to stand on this soil knowing that I didn’t just live in Nigeria, but that I helped in making it a place worth staying in.
All pictures are mine.
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