Insanity for Survival

I was deeply meditating on a chain of thoughts this afternoon when I came to a conclusion that "on the average, you need a level of insanity to survive in Nigeria." As grave as that may sound, you may be angry as a Nigerian and be quick to disagree, maybe after you read a part of my own insanity today, then you'd understand.

I had to pick up a gas burner made from the rim of car tyres today, I badly needed one to serve my Batik production this week. From a location in Apete to Ojoo, I had two options of public transportation by bike or tricycle since I don't have my own car. It wouldn't be safe to take a bike once I joined the expressway, so I took the safer option of a tricycle.

The transport fare was increased from #150 to #200 due to minor fuel crisis within the country, that wasn't even a problem for me, but that I couldn't fit the burner into the space at the back of the seat, hence I carried it on my laps through the journey. The "tarred" road was shamefully decorated with several potholes, a usual thing to expect. Each time the tricycle drove into one, the impact on my thigh was hard and painful as I was very careful to not scratch on the metal guard separating the backseat from the front seat. I pleaded with the driver to drive more carefully, but he didn't care much to respond.

I realised that every time the tricycle entered into a pothole and the legs (I don't know what else to call it) of the tripod gas burner hit the metal divider, the impact wasn't really felt on my thigh, only that the yellow paint would be scratched off. This made me decide to just let it go on instead of feeling the pain on my thigh, plus my chest was beginning to hurt a bit. Thankfully, the driver never complained at the sound made from the hit between the two metals. Halfway through the journey, I began to question my actions, it was unlike me, I rather choose being hurt than hurting others, but I succommbed to a little insanity of choosing myself as there did not seem to be a better solution to the situation I was in.

After alighting to take a car to another busstop, this time, it fit into the boot. During my trip, I kept thinking about many things that were wrong in our society, the mini market I would pass through to get to another bus stop (not telling you where??) and how I would have to squeeze myself through people and goods because the drive through, "supposed road" gracefully turns into a display area for sellers. There was a playback of an event earlier this month at the mini market where the drive through was so blocked that a wheelbarrow pusher crushed a woman's tomatoes and he wasn't attacked but called mad. Yes, he displayed a little madness because he had to pass through. Ibadan being the state's capital had visible piles of refuse that formed a hideous edge along the road. When crossing the road, Diagonal walking as unsafe as it is has become so common among pedestrians that I wonder what the federal road safety commission is doing to educate the society on crossing. I linked several abnormalities (insanity) in the society and how doing the right (sane) thing makes you look abnormal (insane) to others, it has also become hard and almost unsafe to insist on your rights in many cases. Constant electricity is a luxury, we have to be grateful for everything no matter how basic.

Why on earth should we get used to having potholes on our tarred roads? Sadly, we are sometimes thankful the potholes work like speed regulator for reckless driving. Hence, my conclusion that in the middle of our society's insanity that we all are getting used to at the moment, our mode of adaptation is also gradually turning us insane, only that the level of insanity differs from one individual to another.

I am not one of those who hate Nigeria, I do love Nigeria regardless and hope to bring solution to the menaces in the country someday. While I build capacity for those days, I would talk about a few of the insanity in our society, perhaps we all can wake up to see our need for change earlier.