Naija Diaries: Why Nigeria? Why?

This is the first time I will be living in Nigeria as an adult (not visiting) for at least 12 months, so the things I will ordinarily ignore and accept, I now notice and highlight. Please don't offer any scientific or politically correct answers. It won't work. As a disclaimer, don't get it twisted, I love Nigeria and I love Nigerians. Nigeria is an amazing country with beautiful people and it has so much to offer. I wouldn't be here otherwise, right?

Let me see if a list will work here. I will stick to 10 for now.

1. Why are there always maggots, sorry flies, inside Nigerian brown beans and not other beans? This really concerns me. My grand father used to say that was the protein in the beans so I shouldn't remove it and only the other day, I heard 'its the real McCoy..... that's what makes the beans sweet'. Errrrrrrrrr, NO. I don't make Nigerian beans often but when I do, I can guarantee I spend at least 30 minutes removing every bean with a fly stuckk in it. Eww!

2. NEPA (National Electric Power Authority) - The Power Holding Company that provides electricity to all the homes in Nigeria -  has been 'taking light' since I was a baby till today. Why?

3. The funniest of all, there are way too many churches on every street. Why? Another business venture maybe? Hmmmmmm.

4. Pot holes! Whats up with all the bad roads in Lagos? Its embarrassing. We ARE the giants of Africa. We are rich. Why? There is no excuse.

5. Do you even want to get me started on the fact that we have more cars than people living here in Lagos? I think Nigeria is the only country where you will see one house park 4-7 cars in their compound. Please, how many cars can your leg drive at a time? I do understand that the cars are always breaking down so you will always need a back up car. But if you ask me, one house that only has one family (husband, wife and kids), only requires 2 cars (maximum). One for the husband, the other for the wife. Having one car to take you to work, another to take you to church and another to take you to the market, per person, is all unnecessary and ridiculous. Just saying.

6. Their open drainage system aka gutters. It stinks. I've seen poo in there. Yuck! My village smells better.

7. Mosquitoes! There are just too many of them here. The fear of mosquitoes is honestly the beginning of wisdom. That's a whole 'nother post.

8. Paranoia. Please why is everyone scared of everyone? Its either corrupt leaders this, ritualists that, armed robbers this, kidnappers that etc etc. There are so many enemies seen and unseen, its ludicrous and exhausting.

9.Why do people always pee on the road? Honestly, the things we see in this life! Hehe! It is not uncommon so no one bats an eyelid. You will see the person pee like no one is watching, yet, he/she is doing this in the middle of peak time traffic - broad.day.light...

10. Why do Nigerians stare? It is rude. You know when you are looking at someone and the second they notice, they shift their gaze on to something/someone else? Well, here, in Nigeria, it is eyeball to eyeball. They stare and they don't care that you can see them burning your flesh with their eyes. Some even go as far as loudly talking about you, in front of you, as if you can't hear them clearly! Dumb.

I have a few more, but will put that in the next edition.

xoxo