Covid-19: Minimizing The Effects Of Domestic Boredom -By Matthew Adebisi

As we continue to comply with the stay-at-home directive to stem the viral spread, the challenge of domestic boredom and its effects on Nigerians (youths and adults) calls for an immediate address. Though the presidential address failed to capture this sensitive issue among several others, it is expedient to note that the potential effects of boredom should not be undermined, especially during this period of financial burden. Meanwhile,  for older adults, boredom can be very detrimental to their aging body systems when fuelled by fear of the unknown. And the present reality is that this deadly COVID-19 pandemic had thrown almost everybody in a serious state of anxiety and uncertainty. So, we shouldn’t be flabbergasted that many parents and older adults confined in their homes, are already battling depression as a result of boredom triggered by anxiety, uncertainty and financial burden.

Similarly, the unpleasant effects of boredom may be worse than one could imagine, especially among the youths who constitute 60% of the country’s population and 30% of the nation’s workforce. They are also helplessly trapped in the corridors of their various homes. Meanwhile, their response to domestic boredom is swift and in most cases, may be counter-productive due to their inevitable abuse of ‘freedom’. For more than two weeks now, academic activities had been on hold and at the end of the scourge, the ongoing indefinite strike action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will usher-in another extension of ‘isolation’ for all university students in the country. In this light, they are likely to indulge in uncultured activities and reflect ill-manners such as gambling, neighbourhood robbery, immorality, abuse of social media and the internet (cyber crime) among others, under the guise of another ‘nationwide holiday’. 

Meanwhile, considering these submissions above, the fact still remains that it is much more safer to stay at home, in total compliance to social distancing, to preserve our precious lives as individuals, and collectively as a nation. But how do we also reconcile the reflections on the unsoothing effects of domestic boredom in times like this? It is simple. For the youths, these sociopathic tendencies can be curtailed and minimized if adequate checks and balances are accorded by parents on their wards during this period, and ultimately, the government and other concerned private parastatals have great roles to play to reduce the burden on families with alacrity.

First, the vulnerable members (parents) of the country largely found in remote areas should be targeted for distribution of food and other essential items as relief strategy to reduce their harsh response to depression resulting from hunger. Moreso, for parents within urban areas, they are also confronted with the challenge of periodic purchase of food items and other consumables to meet the increasing rate of consumption by the ‘seemingly idle’ members of the family for this period. As such, regulatory bodies in charge of food and consumables should ensure compliance of all operating vendors to moderate pricing of food items with stringent disciplinary measures on inhumane persons who may want to inflate prices unnecessarily. To a very large extent, this exercise will lessen financial burden of food items on parents. Furthermore, it wouldn’t be out of place if telecommunications companies give all their customers free data for internet usage at least for this month to actively engage them online, to reduce domestic boredom. This kind gesture is also expected of DSTV operators towards their subscribers. Similarly, it is very important that employers of labour (especially in private firms) are compelled by necessity and compassion to pay all outstanding salaries (possibly with a slight increment) to afford their employees the opportunity of addressing basic monetary needs during this tying period. This will also help reduce the common mental challenge of depression among older adults (parents).

In addition, this dual measure of monetary ‘right and privilege’ (salary wise) should be accorded civil servants in their large numbers, in the nation’s public space. As such, Salaries of civil servants should be paid much more earlier than usual to avert the possibility of depression, in this time of ‘global trial’. Crying out aloud, epileptic power supply is the a great challenge in many parts of the country. So, power regulators should ensure constant supply of electricity, at least during this period, to unleash a remarkable feel of home comfort amongst family members. Sincerely, if electricity is made constant, at least for the next one month, it will reduce unnecessary drudgery at the home front and enhance domestic activities such as cooking, washing, follow-up on news broadcast, among others. As such, too much money will not be expended on the purchase of fuel and the use of generators will be minimized for heath and environmental preservation to cushion the effect of climate change which is another deadly challenge in the global catalogue.

Well, as for the youths who are undoutedly the lifeblood of the country and the noble icons of tomorrow, it is very likely that many of them will actively engage their time in productive activities in contrast to their swift reponse to sociopathic behaviors only if the above suggestions are implemented across board. For instance, if electricity is supplied and with free access to data, youths will easily charge their phones and other essential gadgets in the comfort of their rooms and connect to the Internet space for free online trainings/courses on the application of contemporary innovations such as Block chain, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data Analytics, Robotics, Internet of Things (IoT), among others, in their respective fields for sustainable development and global relevance. This will greatly reduce the tendency of domestic boredom and indulgence in unruly behaviors.

Since our common enemy as a nation and the world is the novel virus, and it is the sole reason for our individual ‘home arrest’, then the nation’s  heath institutions and relevant stakeholders in the medical sphere should continue at their best to stem the viral spread. They should not be tempted to manipulate figures of reported of cases and recoveries, but rather intensity efforts in combating this menace ethically and professionally, without compromising expected standards. Moreso, they should stay connected with the World Health Organization (WHO) and possibly consider unfolding other sustainable preventive measures to put an end to this menace.

Conclusively, we need to collectively seize this moment of trial to co-exist better as a family, settle lingering family issues/disputes and reflect true love towards one another, it is also expedient that we pray for our libration from this undeserved plague ravaging our national corridors. Our prayers should also encapsulate a reach of consensus between the government and ASUU in record time to cushion the effect of domestic boredom on youths. Ultimately, the restoration of our noble values and economic pride in the comity of nations should feature in our earnest supplication for Nigeria. If we collectively do the needful, this temporary trial (COVID 19) pandemic will definitely translate to permanent triumph on our national terrain.

Mathew writes from Lagos, Nigeria.

forwardgatei@gmail.com.