National Issues
Forget talk, Abroad no easy at all at all -By Charles Ogbu
In a working system, you don’t necessarily need to have millions and billions to have access to basic things you need to live. The system even has a silent way of re-orientating you and making you drop some jungle behaviour we exhibit on Nigerian roads like honking the horn of your vehicle for a red traffic light. Your horn is almost useless abroad.
The only one singular most important difference is, YOU HAVE A SYSTEM THAT WORKS FOR ALL REGARDLESS OF YOUR SOCIAL STATUS.
And in the final analysis, this is actually the most important thing any human can wish for.
Good roads, health care, running water, electricity etc.
No matter who you are, you have all the things you need to live (not just exist) a decent and relatively comfortable life.
And this is because you have a govt that is INSTITUTIONALIZED; everything and everyone and every office does what it/he/she is supposed to do regardless of who is the governor or President.
There is no alternative to govt, believe me.
The failure of statecraft is a problem for everyone.
The African richest man, Aliko Dangote has less chance of surviving a health emergency in Nigeria than a Charles Ogbu who doesn’t have up to $500 (about 250k) in his account but lives in America or Canada for instance.
In a working system, you don’t necessarily need to have millions and billions to have access to basic things you need to live. The system even has a silent way of re-orientating you and making you drop some jungle behaviour we exhibit on Nigerian roads like honking the horn of your vehicle for a red traffic light. Your horn is almost useless abroad.
The first feeling a Nigerian get after settling down abroad is a feeling of rage at the situation back home where people still live in darkness, no health care, no nothing. Except you are rich to afford those things through a private arrangement. Yet, Nigerian politicians come abroad every now and then. They see the beautiful system in place. They even use them. Shebi our President and his Intern just left UK hospital.
Forget!
Nigeria is an ongoing crime scene.
But let me not veer off from my topic;
Abroad no easy at all!
As beautiful as the working system is, it is designed in such a way that anything (money) you make of the system will end up going back into the system almost completely.
The bills are unreasonably too high.
Nothing is really free. I’m suspecting they may even be charging people for the oxygen they breathe.
If you are a student abroad and you are not on Full Scholarship, better be prepared. Unless your parents get deep pockets. Even Partial Scholarship is financially taxing. Ask Amarachi Attamah . She is currently going through hell to complete her financial obligations for her Syracuse university partial scholarship.
If you live alone and work, after paying all the payable bill like water, electricity, cable, phone bill, rent, packing, buy gas and eat food, you will be struggling to save anything.
House rent alone, you don’t wanna hear the cost, believe me.
The system is designed to make you feel rich but perpetually poor.
Most times, it feels like you are just working to pay bill.
If someone abroad send you money, it’s possible the person is taking up 3-4 jobs and sacrificing sleeping hours just to save enough to send home.
And the worst be say, it is extremely difficult to see anyone living Abroad ‘dash’ another person wey dey the same abroad money just like that. Lie lie! Even your small pikin wey you dey pamper for Naija dey provide everything for, for abroad, na you go push am out make im find work even if im dey school.
Me I no do again!
I dey go marry Rihanna, my billionaire Igbo sister.
