The belief that Nigerians can handle or withstand any situation has turned us into masters of our all.
We’ve all heard the phrase ‘Nigerians can handle anything’. This is true for a lot of cases. Things other people take for granted in their countries, Nigerians can’t. To look at some these things that have made us into strong, and resilient people that we are.
Government Policies: In other developed countries, people play an active role in the formulation of policies either directly or through their representatives. They make input in the bills passed by their senates, congresses or parliaments. At the very least, they can be sure that a protest about policies they disagree with will be taken into consideration. In Nigeria, policies are formulated with or without our input. Even when we decide to protest, we are so on our own with that one. We all heard about the flak Tuface got when he decided to lead a protest demanding overall better government policies up to getting death threats! Protests don’t work this side of the world. If government get the protesters, they’ll end up in jail or forfeit their salaries.
PHCN: As a Nigerian, you know NEPA is king! 24hrs uninterrupted power or electricity is a dream most areas here will always dream of. In fact, if you get power for too long you question it, you begin to worry about the next bill you will get. When you see electricity you charge all your devices that need charging. Even if the battery is full you keep on charging unless you have enough fuel in your generator.
Marriage: As a Nigerian woman, your marital status will probably always define you. If you like be the first Nigerian woman to land on the moon, the next question will be: “Is she married?” It’s just the way it is, as a Nigerian woman, just accept this and move on. But you know what? It doesn’t define men or boys!
The Labor Market: Any self appreciating undergraduate in Nigeria, without a sponsor or from a family that is not ‘connected’ knows the labor market will not be fair. More than half the graduates our Universities turn out every year end up roaming the streets looking for jobs that are not there. How has this helped us? Most undergrads are now getting creative, innovative and very entrepreneurial. We have students who have a side hustle to pick part of their bills with the intent to grow this to an even bigger business when they graduate! This is a very admirable trait that our strife has brought about.
Strikes: We are no longer shocked at hearing of ASUU or doctors going on strike, it’s almost a norm now. That’s why you see some parents opt for private schools even when they struggle to pay fees. They would rather struggle to pay school fees in private schools than have their kids spend ten years to graduate from public schools.
Owed Salaries: In most civilized countries, public servants are hardly ever owed their dues. Here, it’s almost expected.. It is not common to see some public servants with a side hustle because they know salary may or may not come. Their approach to work may also suffer for this reason. As sad as this is, this is our reality. This particular trait has for sure raised a lot of entrepreneurs.
The upside to all this? Nigerians know how to make use of what’s handed to them. We tend to not take no for an answer; we are doubly equipped with the skill of not letting go till we get what we want. Because we are so used to not getting what we deserve we are used to fighting for what we want. I would say we have evolved into the more adaptable humans. Overall, our struggles have somehow made us better. So even as we seek to experience change in all these areas, we celebrate the resilient Nigerian Spirit for all it represents.
