Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - VIDEO: The Deplorable State Of The Police College Dormitory Options

You may be surprised to find out that some children born in Nigeria since the civilian dispensation started have never experienced a water system toilet that flushes after use because the usual method since the dearth of pipe borne water is to fetch and pour in water directly. Many of the water tanks of the toilet are beautifully coated with cobwebs as they are never opened. This is the sad reality we live in in the year 2013 in Nigeria. Pipe borne water is now off the tables of  many state governments. You build your house, you drill a water well or borehold which ever you can afford, if not, you depend on water tankers selling water to buy . Let us not get into the quality of water on sale.  You must be aware of the (in)famous Nigerian "Pure" water (bagged in celophanes) sold everywhere for drinking.Needless to mention the contribution of the disposed cellophanes to enviromental hazards, blocked waterways and drainages. Next time I visit the slaughter house at Awka, I will take a picture and so you will see the horrible and  unhygienic state of the place where the cow meat we eat is prepared. I was reliably informed by the butchers that some of the cows killed and sold have disease which make them unhealthy for human consumption, but the Vet officers take bribe and approve them for sale. I consider it miraculous that we have not yet experienced any epidermics as a consequence. The Lord surely knows how to protect His own. Where shall we begin? I am one of those that agreed with the fact that being born in Nigeria makes one unhappy. Everything is a struggle. Even persons you think should know the right things to do to make the system work refuse to do them because of selfish interests.Sometimes I despair. If it is in my powers to choose my nationality, I will choose differently because from the look of things, I sometimes feel that there is no hope.

Nkolika

From: Funmi Tofowomo Okelola <cafeafricana1@aol.com>
To: USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
Sent: Friday, January 18, 2013 5:21 AM
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - VIDEO: The Deplorable State Of The Police College Dormitory Options

Thanks for the video. Is it possible to be optimistic about my beloved country, Nigeria? No. Anyhow, two weeks ago on my way to work, I silently wept for Nigeria. Why? As I was driving my Mini Cooper on Highway 210 west towards Los Angeles, I observed many Americans (African Americans, Africans, Whites, Native Americans, Asian, the poor, the rich, the marginal, etc., all driving on the highway, and most importantly coexisting {compared to Nigeria with the menace of Boko Haram and the government aloofness in tackling the situation}. While driving and observing my environment, my mind drifted to the city of Ibadan in Nigeria when my father was stationed there in 1973 and the city of Ibadan in year 2012. There is no one who is going to convince me that the situation in Nigeria is fine and dandy, unless that person is in fantasy land, or experiencing delusional thoughts. 

By the way, I was in Nigeria for two weeks in November 2012 with my 27 year old daughter and the trip was very challenging. At one point during the trip, it was so disheartening my when daughter stated "Mom let's go back home". I calmly told my daughter that Nigeria is home and that we should not give up on the country.  As a mother, I was totally frustrated with the country and my daughter witnessed my frustration. 

Please don't tell me that Nigerians should ignore the haphazard lifestyle of our leaders and politicians. Cognitively there is a malaise affecting these so-called leaders. I witnessed corruption and bad governance everywhere in Ondo, Ibadan, Lagos, Akure, Ile Oluji, Abeokuta, Idanre etc, etc.

If you love Nigeria, your focus should be on how to reclaim Nigeria (sorry Mr. Chido Onumah) from these morons in power. It is obvious that poor Nigerians are suffering. It is time for reality check. 

(I dread commenting on this listserv)

Funmi Tofowomo 
--The art of living and impermanence. 

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