NIGERIA AND NIGERIANS

Sometimes, when i look at our situations in Nigeria, It seem so hopeless, we do not seem to be making any progress. I often tell friends that for us to have a "NEW NIGERIA" we must have "NEW NIGERIANS" Nigerians who are ready to do things the right way, Nigerians who will not just care about what they will eat for now but think of their immediate family, environment and the society at large. People who will obey the law even the ones that are not so comfortable to obey just for the betterment of the society as a whole.

Recently, the FRSC gave the directive that all motorcyclists nationwide and their passenger must wear crash helmet. Some commercial motorcycle riders in Maiduguri in Borno State are now wearing painted calabash as crash helmet in disguise. Reports have it that some of the commercial motorcyclists were seen in some bus stops wearing what was confirmed to be painted calabash even though they were meant to look like helmets. Some use large empty cans or plastic plates with semi circle shapes and then tie ropes around them to look like helmets when sighted from a distance. Some who believed they were doing the right thing, make use of industrial helmets rather than crash helmets endorsed by the Federal Road Safety Commission.

Now, I ask myself, these people who have "invented" or "devised" their own means of replacing the helmet are deceiving who? because in the event of accidents such things on their heads will not guide against deadly head injuries which crash helmets are designed to curtail. Sometimes i ask myself how come we are here in Nigeria, things that used to be normal have suddenly become abnormal and those things which were and are really abnormal are the things people clamour for these days. In the 70's and 80's while I was growing up. Every motorcyclist had an helmet. I have 2 uncles then who were riding motorcycle for pleasure, there were no FRSC officials then and I didnt know if it was a law or not but I realised that the moment you buy a motorcycle, you buy an helmet with it- it was a normal thing. but that same normal thing in the 70's and 80's has become a burden on Nigerians suddenly. (can someone tell me why the man in the pic above decided to go for a paint bucket as helmet when he has the real crash helmet)

Half of the streets of Lagos have been turned to market with different people building stalls and whatever they can on the streets and under the bridges, I was not in lagos in the 80's but I am sure it was not like that. but today the Governor of Lagos state is cleaning Lagos, sending these people away from under the bridges and Nigerians are complaining bitterly, "what are we going to be eating?" it baffles me when all what we want to do as Nigerians is to some here, eat and go back to heaven or hell sef! it is amazing that we are craving for NEW NIGERIA but not NEW NIGERIANS