Nigeria, my country, is a nation blessed with lots of things, from wonderful people to lovely cultures, amazing natural sights, and mineral resources, amongst many others, and all of these put together are why I love it so much despite the many downsides we witness through time. We all know for a fact that life isn't always going to be a bed of roses. In fact, even amidst roses, we've thorns, and that's to perfectly help us understand the concept of life and how it's encompassed by good and bad. Although when it comes to the country, we can't lie about the bad being more than the good, but what we can't lie about is that there are good things even though they're mostly less talked about.
If you ask anyone about the state of our country, Nigeria, I won't be surprised if what first comes to their mind are the bad aspects; that's so because that's just what would come to my mind as well, and that's because we do see them regularly, and these go on to put our minds in worries. All we want as people is a peaceful and prosperous nation, and when that seems to not be the case, it's normal for us to be concerned and fearful and clamor for change. But it doesn't mean there hasn't been good development, so today I'll be talking about some good and bad that has happened in recent times in my country, Nigeria.
At the top of the list of bad things happening in my country, Nigeria, that not only makes me sad but also gives me great concern is how insecurity seems to grow wings by the day. Although we hear the government officials and military say they're clamping down on these bandits, kidnappers, and terrorists on a daily basis, when you listen to the terror these guys keep inflicting on the people, you'll not only fear for your life and safety but also want to run out of the country for your safety. I really don't understand who's behind this evil act and what they stand to gain by doing all these, but what I know for a fact is that prior to 2009, Nigeria never had these issues, especially not in this dimension.
The level of killing is a big concern nowadays. You just read about the numbers of people that were killed or adopted going into the hundreds, and you can't help but wonder how such an operation is being carried out without the security operative coming to promptly intervene, or how such a number of people would be adopted and there'd be no traces of them. It's just ridiculous when it's not like the adopted disappeared into thin air.
Talking about the good, I must actually commend the new trend of how roads are being fixed or built by this current administration. Yes, I know we still have many bad roads in our country, but then we must tell ourselves the truth: if every single administration had done the needful, we wouldn't be in this state by now, so I'm giving them their flowers in this aspect, especially given the fact that this road infrastructure isn't only done in one region but throughout the country, from coastal roads to super highways, amongst many others. It's a good step towards the right direction, as it'll greatly reduce traffic congestion caused by bad roads and largely reduce accidents we witness on our roads due to bad roads filled with potholes or due to them being too narrow for motorists coming from both directions.
And that's not to forget that good roads can also play a vital role in reducing the rate of abduction and kidnapping that happens on our highways, and that's because most happens due to the narrow and bad roads. With a broad, good road, I believe that'll largely give drivers confidence to drive at a reasonable pace that'll reduce the chances of kidnappers trying to wave them down or posing as police officers that stay around a terrible part of the road.
Talking about the way forward, well, I believe the government needs to be proactive about ending the reign of terrorism in our country, giving the military personnel good weapons and equipment that'll make it easier to monitor every single part of the country and transport themselves to intervene within minutes. Increasing military officers' wages is another step forward, because many are unwilling to risk their lives for the peanut they're paid. Regarding the road, I think every position holder who's given resources should use them well, also building lasting roads, not one that'll be commissioned today and wash away after a few months.
Assuming everyone has been playing their part, Nigeria won't have been in a position where some roads are so terrible. When local government chairmen, governors, and senators play their part in nation building, Nigeria will not be a symbol of shame but of progress and beauty to our continent. Take for instance the current local government chairman of my place of residence, who has single-handedly built not less than 10 street roads, which begins to make us wonder what the previous ones had been doing when they were in office. And that's just a single part of its intervention; when everyone plays their part, we'll have the best in every aspect and not just in roads.
All photos are taken and edited on canva.