Recently, my senior sister took a trip to Lagos to buy some items such as wristwatches , she planned to resell. It was supposed to be a straightforward and safe trip, but things took a turn for the worse on her way back. As she was in a bus returning back home, someone managed to snatch her phone through the window.
This incident was particularly hard for her because, with the current exchange rate, buying a new phone has become extremely expensive in the country. She had spent months saving up to afford a new Android phone, and losing it like this was a huge blow for her.
The reality of living here is harsh and tough. Safety is a constant concern. It’s not suprsining to hear about people having their belongings stolen. The idea that you could be walking down the street and suddenly find yourself in a dangerous situation or caught in a violent incident due to riots or gang conflicts is very real and nothing but the truth.
Where I was living before, was a very violent area, you can just hear in the news that some certain group of cultists have killed their rivals and sometimes they end up killing innocent people.
Another issue is people don't normally get justice . We do not have a stable or proper working laws in my country. I have seen several instances where people get treated badly and the government end up leaving them and sparing even when they are found guilty. The most likely people to fall victims is those that are poor and do not have any connection's or people to help them out.
During election last year, the government decided to introduce the new notes and thefore made the Nigerian currency scarce. Alot of people couldn't survive this scarcity and they ended up losing their lives when they find it hard to survive. I personally had the opportunity to visit the bank during that period and I can tell you for a fact that I spent more ours in the que just to get attended to, that que was as long as river Niger. At the end of the day the old notes where reintroduced , but the damage has already been done.
The truth about we Nigerians is that we are very good people and in most cases, crimes usually occurs from broader socioeconomic problems. Poverty and unemployment is a big issue , at times when people find it hard to put food on the table and reach end's meet, they normally engage in this malicious activities just so they can be able to live and survive in this country.
Even the cost of living in Nigeria is not beneficiary to the living. You need to raise a large amount of money to rent a house not to even talk of you becoming a landlord.
I understand that every country has its own issues and problems. However, the scale of the problems here, coupled with a government that seems unable to effectively address them, makes our situation particularly dire.
I often read about how things are managed in other countries, and Canada stands out as a place with a more reliable justice system and a higher level of safety. So therefore, if I can manage to save enough to apply for a visa and passport, Canada seems like a promising option for a better and safer life.
Dont get me wrong, I am incredibly proud of my Nigerian heritage and love my country deeply. Yet, there are just times where we just have to just confront and acknowledge the hard truths about the challenges we face. It’s a difficult reality, but being honest about it is very important for us to seek better solutions and opportunities.
This is my participation to 
Thanks for taking the time to read this.