Nigeria In 2040 (Two)

By Mnda Sefa Vivian.
I saw a post recently, it read ‘10,000 naira is the new 1,000 naira’. A post by an average Nigerian, lamenting the continuous dwindle of the purchasing power of the naira. Some will say that it is not enough to lament, but what else can the righteous do? Our past was better than our present and our present may be better than our future.

Nigeria has always been doomed to fail, a group of people with different languages, different beliefs and different cultures with nothing to unite them but a proclamation made by a white man on a particularly hazy night. And we cannot unite because too much has already been lost, too little has been gained and those who have been marginalized and murdered for almost six decades are unwilling to accept their
gory fate.

The religious faction only make matters worse for on the same day that students, farmers, and internally displaced persons are killed, they form an alliance of ‘bishops and clergymen’ hoisting banners affirming their confidence in the country’s president, a man who has done nothing to check the rising insecurities and mayhem perpetrated by his tribesmen in every part of the country.

History has continued and will continue to repeat itself in Nigeria because nothing is being done differently. And in 2040, there may be a different president in the country, but Nigerians will be the same. The religious leaders feeding fat on the despair and hopelessness of their congregation, selling hope at exorbitant rates. The tired congregation praying to God to bless them with a good leader but vehemently refusing to procure their permanent voters card to vote in the good leader themselves.

The Miyetti Allah, perpetrating mayhem, unknown ‘bandits’ killing causelessly and without remorse. Boko Haram bombing citizens and kidnapping schoolchildren. The government negotiating with bandits and tagging them repentant herdsmen. Flying them abroad using the money meant for roads and hospitals.

The prayer warriors, fasting night and day, holding crusades to pray for Nigeria. Independence day celebrations. Celebrating Nigeria at 80 with nothing to show for it. People young and old, rich and poor applying for visas, taking IELTS, going into sham marriages, applying for jobs and admissions, looking to take the fastest route out of Nigeria.

Food, so scarce and expensive because the farmers have been removed from their lands and the lands given over to cattle. The cattle’s database up and running. Kidnapping will become digital and more lucrative, and the government will watch in silence as they have always done.

Jobless graduates roaming the streets, unemployed. But Nigerians will still be hopeful in 2040, they will be prayerful and watchful. The Christians will remain content because there are mansions in heaven, they will pray to their god for a good leader who will lead them to the promised Land like Moses led the Israelites.

And maybe by then the exchange rate will drop even lower and 1,000,000 naira will be the new #1000, except that the average Nigerian who made the social media post will not be able to do so anymore because he must have sold his Android phone to buy food for himself and his starving family.

(c) Mnda Sefa Vivian