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Harmatan has come, elections are next

but “where is our government

Tede town at dusk – © S.Okoekpen

We all held the belief that the fuel shortage would end after the holiday festivities.

Yet, 15 days into the new year, nothing has changed, and it appears that this will continue until the general elections (publication to come).

The most affected by the shortage are the rural towns, where the litter currently costs 380 nairas at the pump (from N168) and 500 nairas on the black market.

“We are working against each other. Your neighbor will go and buy fuel for 360 in the next city and sell it for you at 500”

“So now, we trek (walk)”.

© S.Okoekpen

Meanwhile, the cost of cooking gas is also a factor affecting the lives of rural dwellers: “we didn’t buy any gaz since last time we bought it together (about 4 months ago)”. They cook outside with wood collected on their farm “Thank God for the farm”.

Every two days or more, the teenagers walk or drive the motorbike with the 9 jerrycans to fetch water at the next available (forage). Since there hasn’t been any light for the past three days and they can’t use solar power to pump, the two closest areas (forage) are empty.

This is a Town, and it serves as the regional administrative center, not a village.

However, there hasn’t been a government project for at least the past ten years.
“Makinde is a fine governor for the State, but he withdrew all the Local Government’s money, and they only have what is needed to pay the salaries, no projects, and no infrastructure for those of us who are sitting far from the government (Oyo State Government in Ibadan)”

“There is no light. There is no roads. Our schools are falling apart and teachers contribute to buy their own chalk. But what can we do?”

The new naira bank notes the Nigerian government introduced in December are in short supply; I haven’t had any in my hands yet. The old notes will be declared worthless as of the first of February.

© S.Okoekpen

Often they ask “where is our government”

“Will you vot for Makinde’s second tenure ?”

“I don’t know… Allah only can help us in this Nigeria”

The country’s current state makes it often ethically difficult for a researcher to “stay at people’s place” as our discipline recommends. In my case, the families categorically refuse any compensation or participation for housing me. However, I see them striving every day to make ends meet.


OpenEdition vous propose de citer ce billet de la manière suivante :
Salomé Isibhenment Okoekpen (19 janvier 2023). Harmatan has come, elections are next. Les carnets de terrain du CECIRWA. Consulté le 12 novembre 2024 à l’adresse https://doi.org/10.58079/mdut


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