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Naija Life

Nigeria has never experienced uninterrupted power supply and no one knows why. Even the gods have no answers to it.

We’ve heard some conspiracy theories here and there about some cabal and generator moguls but nothing clear cut. To think that more than a trillion naira has been allocated to the power sector since the OBJ administration 22 years ago. During which there has been name changes from NEPA (never expect power always ) to PHCN (please hold your candle now). From Government owned distribution stations to private disco companies and yet the average Nigerian citizen still sees constant electricity as a dream. Like an Arsenal fan dreaming of his team winning the champions league. A luxury too good to ever be true. Recently the electricity supply which was already on life support experienced further complications when it was announced that the national grid, which is responsible for the transmission of electricity, was damaged. Good thing that issue has been resolved but it just goes to show that we’re closer to Gotham city in terms of darkness than we are to Metropolis or Star city. We could do with our own Batman right now please. Whenever you think it can’t get any worse, they humbly make you turn the other cheek. So this got me on the streets asking my friends and neighbours how this light situation has affected them negatively and maybe (who knows) even positively.

Mr Akpan ( cassettes seller)
Mr Akpan: “haha, my brother you say positively ke. For this matter, there is no positive, only negative. I sell music CDs. You know this my business. People only dey buy a CD when I play it and they hear it on my speaker. They will like it and ask me “ha which music is this you are playing.” From there they buy. The light matter have tire me, let me not lie. It was bad before but at least by 10:00 in the morning, they will bring it and then take it by 2:00 afternoon. From that 10:00 I will play my music until 2 o’clock. So by that 2 when they take it I will run the generator to 4 o’clock when they will bring the light again to 9:00 but me I close by 8:00″

So now it’s different, right?

Mr Akpan: “yes na, it’s not like before now. Sometimes they bring the light and they take it less than 20 minutes. Even for the last 6 days, no light. And fuel is now high, 205 per litre. How much do I make as profit that I will be using generator from morning till night. My guy, I just tire. For 3 days, I have sold only 4 cassettes. Sha some of my neighbours say they like it as I don’t see light to play my music. That the noise is too much but I don’t care oh. It’s market I try to market my business, my brother.”

Faustina (student)
“It’s affecting me badly. My phone is always low. Now my charger is with me everywhere I go, like it’s MTN. There is nowhere I don’t take the opportunity to charge because I am not sure of light at home. And I don’t like it because they could steal the phone easily in a public place. Even in church, I sit only where there is a socket. I don’t like it but it is what it is. My phone is my little space, if I can call it that, because It entertains me. And once it’s switched off, I get bored. And also, I need it for people to reach me. This light situation is not helping at all.”

O. Z ( generator repairer)
“It’s not like I like as there’s no light but I can’t deny that it has been good for business. Almost every day I make at least 10k. People call me left, right and centre for work. The generator is now the only sure source.”

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