Nigeria: That We May Rebuild This Fallen House

“Because everything in Nigeria is going to k!ll you.”

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A nwo ẹ ẹ bi a wo sọọkun.
Iwọ nwo ’ra rẹ bi a wo rẹrin.

Loosely translates as follows,

To others, beholding you elicits tears (of sorrow).

Whereas you parade yourself as a flippant buffoon.

If Nigeria were a person, the aforementioned Yoruba saying would aptly describe his state of blissful ignorance amidst self-inflicted hardships.

In 2012, the popular Nigerian singer, Lagbaja, released a series of songs titled 200 Million Mumu.

Nigerians have a penchant for dancing away their sorrows and sweeping under the carpet issues that need urgent attention or the light of the day.

Perhaps, this is the reason Nigerians were once considered the happiest people in the world.

Whaaat?

You must be kidding me. If that one na joke make you stop am o. (Nigerian way of saying, if you meant that as a joke, please stop it. This isn’t funny.)