How Nigeria Happened To Him
Uchenna sobbed quietly as I worked to save what remained of his already disfigured face. The left side of his face was a ruin, consumed by necrosis—an aftermath of the accident that nearly claimed his life.
In Nigeria, there’s a saying: “May Nigeria never happen to you.” It’s a darkly humorous expression, used to commiserate with those who’ve endured misfortune or chaos. But what Uche was going through was far from humorous. It was a nightmare I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.
I stood by him, listening patiently as he recounted his story, tears streaming down his face.
Uche, the only son of his father, hails from the Eastern part of Nigeria where Igbo is widely spoken. Yet, he grew up in the North, where he learned Hausa. He lost his father at the tender age of five, leaving his mother as his sole pillar of strength.
He spoke of the sacrifices his mother made to ensure he received a university education abroad. She sold everything she had, including what his late father had left behind—her last safety net against hardship.
But times were tough. The Naira’s value had plummeted against the dollar, especially during the transitions of power from President Goodluck Jonathan to President Buhari. What this meant for Uche was that his education, which was already expensive, became almost unaffordable.
