On the article "Lights Out in Nigeria" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Being a fan of Chimamanda, forgive me if I am slightly biased in this post. So far, I have read all four books written by her ( Half of a Yellow Sun, Purple Hibiscus, Things around my Neck and Americanah). Actually in the process of re-reading her last book "Americanah". Out of all four books, Americanah is by far the least conservative of her books.



Back to the topic of this blog,
Lights out in Nigeria by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie



The article starts off by summarizing the subtle psychological effects that unstable power supply has on fellow Nigerians in one sentence.

"We call it light; electricity is too sterile a word and power too stiff, for this Nigerian phenomenon that can buoy spirits and smother dreams". 

Brief background of electricity in Nigeria,  the Nigerian electrical sector began its initial ascent under a single body, the national government.  Due to its dire, severe, monumental inefficiencies (unstable power supply to no power supply at all), the deregulation/privatization of the sector was prompted in 2005.  The article portrays some of these inefficiencies in the closest humanistic terms possible.

" Air-conditioners bleat and groan and make sounds they were not made to make..... In this assault of low voltage, the compressor of an air-conditioner suffers — the compressor is its heart, and it is an expensive heart to replace."

Soon after deregulation, the electrical sector structure looked something like this

Do we all see where the problem lies. Sigh!!

The article goes on to illustrate the "very" "very" expensive and desperate methods some Nigerians use to mitigate power supply (actually her methods are more for the upper class Nigerians). 

"The generator swallows liters and liters of diesel. Each time I count out cash to buy yet another jerrycan full, my throat tightens. I spend more on diesel than on food....... I awkwardly navigate 

between my sources of light, the big generator for family gatherings, the inverter for cooler nights, the small generator for daytime work."

Finally, the article wraps up summarizing the grim outlook of it all. And the never ending need for the government to take action. 

" I cannot help but wonder how many medical catastrophes have occurred in public hospitals because of no light,.....this remains an essential and poignant need: a government that will create the environment for steady and stable electricity, and the simple luxury of a monthly bill.

All in all, we can attribute the entirety of Nigeria's problems as being the sole fault of the Nigerian government. But the real mystery to solve is.... Who is the government ?.....Nigerians? Where do Nigerian's grievances end up?

Reference
Adichie, Chimamanda. "Lights Out in Nigeria." The New York Times. 1 Feb. 2015. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.

As Always Live Life Righteously