Sunday, July 19, 2009

Outside the Abuja bubble














Yesterday, we took a trip to Karu, one of the so-called "satellite towns" of Abuja, to mark the opening of a small children's community library project. As the party crammed into the library and excited children slipped in and out, I stood outside to observe the scene.

Here, just a few minutes drive from the grand opulence of Maitama and Asokoro, where mansions cost more than their equivalent in London or New York, you can see how the vast majority of Nigerians live. The streets are made of earth, the building materials inadequate, with no electricity and no tap water in sight. A life lived in public, with little opportunity either for privacy or advancement. Meanwhile, Nigeria still has over US$40 billion in foreign reserves...

4 comments:

Nkem,  1:16 pm  

Just finished reading 'I do not come to you by chance'. Reminds me of a scene in it (about which you probably know all too well).

Anonymous,  6:31 am  

i can't believe you repeated the $40bn reserve bit. what do you want them to do with it. spend it all. if the reserved hadn't been reserved, where would we be today with the economic downturn

Anonymous,  9:25 am  

anon: well, we'd be in a country full of poor people with a life expectancy of forthysomething and no electricity, development, or meaningful justice. Hooray for foreign reserves!

Wayan 3:07 am  

Here's another opinion of the "Abuja Bubble" from a long-time reader of Naijablog.

About This Blog

  © Blogger templates Psi by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP