Missing the Point the Nigerian Way
Nigerian government officials always look for a path to relevance. Everything is done with politics and jamboree at the back of their minds. When the people begin to clamour and it looks like the noise is becoming over bearing they quickly organise a media activity, make a superficial declaration and go back to sleep as they watch the controversy dissipate. The media never disappoints, always there to relay, all they need do is exchange brown envelopes and voila one watery pronouncement from one ignorant Minister, Governor or Legislator appears on the news stand.
This time the opportunity is the UNICEF State of the World’s Children Report released 15th January 2009. Criticizing the report which rates Nigeria high in Maternal and Child Mortality Rates beside other developing countries, the Nigerian Minister of Information and Communication and her First Lady just back from another wedding extravaganza (don’t go there) called on UNICEF to come out with another report. Without a contrary data and in a bid to score political points for her impractical husband the First Lady and her mismatched half condemned the report based on “visits to a few hospitals, interventions in Vitamin A fortification and salt iodisation”.
I have news for you My Lady. The hospitals you visited knew you were coming and in the usual Nigerian way cleaned up the mess in other not to bother you. In any case how many deficient hospitals did you visit in the rural areas? How many women and children should die to certify the report true and moderate in line with our giant capacity, one or one million? What is the improvement level for the Vitamin A and iodine intervention and what efforts so far to increase it?
Dear First Lady I was once in the labour room for close to 52 hours, labour was not progressing, I was branded lazy and sluggish, despite exhaustion and lethargy I was still “encouraged to move around to help labour”, my baby was in distress, I was begging for Caesarean Section, my husband was 'fighting' mosquitoes, my sister was at the door crying for me and my mum who died a week before, the consultant was no where to be found and the nurses left me to my fate. And then God came down and rescued me again as He does every split second in Nigeria. On my next journey through pregnancy in United Kingdom it was a different story all together. The concern and prompt attention given reassured me I was far away from home.
It is only in Nigeria that the loss of a life indicates a lesser harm. In fact the more the number of deaths the better for diminishing purposes. The other day the Minister of Health after waiting for 84(and still counting)'My Pikin' children to go the same way asked mothers in fear and agony for their babies lives to “ quickly get in touch” through GSM numbers with Doctors miles away. I guess the rescue will be through mobile phone, where the mother can afford one and the network consistent.
There is no counting the number of inefficiency and mismanagement of disasters in Nigeria yet “the situation is different on ground”. If only they and their family are on the same “ground”.
I had promised myself at the inception of this blogging business never to concentrate on a particular country or region in my observations. And as much as possible avoid commenting on Nigerian stories no matter how exceptionable
they are. As Nigerians (a proud one if you haven’t noticed the flag colour) we are compelled by situations to break such promises seeing the continuous decay. Now I am one of them too.
This time the opportunity is the UNICEF State of the World’s Children Report released 15th January 2009. Criticizing the report which rates Nigeria high in Maternal and Child Mortality Rates beside other developing countries, the Nigerian Minister of Information and Communication and her First Lady just back from another wedding extravaganza (don’t go there) called on UNICEF to come out with another report. Without a contrary data and in a bid to score political points for her impractical husband the First Lady and her mismatched half condemned the report based on “visits to a few hospitals, interventions in Vitamin A fortification and salt iodisation”.
I have news for you My Lady. The hospitals you visited knew you were coming and in the usual Nigerian way cleaned up the mess in other not to bother you. In any case how many deficient hospitals did you visit in the rural areas? How many women and children should die to certify the report true and moderate in line with our giant capacity, one or one million? What is the improvement level for the Vitamin A and iodine intervention and what efforts so far to increase it?
Dear First Lady I was once in the labour room for close to 52 hours, labour was not progressing, I was branded lazy and sluggish, despite exhaustion and lethargy I was still “encouraged to move around to help labour”, my baby was in distress, I was begging for Caesarean Section, my husband was 'fighting' mosquitoes, my sister was at the door crying for me and my mum who died a week before, the consultant was no where to be found and the nurses left me to my fate. And then God came down and rescued me again as He does every split second in Nigeria. On my next journey through pregnancy in United Kingdom it was a different story all together. The concern and prompt attention given reassured me I was far away from home.
It is only in Nigeria that the loss of a life indicates a lesser harm. In fact the more the number of deaths the better for diminishing purposes. The other day the Minister of Health after waiting for 84(and still counting)'My Pikin' children to go the same way asked mothers in fear and agony for their babies lives to “ quickly get in touch” through GSM numbers with Doctors miles away. I guess the rescue will be through mobile phone, where the mother can afford one and the network consistent.
There is no counting the number of inefficiency and mismanagement of disasters in Nigeria yet “the situation is different on ground”. If only they and their family are on the same “ground”.
I had promised myself at the inception of this blogging business never to concentrate on a particular country or region in my observations. And as much as possible avoid commenting on Nigerian stories no matter how exceptionable
they are. As Nigerians (a proud one if you haven’t noticed the flag colour) we are compelled by situations to break such promises seeing the continuous decay. Now I am one of them too.
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