By Tunde Odesola
Life, whether long or short in distance, is an emotional roller-coaster, marked by moments of doom and boom. The Yoruba term Bólèkájà, meaning “come down and fight,” vividly encapsulates the bumpy, often chaotic nature of early road travel in Nigeria. This term, used to describe the old Bedford vehicle, was a symbol of the rough, uncomfortable ride that characterized Nigeria’s transportation during the 50s, 60s, and early 70s. The Bólèkájà, a lorry-based vehicle with a wooden cargo area, transported people alongside farm produce and livestock, creating a cramped and tense atmosphere. Nerves frayed easily in such close quarters, under the heat of the blazing sun.
In those days, the Bólèkájà was not just a form of transport; it was a metaphor for life’s struggles. The Yoruba proverb, Èlédè á d’Óyò, áriwo è lá á pò—”the pig will reach Oyo, but with much grunting”—aptly describes the difficult journey for those packed into these rickety vehicles. And who could forget the Mólùé, the famously overcrowded Lagos bus? A symbol of the nation’s chaotic transportation system, the Mólùé was a place where you could buy everything from love potions to cures for HIV/AIDS and even juju to deal with family witches.
The Bólèkájà might have been primitive, but it was far safer than today’s One-Chance buses. These are not just ordinary buses, but mobile dens of robbers posing as passengers, luring unsuspecting riders only to rob them at gunpoint once the bus fills up. This type of bus reflects Nigeria’s “transactional democracy,” where politicians make grand promises before being elected, only to loot the national treasury once in power.
As the socio-economic conditions in Nigeria deteriorate, the country’s youth are increasingly being left with no options but to resort to Japa, internet fraud (Yahoo), ritualism, or prostitution. They are mocked by today’s leaders, who seem more focused on preserving their own power than on creating opportunities for the next generation.
But there’s a matter more urgent than the country’s leadership crisis: the plague of child begging. This longstanding national disgrace, particularly prevalent in the northern parts of the country, sees children as young as two years old roaming the streets with aluminum bowls, begging for alms. This issue is a devastating indictment of Nigeria’s failure to provide education and employment opportunities for its citizens. If nothing is done, we will soon face a future where today’s child beggars become tomorrow’s terrorists.
In the past, Nigeria’s One-Chance government gave priority to livestock over human lives, as seen in the Buhari administration’s favoritism toward cattle over citizens’ safety. Now, under Bola Tinubu’s government, Nigeria seems to be floundering in an economic crisis with no clear direction or leadership, struggling like an unskilled swimmer in rising waters.
Meanwhile, we see the consequences of failure manifest in a viral video showing thousands of children begging in Kano. These children will eventually grow up to become the new generation of violence in the country. The billions allocated to security annually seem to have no real impact, as evidenced by the rise of new terror groups like Lakukulala, a mix of terrorists from neighboring countries like Niger and Mali.
Nigeria’s failure to address these issues leaves those of us who try to shine a light on them feeling as though we’re flogging a dead horse. The deafening silence of the government makes it seem as though they are unwilling to tackle the problems at hand.
Ironically, while Nigeria drowns in its own issues, other countries like the United States are grappling with parenting choices. A recent case in Georgia, where a mother was arrested for allowing her 10-year-old son to walk home alone, sparked a nationwide conversation about parenting autonomy and government control. The mother, Brittany Patterson, faced child endangerment charges, but she continued to fight back, advocating for the right of parents to make decisions for their children without government intervention.
The contrast between these two nations couldn’t be more stark. One has leaders in power, while the other seems to be governed by dealers who are more concerned with self-interest than the welfare of their people.
