In the past two hours the electricity has gone off and come back on three times. The first time I was in the middle of eating dinner, the second time I was reading the paper, the third I was washing dishes. Luckily I only had one plate fatality in the process. Each time it went, my living room turned into a vacuum of total darkness and I just sat there, without any light in hand, wondering if I should get up, grope my way to my room to get my torch or just stay put and hope for subtle flickering of light that indicates light is back. Sitting in the dark gets worrisome after a while because there is no telling when they will bring light back.
Black outs are daily occurrences in Nigeria. Sometimes they last for two hours, sometimes two days. These are not weather induced black outs. They happen because that’s just the way the government run electricity company works here. The power sector of the government is called the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), or more commonly known as Please Have Candle Nearby. People still refer to it as NEPA (National Electric Power Authority or more popularly, Never Expect Power Again) because it sounds sweeter saying “NEPA oooh!!!” when they take light than “PCHN!!” I’ve read articles about Nigeria’s electricity problems. Some say the problem is that Nigeria–Africa’s largest oil producer–does not have the capacity to produce enough power for the entire country. The article said Nigeria–a country with a population of roughly 150 million people–was producing 3,500 Megawatts of electricity in 2008. Madison, Wisconsin, a city populated by about 200,000 people produces about 700 Megawatts–that’s one fifth of what this country produces. I’m pretty sure no one in this country thinks ability is what is keeping the government from providing light 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
I am told that the light situation has not always been this bad, with random daily black outs and days without light. Not so long ago, over 12 years, my friends and teachers say that the papers and news networks would announce the specific times the light was going to go out. So at least there was some organization to the darkness and you would know to avoid doing tasks that required light (like washing dishes) at certain times.
I have become accustomed to the fragility of light. You know you’re used to it when you are in the middle of a sentence when the light goes out, leaving you in pitch blackness, and you keep on talking without any hesitation. Still, I cannot help but wonder who or what decides which areas of the country get light at which times. Is there some big boss man sitting behind a massive switch board flipping switches as he pleases?
At least some people benefit from the instability; the companies who produce generators and rechargeable flashlights are making a killing. My torch light miner’s headband might be the most valuable thing I brought from home. Shoot, they just took light again….
…wait, it’s back again….
This is getting confusing. NEPA make up your mind, abeg.
Nice write.Though I sometimes consider the power outages a blessing when I can shut out the entrapments of the modernity for a while but it becomes frustrating when it is erratic and drawn out.I’ve lived in Ibadan since I was born,I’m over 30 and I don’t have extensive memory of the media announcing when there would be light.I can barely recall about two radio broadcasts that relate to the issue,maybe most of that happened when I was a kid not circa 12years ago.
“You know you’re used to it when you are in the middle of a sentence when the light goes out, leaving you in pitch blackness, and you keep on talking without any hesitation.” – Priceless!
Please where are you from this girl? You are soooooooo good!
“nepa make up your mind abeg” – I love it. you’ve NAILED the lingo!
Hahahah, Titi, another laff from you. The way you ended ur article? Babe, good jod. Thank you for bringing me closer to my homeland. Do you realise you wrte like a Nigerian now? I seriously give it up to you girl!
Forgive me for commenting on this old post. You are as we say in Nigeria being baptized by fire. Your “NEPA make up your mind, abeg” had me in stitches. You’ve truly embraced this study abroad trip. Thanks for not complaining over much.
Don’t believe anyone who tells you the elite have light. PHCN/NEPA is no respecter of persons. We all experience NEPA!!!!!!!
You know it was NEPA PLC and the PLC stood for Please Light Candle. Back then anyway.
Do your host parents have a Gen? It makes it bearable. Expensive but bearable.
LMAOROTF!!!…Jesus Christ! the person that posted that N-report video has killed me with laughter this morning, you too much abeg “….Musa! my dagger!” lol
Titi, I just discovered you today from my friends facebook page and even with my grammatical prowess, i must confess that i lack the words to convey just how impressed i am with you. Keep on keeping on girl
I laughed so hard at the N-report also. I can relate to your lack of words since I find myself speechless almost everyday now at the incredible amount of comments and views I am receiving on my blog and videos. I am beaming, totally stupefied. Thank you Bola!
No, thank you for taking the time to put in the ridiculous amount of hardwork and dedication to learn my language and culture! May be we will cross paths in chitown God willing, i live in michigan and have a lot of friends in Chicago so i will be making lots of trips there once its warm enough.
So if you are willing and not too busy, let me know when you are state side and I will keep you in mind when am in Chitown….just remembered am actually going there next weekend for St Patty’s day.
Stay Blessed!
Enabusco..what in d world are u on about? There is no place in Nigeria with 24/7 electricity. None!
Yes! Certain places do appear to get favored more by NEPA, PHCN or wateva it is called now, but to the best of my knowledge, no place has 24/7 electricity..No! Not even your Abuja.
Stop blind arguments please! Gives me a headache!
Btw Great blog here Cara! U rock!
LMAO! Titi, your writing skill is commendable. I love the way you ended this article…..shoot! the light is gone, i better enter this comment before my computer runs out of battery since it barely charges…lol. thank goodness that doesnt happen in America.
Enjoy this:
lol, i love this….do u hv anything to say about it Enabusco “the catalan with definite opinions about nigeria, whr he has never lived”….there is an igbo, hausa and yoruba man in it…it’s clearly a parody of how frustrated EVERYONE is, about the issue of electricity in naij…. whether they take light every 2 days or they take light only for 2hrs a day…they still take light…why? i guess we’ll never knw
Bull, exposure alert. Ad hominem attacks, the classic tactic deployed by a mentally inefficient kid. You acutely posted this video yourself, isn’t? Pathetic! SMH
Can’t you read and see your logic is crap? I’m more Nigerian than you couch-potato so called patriots claim to be. It’s nice to see you’re ventilating your concern… Go ahead and amuse me with your infantile comment.
For the last time homie, don’t even expect me to reply your unintelligent sentence. Stop kidding yourself. I spent more than 3 weeks in Lekki Peninsula – Lagos last year with 24/7 power supply UNINTERRUPTED.
… Super Mega Elite – Enabulele. ROFLMAO 😀
http://images1.memegenerator.net/ImageMacro/4386120/youre-out-of-the-band-owned.jpg?imageSize=Medium&generatorName=Old-Spice-Guy
ur obviously retarded so u think i went and created a whole new account just to post a video. ur so dumb that statement just shows the kinda person u are from the stupid way u reason. i bet u think u’re smart hey. lol. idiot. run along now douche bag.
Enabusco abeg stop lying joh….i hv 2 houses in abuja both in… as you put it “super mega elite exclusive neighborhoods” and they take light maybe not as much as lagos and not everyday, but the point is they take light…… i live in phase 1 but i hv a few frnds that live in vgc (you can call both “smee neighbourhoods” too) and they take light like crazy in both places especially in vgc… My Gen is on so much i dnt even hear it again. Titi, I dont knw why some nigerians cant just be realistic and admit to nigeria’s issues….NEPA fails us in every city, street and village and even at the airport, stop trying to save face falsely. Wt 24/7 light are u talking about maybe i shud visit ur house since we dnt live too far away from each other…Bullshitter
Hahaha, I’m not lying. Each time I visit Nigeria – there’s 24/7 constant power supply where I live.
“I dont knw why some nigerians cant just be realistic and admit to nigeria’s issues”
I’m Catalan/Nigerian. I was born in Catalonia.
By the way, this is Abuja night view:
^^ Are all that Generators? You must be a joker! 😀
Errmm! so you dont even live in nigeria…so shhh….I knw abuja very well and like i said before the light situation is not as bad as it is in other cities but they DO take light…i’ve never seen light 24/7 in abuja since i was a kid and btw in the pictures the areas are wuse 2 and maitama….and most of the lights in the pictures are street lights anyway and there are many dark spots in the picture so it cud be that NEPA struck again that night. Wuse 2 is a mostly business area with a lot of night life going on so obviouslllyyy there are lights on and maitama is a weatlthy are so its apparent that ppl hv generators…..Seeing as you are ‘catalan’ i suggest u stick to talking about stuff in catalonia that you probably knw more about…peace out
You know nada buddy, this is Barcelona night view (Tibidabo)
Oh, so the electricity company “Endesa” have struck again since there are many dark spots in the picture.
Are you a natural born cynic? You’ve never lived in Abuja… So stop spitting shit! Why am I even wasting my time arguing with you? You’re obviously a troll. I’m done with you kid! 🙂
Yes, it’s very frustrating that there is consistent light for the “elite” in places like VGC while those who ostensibly don’t matter get the dregs 😦
Titi, thank you, by the way, for the Yoruba textbook suggestion some time ago; I plan to order it in the next few weeks!
There are certain parts of Nigeria with constant 24/7 light. 🙂
Where is that?
You know we the super mega elite live in exclusive neighborhood. 😀
Some part of Abuja, even in Lagos too like: Victoria Garden City… Power is very stable there, I think it’s connected to the National grid. 🙂
ROFL…Titi you will not kill person o!