I turned on to my street the other night and noticed something was different. Even after being away for 10 months, I could still detect it. The normal eerie orange glow from street lamps towering above my little street were out. A certain tasteful illumination of plants in the garden, tall trees and spots on my house was missing. I walked into the house, flipped up the light switch (not down like Nigeria) and sure enough, the power was out.
In Nigeria when we suddenly find ourselves in the pitch black, we say “they have taken light.” The “they” usually refers to NEPA, the Nigerian Electric Power Authority which is actually now called PHCN, the Power Holding Company of Nigeria. Saying “they took the light” is an ambiguous statement because we don’t really know who “they” is. It could be one man that got paid a handsome sum to switch off power in one neighborhood and turn it on in another. Whenever I pondered this statement–that is so ubiquitous in Nigeria–I tried to visualize the mysterious identity of this “they” millions of Nigerians blame to every time the electricity goes out.
When I used this term this morning in my Chicago-area abode, my family questioned me, “They took the light? What does that mean?” Applying blame to “they,” doesn’t make sense in America. When the electricity does not work and the lights don’t turn on, we say, “the power is out.” We don’t assign the fact that the electricity doesn’t work to any person or group (“they”); the usual thing to blame when the power goes out in the U.S. is mother nature.
I can not help but think of how serendipitous it is that two days after I return to the U.S., the electricity goes out for two days (as of now, we have not had light for 40 hours). The culprit is a bad thunderstorm that ripped through the Chicago area, destroying trees, power lines and electricity for some 400,000 Chicago-land residents. It’s a meaningful coincidence that I experienced power outages so frequently in Nigeria and now I am in the U.S. to help lighten the mood of my frustrated family and friends. We experience black outs so infrequently in the U.S. that people don’t know how to handle them. They can be a novel experience; families light as many candles as possible, curl up together and tell stories. For those who live in such a mechanized world, they can be quite a nuisance. A family friend shared his woes with me, “This black out is terrible! I couldn’t sleep last night because I couldn’t get my electric curtains closed!”
Serves us right.
Cara, this blog of yours is wonderful. You are smart and lovely and I’m so glad to have met you!
…love the stories on your travel experience in Nigeria. You’ve described quite a lot about what we have to put up with — problems with electricity and all of that poverty in the streets. This was last year, I believe. The thing is, if you returned today or tomorrow, you’ll still find Nigeria in the same situation Titi. The only difference you’ll get to meet, here, are the few politicians who have been voted out or booted out! Akala, the Governor you used to know in Ibadan, Oyo state, is out, just like his colleagues in some other states. Apart from that, things haven’t really changed…they never do, and I think that’s why we’re still called Nigeria. I live in the North, used to live in the South-west (Lagos and Ibadan) and the harsh realities aren’t different. You write well, and I enjoyed reading about your experiences.
The nature played its pranks on theeople of Chicago while in Nigeria its sheer incompetence and greed that led us down this road. Different strokes for different folks.For Chicago folks a brief taste of what Nigerians grapple with each passing day. But come to think of it, Nigerians might also take constant power supply for grantd sometimes in the future but not in my lifetime.
TIti :
when will you come back to Ibadan NIGERIA
Titi,
Being in Chicago with you, it was tough, some basements flooded- some of my friends. I was wondering if you wanted to come to the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas…July 7th-9th at the Swiss Hotel, Downtown Chicago. There will be people from Nigeria coming and physicians around the US. Email me if you are ineterested. It would be great to show on your blog.
Wellcome back to base my sister…. I’m sure you’ve had enough training in Nija not to be depressed over common light out… We take a lot of all this pleasure for granted and still mumur .. I’m bored…
despite no mosquito humming in your ears… Sey..
I miss all your nija update… nothing to report for oyibo land…? Hope your base is not flooded?.. did you bring enough amala to last for a while… Don’t tell me you are back to your fattenning pizza +burger + Mac.
Please update all the happenings since you are back … ur fans from Canada
Haha! No I am definitely not eating McDonalds but I do love pizza. I unfortunately did not bring Elubo back from Nigeria. I will have to go to an African market to pick some up and get my amala fix 😉
The lack of electricity is out of the control of the utility companies in the US mainly due to bad weather. In Nigeria, the people in control are unable to deliver services for whatever gazillion reasons the management will provide. This has been going on for too long and there is no end in sight. Why? Because the market forces are not in play because the revenue from electricity generation and distribution are not guaranteed.
I don’t think it serves your people right, Cara. I think where you are, that is how it should be. You are in a part of the world where basic amenities like power is available to everyone rich or poor. In Nigeria, the power outages only affect the majority of the population that are poor. The elite have their enormous power generators. Don’t forget that it is in the interest of those in power that power outages continue for ever and ever as they have business links with importing power generators for those that can afford them. Bills for electricity that is never regular must still be paid. No compensation schemes for damages done to electrical equipments damaged by these outages in Nigeria. So I don’t envy the Nigerian situation with very erratic power supply. I think in this day and age, power outages should only happen due to mother nature as you put it. So I think like where you are and where I am in the Uk, human beings care for their fellow human beings a lot more, unlike the dog eat dog society in Nigeria. That to me is why life is a lot better in the Western world in many ways. I would have agreed with your comments if in Nigeria, power outages affects everyone, rich or poor equally. Hoping you get your supply restored soon, lol
“I couldn’t sleep last night because I couldn’t get my electric curtains closed!” 🙂 classic! LOL. Such a “1st World” problem. In Naija, we’ll just go out on to the balcony or the flat roof and sleep under star light in the cool night breeze.
The contrasts couldn’t be more stark.
Glad you’re back with your family Titi. Planning for a return trip to 9ja any time soon?
I have been in America for 5 years and power was once out for 3 hours (between 7 pm and 10 pm) and I was totally useless for those 3 hours. I couldn’t cook nor use the microwave either. It made me wonder how I survived living in Lagos,Nigeria for 25 years. It served as a great wake-up call for me as it made me more thankful for all the bounties I take for granted in America. Although I had been a sustainability freak prior to this incident, my sense of conserving energy greatly increased that day. I am now more fanatical about conserving energy and water because some do not have these resources at all. I undoubtedly have to make the best of my American life so that I can give back to both America and Nigeria.
How do you intend to give back to Nigeria? I’d like to know.
we are lucky here in Antioch TN, except during a storm first week of last month, the electricity went out, that was around 9pm for 30minutes and my 10 years old asked if the world is coming to an end? good for him, he’s going to Nigeria for the first time next month for 2 weeks. I’m praying.
Isn’t that wonderful,I live in Texas for over 32 years and we always have frequent lights out, but I never say that “they” word.Recently I traveled home to Nigeria and as usual the lights went off and the “they” word came right out of my mouth.
Good one Titi! I remember the first time “they took light” after I arrived back to the US. My distressed neighbors began to congregate in the middle of street to discuss the catastrophe. I sat on the porch and just shook my head. Meanwhile, thousand of miles a way, there are people sitting by candle light waiting on the next time they can yell “up NEPA”.
First world v. third world problems ( and yes, I know those are antiquated terms).
Cara, serendipity at its best! Reggie is in Chicago, so I had heard about this. I remember scooping you and your sister up one night during a horrible storm…we all slept in my room! All memories of you are great ones. Welcome “home”.
Hugs