Ayorinsola Obisanya: What is the essence (30 days, 30 voices)

by Ayorinsola Obisanya

I’ve got questions I haven’t yet found answers to. Let’s see if you can finally help me answer them.

First, what is the essence of electricity when I still read with candle, lamp and lantern?

I don’t know its importance when I can’t make use of an electric stove. Instead I’m stuck with its kerosene equivalent, or even worse – a charcoal pot! Also, I sleep and snore without the benefit of a fan for days on end. Press my clothes with a stove iron instead of the real one. At this point, I’m really not sure what purpose electricity serves in my life.

What is the essence of a road?

Yesterday, I took my car to the mechanic again. It’s now a weekly routine because of the craters we mistakenly call portholes. Aminu – the mechanic – gets richer from my four thousand naira average repair spend, weekly. Na wa o! Maybe I should get a bicycle? Apparently, this doesn’t solve the problem because yesterday, I saw an old man fall and lose two teeth, from his already inadequate set.

What is the essence of a hospital?

Jude was asked to get Panadol and some anti-malarial drugs because he was having severe headaches. It turned out that, what was really ailing Jude was cancer – a brain tumor. But he was too far gone before the correct diagnosis was obtained. Besides he’d have had to leave the country for treatment anyway – how could he have afforded that?

What is the essence of education?

Many students (including graduates) can barely communicate at an appreciable level, in what is supposed to be our official language – English. What exactly do we educate for, when our graduates are barely employable? What’s the point?

What is the essence of a court?

Suspects await trial for months, sometimes years. When the cases finally get to court, it can drag for months, sometimes years. In the end, we can’t even be sure that justice will be served.

What is the essence of the National Assembly?

Is our National Assembly a place to only say ‘aye’ and ‘nay’, or to expect monthly allowance alerts? Oh, and we also go there to throw chairs and punches once in a while.

What is the essence of air transport?

Flights get delayed for up to 8 hours (not infrequently); wouldn’t it have been more profitable to use a bus?

Lastly, what is your essence in this country?

Is to vote in bad leaders, mortgage your children’s collective future, all of these on the altar of Rice and Fufu? Is your essence to “siddon look”; adopting a Nigeria-is-corrupt-and-we-cant-do-anything-about-it attitude?

After all is said and done, all of us have a role to play if we want to live in a better country. One of the fastest ways to do this, is to exercise your franchise. Vote wisely – your vote really counts!

What is the essence of the government?

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Ayorinsola Obisanya is a lawyer and he communicates through @fabobisanya on both Twitter and Instagram

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