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everything is fine

in discussing the contents of my blog so far with my colleagues, and avid readers, i have been accused of crossing the line between ethical criticism and flat out cynicism. its been said that i don't seem to see anything positive about this country, or with the daily life that we live as nigerians. to set the records straight, i have hope.

so throughout yesterday, i scoured the papers looking for something positive to write about. there is all the buzz about the eyo festival happening tomorrow in lagos, nigeria. where the government is giving free transportation to everyone to come and see what indegenous lagos masquerades look like and do. i spent the whole day thinking about the tourism benefits of this carnival and of the PR importance of the festivities on the always stressed people of lagos.

but my mind couldn't help but wonder how much more economic sense it would have made, for the government to offer this free transportation to lagosians on a weekday when they need to work to generate the funds with which they pay taxes. forgive my seeming cynicism, and to be honest there's nothing as nice as a free day at the beach doing nothing, but government's action has to add value to people's lives.

what value does it add that you go to watch masquerades dance around on a weekend, when you should be sleeping? what value does it add that your stress levels are reduced for one day only to be plunged back to the incredibly strenuous levels of daily living in lagos immediately thereafter? its like closing your eyes for a few minutes and hoping that by the time you open them, all your problems would have faded away. that sort of baseless hope is the sort that I fail to comprehend.

but don't let me stop you. please join the throng tomorrow at the tafawa balewa square and watch a bit of yoruba culture at its best. don't carry any expensive items with you, and try to leave the location early. i'm sure it'll be fun.

i'll catch you again on monday when you'll take your usual dilapidated bus to work after a weekend without electricity to iron your clothes (which clothes may even remain unwashed cos you were gallivanting with eyo masquerades on saturday when you should have been doing your laundry)...but see you anyways.

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