It remains an open secret that a Nigerian cannot demand for a vacation just to rest. Once you announce that you are going for a vacation, your fellow Nigerians will be the first to ask you "O dikwa na mma" Is everything alright? That may sound like a passive question but we all know it is
a strong invitation to explain why you should abandon the pursuit of wealth and start behaving like "Ndi Obodo a"( people of this land). If the person asking the question is close to the family, for example, your elder brother, The best answer he would like to hear goes like this " My brother, I have 6 months accumulated leave and I am being forced to take this one month leave. It is company policy" At that point, it becomes clear that you are a true son. Another question may or may not follow;
" So you cannot find any job by the side to do within this one month? My brother, check that thing; six dollars per hour times 8 multiplied by 30 days in a month, that is what you are missing. If you don't have anything to do with over $1200, I can hold it for you "dianyi"?(My youth)"
A man on Twitter named Onye Nkuzi@cchukudebelu, once asked the question "What are the factors that can motivate Nigerian workers?" One of the best answers he got from Nigerians goes like this: Good living wage, Paid vacation, Health insurance, Pension with retirement benefits, pay to own accommodation and availability of student loan for children"
That sounds like a pipe dream for many hard-working Nigerians, even the so called Middle class Nigerians. However many Nigerians living abroad have prospered beyond those needs of their fellow countrymen at home but they are still under pressure to work, work and work. The basic truth is that an average Nigerian is already motivated to work and earn money. This is irrespective of how much they are worth in cash. Below are some of the reasons that propel Nigerians to get up and work.
CHILDREN'S WELFARE
From the time a pregnancy is announced in the family, a Nigerian family begins to worry, with a few minutes devoted to that” child worry”; will the child develop properly? Will the labour be attended by an experienced doctor? Where will be the best place to give birth to this child? Once the child is born the worry changes; will this child be intelligent enough to get scholarship? Is he going to excel in sports? Is it possible that he will become drug addict or homosexual? (God Forbid) Will this child be blessing to his parent or is he going to be "Usebo" (Destroyer of happiness) (Again, God forbid). Nigerian parent believe that the more he works, the less his or her children will have to worry about. Some parents even nurse that ambition of giving their children a block of flats as a wedding gift.
PERSONAL AMBITIONS
It is not out of place for a Nigerian to dream of having the biggest mansion in his village. Many have started mighty befitting edifices in their village only to lose their job at the moment the house reached the roofing stage. It does not matter whether the person has any pension fund or health care insurance. It does not matter whether the house can be classified as investment or public relation error. These are cultural demands that you cannot change by writing or talking about it. A mansion is just one out of many unusual personal ambitions of Nigerians.
FAMILY PRESSURE
An average Nigerian is obliged to work and make more money in order to satisfy the needs of not only the immediate family but also that of extended family and that of the spouse. The family pressure may range from paying tuition fees of half cousins to regular ones like building a house for your brother. Once a Nigerian gets an opportunity to make money, the whole family begins to rejoice because the person automatically becomes a conduit for blessing. You cannot take a vacation while your Uncle's wife is being detained in hospital for inability to settle bills. Many Nigerians have significantly benefited from family largess at one point or the other in their lives.
GREED
Several people work as hard as possible in order to make as much money as possible. He or she may not go to hospital when sick, may not help anybody in need and may not even desire expensive things. The main desire is to savor the figures on his bank statements.
POOR PLANNING
Many young people start working with no knowledge of financial planning. By the time they are 50 years they suddenly realize the retirement package if any will not be enough to maintain present life style. They should have started saving from the first job. Many press the panic button and begin to rake in and cash that comes within their reach. Vacation becomes a luxury and work goes on even after retirement.
SOCIETAL PRESSURE
Occasionally, you may join an association only to find out that every member of that association is driving an expensive SUV. At times too late you realize that this church or club cost you as much as $250 per month and you are not even among those that are regarded as sponsors. You have no option than to work during your vacation. Those are just a few of the examples of societal pressure.
CONCLUSION
Unlike the western people we do not want to emulate, we Nigerians are saddled with so many demands and worries. We are definitely motivated to work. Vacation for the sake of rest is obviously a waste of opportunity but it pays to occasionally just sit back and take a break.
When you have a lot of people depending on you, like your parents and sibling you tend to work harder with less rest. Its even worse when you are the first born. May God help us breakthrough all of this killer tradition so that we can enjoy life.
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting write up. However most of the reasons listed are not necessarily perculiar to Nigerians. I believe that the root cause of the issue is the lack of access to credit facilities in Nigeria. Everything is cash-and-carry- car, house, tuition etc.
ReplyDeleteif the average Nigerian had access to car loan, mortgage, student loan and even loan to go on vacation as people do in these western societies, I think that they will be able to balance life and leisure a little better.
The problem is that even when you live and work outside Nigeria, a good proportion of your expense is still in Nigeria where you still have to deal with the cash-and-carry system. So you better have the cash!!!
This cash-and-carry system also contributes to some degree to the widespread corruption in the society.
I totally agree, we need to take a break, life is for the living.
ReplyDeleteIt will even help us reevaluate our priorities.
I must add, the 'cash and carry' comment is true too, most Nigerians living in nigeria don't have insurance, be it health, car, life, etc, so it's so easy for a Nigerian to just crash financially (GOD FORBID).
I guess that's why we seem insatiable.
But then again, rest is important, cos if you work all day to give your children better life, you won't even have the time to get to know your children in the first place. Sad but true.