Importing LB’s paradise

‘Why are you looking so sad Mother?’ Little Bint asked in a cheeky manner. In fact whenever she calls me ‘mother’ rather than her usual ‘Mummy’, I know she’s being cheeky about something. ‘It’s almost as if you are angry. Did I say anything to upset you?’ She continued, ‘I mean, here I was thinking I had brought you just where you’d like to be. A lovely park with beautiful flowers, pretty in-built benches and a thoroughly enchanting landscape, but only to look up and see you looking so sad. What happened?’ She asked, looking at me intensely.

‘Nothing LB. You didn’t do or say anything wrong. And I’m thoroughly impressed by this beautiful park and it’s enchanting landscape. If I look sad it’s probably because I’m wondering when we can have and maintain such clean and beautiful spots in all of our towns and cities. And I couldn’t help wondering how these people do it. I didn’t realise my worry showed on my face until you spoke.’ I replied, assuringly.

‘But that isn’t a big deal Mummy. I mean we have similar places in all our big cities. A typical case is the Millennium Park in Abuja. It’s actually bigger and greener than this town square park.’ She replied, obvious relief on her face that my gloomy look wasn’t her doing.

‘Yes, the Millennium Park is our pride and joy any day. But how about when you step out of it or when you are on your way there? What I dream about is an environment where cleanliness is made the utmost priority. In the two days we spent together since I came to visit you, I haven’t seen a single eyesore any where. We’ve been walking down the same streets and never once did I regret walking or looking around. I mean so much effort is put into keeping every where clean that I’ve been saying to myself this feels like Europe. And yet it is Africa, it is the Third World. So now you see why asking how they manage to do it is only natural.’ I concluded.

‘Yes, I was also very impressed by my sorroudings when Father brought me here two months ago. And knowing how you feel about clean environments, I actually said to him you were going to like it here. I have been proved right.’ She answered, smiling.

‘And doesn’t it occur to you to think,  if another Third World country can do it, we also can? The only thing I don’t understand is why we are not doing it. I often said that we have some of most widely travelled leaders in the world, yet they do not feel the need the imbibe this attitude of utmost commitment to clean environments. They would rather

buy houses in beautiful European and American cities, sometimes with stolen funds, than come and transform our own cities into man made paradise. What is wrong with them?’ I queried.

‘Perhaps they don’t think it’s possible’ LB replied, with a maturity that belies her teenage years. ‘You know we are a very populous country, an overcrowded country is harder to mould into shape than one with fewer people.’ She added.

‘No, that can’t be the case LB. If it is, how do Americans keep clean? You know the US has a population that almost doubles that of our country. Or better still how do the Chinese do it? And they are one quarter of the world’s population. I think it all boils down to having the will. If there is the political will to keep our homes and environments clean it can be achieved despite our number. But if we don’t care and our leaders do not prioritize it, we can never achieve even basic cleanliness, no matter how few we are.’ I countered.

‘So what do you think we can do? I mean I’d really love to see people admiring our towns back home, the way you are admiring this town. If there is a way we can get it done, surely we should try.’ Little Bint, suggested and once again I marveled at the maturity with which she voiced her suggestion. It’s still hard for me to believe my last born is a university student. On the day of her secondary school graduation, several months ago, I congratulated myself that I’d closed that chapter of my life. But now I have to admit that I’m dealing with a new one. A chapter that I hope will be easier and more rewarding that the previous one. I looked at her and realized she was waiting for my answer to her question.

‘Yes we can do it. But the first thing is to get our government committed to environmental hygiene. We need to go back to the days when sanitary inspectors would go round houses and alleyways to inspect them and warn against living in dirt.’ I said.

‘They really used to do that?’ LB asked in amazement.

‘Yes they did. Look, the dirt you see in most of our towns and cities, including the Federal Capital didn’t use to be that bad. It just got worse with time and authorities’ neglect. I remember a time when I was a young lady traveling to my sister’s house in Kaduna to spend the holidays. I would pick a book to read along the way but would be so enchanted by the scenery that I would reach my destination without reading anything, because my eyes were glued to the window. Now all that you see when traveling by road to is rubbish heaps on almost every road side. In fact these days I deliberately pick some reading material that will keep me occupied the length of the journey, just so I wouldn’t have to be looking out of the window. And the worst by far is when driving from the Federal Capital through Kaduna to other places. The filth on the road from those towns and villages in Niger State is simply appalling. Both by the road side and in the middle of the dual carriageway, the story is the same. I feel amazed that politicians of all rankings will allow their billboards to be erected on top of such eyesores without feeling the need to have the place cleared. I often wonder, how do they feel, seeing their faces smiling to the world from atop such rubbish?’

To be continued.