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| Picture by: Segun Adekoye |
Still in the mood of celebration, I would like to say happy 55th
Independence Day to my fellow compatriots. The labour of our heroes past shall
not be in vain.
This post is based on the recent development I and many
other Nigerians are experiencing. However, a friend’s digital shot triggered the
move.
In the beginning of creation, we were told everything was in
chaos due to the absence of light but when light came, order stayed. The moment
light came to being, creativity began. Everything that was created was put in
its place when God created light. Hence, light begets creativity.
For
over 1.5 billion people around the world, night-time means darkness. However,
with the invention of electric lamp by Thomas Edison, man had complete control
over lighting inside his homes and work places. This
invention resulted in the interruption of the normal, biological rhythms of
life and altered man’s schedules for work and leisure. It therefore means we
can operate in shifts at our place of work within the 24 hours we have each day. For instance, I am
able to put this piece together between 11pm and 1am. The invention of power (electric
light) and consequently a new rhythm of life have created a new concept in man’s
life, "a city that never sleeps."
Light
not only reveals that which is hidden in darkness, but it also provides energy
needed for the development and sustenance of life. The bitter truth is that the
absence of light opposes development and progress. Sometime back, when the
banks were just recapitalizing. I went to one of the banks here in Nigeria, and
everything seems to be busy - From human to machine. I had been on the queue
for just five minutes when the power supply went off. Five minutes, ten minutes
and the technical personnel were unable to get the alternative power source on.
Taking my mind back, I remember everyone talking without one hearing the other.
People hitting each other while trying to secure a safe haven. The bankers were
not left out as they were all disorganized but just as power was restored; it
took less than 5seconds for everything to get back to normalcy. Remembering
that moment, I realize how important light is for any form of development or
progress in the human race.
These days, I get home, sleep, wake up and get amazed that
power is still on. Few months back, having light was luxury. I have to spend an
average of well over a thousand naira on fuel to have light for few hours. Now,
DISCOs have to put the light off for few hours in a week so transformers don’t blow
up. Further showing, the inadequacy of past management in providing the right
transformers for large communities. Like some friends would say, “the fear of
Buhari is the beginning of constant power supply.”
Be that as it may, I am happy to see this change. It tells
me nothing is impossible in our hope for a new Nigeria. My belief like many
other Nigerians’ is strengthened that things will change for the better. We
might not be where we are suppose to be or where we were promised we would be
in three months after assuming office but we will get there. A process that had
started before now.
With
the current constant power supply, our economy will develop. You may ask how with
that ‘ewww’ look even as you read. Your reason might be roads have to be built,
corruption have to be curbed, bureaucracy in government has to be minimized,
favorable policies has to be put in place to encourage indigenous companies, a
new attitude for change and development has to be expressed to attract investment, and many other reasons.
Yes! You are right.
While fighting corruption; the first step towards building a
sustainable economic development is to provide electric power. Man’s daily
living, and the business world depends solely on this critical infrastructure.
The world is constantly evolving into a globalized one, and we can’t afford the
luxury of time as everything changes in a twinkle of an eye. Either as humans
or businessmen, we must keep ourselves abreast with current developments in
politics, economics, information technology etc. Lack or inadequate power
supply will hinder our access.
With
the availability of power, business are able to reduce cost of production,
increase productivity, make more profit, invest and re-invest for expansion
purposes, employ more people, and perform their corporate responsibilities. Employees
get opportunity to make more income thus increasing their standard of living. Also,
new formal (corporate) and informal (home) businesses are created through the
creativities of the citizens and opportunities given by growth in the economy.
Note that, it is a common fact that the backbone of most developed countries is
the Small Medium Enterprise (SME).
In
recent time, there has been an emergence of a new set of employees and employers
of labour – I call them the hermits because they do not have to be at the
physical location of an office to operate yet they have brought a change to the
business and political world that no one can doubt. They are the internet (web
and social media) freaks. These set of people have been instrumental in the
change of governments in countries via their means of sharing information. For
example, Nigeria, United states, Egypt etc. They have also changed the face of
marketing in our world. However, this has only possible with access to power
(electric or alternatives) for creativity.
The
economic effect of the availability of power (electric light) goes beyond us
going about our daily activities or increasing the workday but something more.
That is why I am of the view that change has come without us realizing it.
It
is time for us to think, it is time for us to make use of what has been
provided, it is time for us to create, it is time to liberate ourselves and
millions of others, and it is the time to Arise.
God bless Nigeria.
GOOD PEOPLE. GREAT NATION
