Posts
What I noticed when I observed public waste bin in less than one hour.
Witnessing the unfortunate situation today reminds of palliatives looting from various warehouses during #EndSARS last year and Lai Mohammed and Femi Adeshina later came out to say even though Nigerians were seen scampering for food items does not mean any Nigerians are eating from the waste bin. Today, I have a proof for them and their APC government.
So I left house this morning to meet someone who had promised to link me up with someone who can help my unemployed status. Having reached the place early enough, I called to notify but I was told to hang on there and I found a place and sat down.
Looking around, I noticed a public waste bin and in no time, condemned iron pickers with their truck entered the place and ransacked everywhere in search for iron and other condemned household items. While they were still there, some kids presumably homeless joined them in search for rotten food. I could see them picking things from the bin and directly into their mouths and until no other to pick again before they left. Just as though the bin has regained its freedom from the attack of the street urchins, immediately, I saw an elderly woman ransacking the same bin in search for woods presumably to be used as firewood (a kg of cooking gas now is N600 and Kerosene N450). While she was still trying to pick her interest, a man with wheelbarrow pushed into the place with a heap of cartons/paper materials. He parked and ransacked the same bin for cartons and any paper material thing. He greeted the elderly woman and they both had conversation which I really didn't know what they discussed before they finally left together.
As all these were happening, I had no choice than to still wait for "my helper". Before I knew, another set of women came to visit the same bin. These ones, their interest was on plastic bottles and nylon/waterproof materials. They picked as much was available before they left.
Not long from then, a new visitor to the bin was another child in search for rotten food not knowing early birds have already taken all that were available. I felt so bad and disturbing seeing what was going on there so I was eager to leave the place. Just then, the person called me that I should be going back to my house that the appointment can no longer hold today.
As I made move to pass the bin, the underage greeted me and added "Oga abeg help me with N50 make I take buy something chop". I felt pity for him. This boy is too young for this. Ideally, he should be under the care of his parents. Anyways, even though I was left with only my transport fare, I couldn't pass and I gave him N200.
Wow!!! Honestly I left the place very disappointed and broken down physically and mentally.
Disappointed due to the cancelled appointment and mental breakdown due to the gory site of where some Nigerians now resort to sourcing for means livelihood. Indeed, IMO, this country is a terrible place. It's structured to favour very few and that is why we are still the way we are today and until normalcy and sanity is forcefully returned by eliminating those who have spoilt and reduced the country to this mockery stage, I see no changes where some Nigerians would not have to sleep with empty stomach and start a new day by picking things from waste bins while others spend public funds sleeping in world best hotels in and outside the country.
As I'm typing this, I can't tell how many other persons have continued to visit the same waste bin afterwards and other waste bins in search for source of survival. Rather, this has forced me to ask myself, is this the dream of the founding fathers of Nigeria? Unemployment? Poverty? Frustration? Sourcing livelihood from thrash bins?
I rest my case!!!
Credits: PlanToSucceed/NL
Photo source: Google
No comments