Nigeria as most old folks know it before 1960 has certainly changed, especially in terms of the socio-economic, political and security spheres. In this story, Ayo Oladiran, Ebube Eruchalu and Praise Adebowale speak with folks who witnessed the 60s and today.
There were a lot of expectations following Nigeria’s
independent in 1960. These changes came,
both like a pendulum, it swung towards the negative and positive angles.
Just as there were global advancements in
technology, medicine and economy, there have increasing challenges with
insecurity. The greatest technological impact that has occurred since
independent seemed to be the smartphone, internet and social media.
Speaking with folks that witnessed the 60s, 70s, 80s
and present day was an eye opener.
While comparing their youthful and present day, the
old folks seemed to prefer their later years. This comparison was done by
evaluating area of security, economy, education and politics.
Dr. Olujimi Kayode, 70, reminisce that back then,
young Nigerians were more disciplined and Nigeria as a country itself was
organised.
He said: “We had a more moral and ethical society
than what we have today. As a young adult, corruption was almost non-existent. When
I was leaving secondary school in 1973, someone told me I could apply for a
government scholarship. I went to the federal ministry of education by myself
without informing my parents. I picked and filled a form, I saw one of the
staff and when he saw my results, he said I had a chance at winning the
scholarship. I got it purely by my hard work. But it’s not possible today.
Today, you need connection to get the form and even to get the scholarship.”
Kayode said that things worked back then, including
admissions into universities were based on merit without parents struggling to
bribe or have connections.
He said: “These days, what we have are parents
calling that their children should be assisted into the university. My Bursary
from Ogun State then was N300 and school fees into the university was N50,
which I paid without collecting money from my father. Today, Bursary is not
enough to pay school fees. As Bursary could be N50, 000 and school fees would
be N150, 000. I used part of my Bursary
to buy a refrigerator, television and typewriter without collecting money from
my parents. Things were cheap and the Naira was stronger than the dollar. In
fact, Visa was easy to collect then because of our good economy and strong
currency.”
Kayode, who is a lecturer, stated that the major
issues, leading to problems in Nigeria was because value system turned
upside-down. He said that today, at least 99 percent of Nigerians are corrupt,
which, he said, is tragic.
He also said: “Security was also better than it is now;
there were occasional cases of armed robbery, especially in the bank, but you
wouldn’t hear cases of mass abduction of children from schools. The police were
not as corrupt as they are today. I can't say that I preferred the era of when
I was younger to now, but I know that everything I got was on merit. There
wasn't anything like 'special centre' for examinations. You had to earn your
results. When we gained our independence, Nigeria was a better country than now,
even when we had problems. Everyone was proud to be a Nigerian back then. When
I got admission into the University of Lagos, Akoka, in 1977, we told our
friends that that travelled USA that they left Nigeria because they were not
academically sound. There was nothing like universities going on strike, let
alone a series of strikes.”
Mrs. Mary Olaoye, 71, was disgusted with the
deteriorating state of the economy today.
She said: “Things were very good back then and money
was not flowing. However, what we had was enough to feed ourselves, and family.
Today, we can’t explain where Nigeria is heading to and it’s only God that can
save us. Nigeria was better because the leaders were a bit God-fearing. The ones
we have now are blinded by greed. This is a sign of the end time according to
the word of God.”
She narrated that there was a time when people
wanted to travel out of the state, they would just go to Ojota at about 4: am
without fear. She added: “Today, you can’t even walk at that hour because
someone may attack and rob you. This shows that security back then was better.
Before, we were at rest, but now we seemed to be running around in fear. The
period of 1960 was very peaceful. The former anthem 'Nigeria we hail thee,'
signified a healthy Nigeria, but the new anthem ' Arise, O Compatriots,’ signifies
a looming war.”
Deaconess Comfort Oluwole, 71, recalled that when
she got married, a tin of milk was N5, “But today, a tin of milk is N220, while
a bottle of oil, which was then N50, is now N700. In the 1970’s I bought a car
for N5000.”
Oluwole further said: “Then, you can go out and
return late without fear. Now, even in broad daylight one is not safe. There’s
no security today compared to back then. I went with someone to Ondo State and
I returned to Lagos that same day. In fact, I got to Lagos at about 10: pm, but
today, you can’t try that. Education and books were free. But today, government
owned schools look for ways to extort parents. In 1960, we were given flags in
schools and we sang and danced to welcome Awolowo to our school after we gained
our independence. Cassava flour was sold in large quantities and it was cheap.
Now, even a small portion cannot be afforded by many Nigerians.”
Mr. Patrick Abah, 66, said that back then, there
were good and bad times, just like today. “During our time, our parents had no
vehicles and we went to schools that were far away from home. Majority of
parents didn’t have cars, so there was nothing like visiting days. Parents
couldn't come to visit us in schools and there was nothing like visiting days.
Our parents wouldn’t see see us till holiday period and there was nothing like
mid-term break. There was also no means of communication; no telecommunication
and no social media. Today, as you leave home from school, you can be in touch
with your parents with digital devices; they’re calling you, you’re calling
them. They are aware of how you’re doing. You can even do Skype, zoom, or
whatever. In fact, the entire family can go on Zoom and have some chat together
at the same time,” said Abah.
Abah said that in those days, there were no phones,
and that phones and the internet were what made this period better than their
youthful era.
He said: “Today, you people have laptops, which you
can use to do your work. You can work at home and school assignments in the
comfort of your house, and submit through the Internet. But during our own
time, there was nothing like that. Now, there can be lectures given to you via
the Internet and you can have lectures in the comfort of your room.”
He also said that during his university days, 50
kobo was enough for his breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Abah said: “Now, lunch cannot be less than N500 or
N1000. When we graduated, we were given loans for cars immediately. I was given
N4000 and I bought my first car for N3700. The remaining change I had, I bought
sound system and other things. Today, one
tyre of a car is from N14, 000 to N20, 000, depending on the type of car one
wants to buy. You see how things have so skyrocketed out of the reach of an
ordinary man. The value of a naira has gone so low and inflation has gone so
high.”
He also mentioned that security was not as bad as it
is today. He remembered that as a pupil, he and his mates were put in trains
and their parents wouldn’t worry about them until they return from schools.
He noted: “But these days, because of insecurity,
you cannot allow your child to go far for education. Security is terrible in
the country today.”
Micheal Oche, 66, said that 2021 has become the
worst year witnessed in Nigeria. His words: “The way they’re killing Nigerians
is terrible. I don’t think Nigeria was like this in our youth and I was born in
1955. There is nothing good in Nigeria now. Insecurity is the major problem
today in Nigeria and there is no security in Nigeria. Today, somebody will
carry gun and run away and they wouldn’t know where he has ran to. In this year
alone, several people had been killed like chickens. This is the worst
government I had seen, because if anybody reports to them that something was
happening, nothing would be done. We can’t compare Nigeria today to 10 years
ago, or even five years ago.”
Mrs. Olagbeji, 72, traced and blamed the ruination
of Nigeria to the period of the military president of country, Ibrahim
Badamasi Babangida.
Olagbeji recollected: “Before, a 25litres of oil was
N4, 500, now it’s N28, 000. Then 50kg bag of rice was N3, 800, but now it’s N26,
000. A carton of noodle was N800 as of last year or so, now it’s N2, 800. With
a small change back then, you can buy many things, but now with plenty money,
you can’t buy anything. There was an extraordinary inflation that only went down
during Yar'Adua 's regime. At a point, a Naira equaled a Dollar, but now a
Naira is equivalent to $570, and things in the market became more expensive by
the day.”
She said that before, students could take holiday
jobs to make extra money, but now, even graduates couldn’t get a job. “Companies
have collapsed and investors have left the country because they have to pay for
electricity and they still do not have electricity, and would have to buy fuel
and still pay workers, how will they make profit?”
Mrs. Kafilat Taiwo, 70, said: “Those people that
ruled in the military time era are still back in power as civilians leaders today.
There’s too much greed in the eyes of the leaders now and it all boils down to
corruption. None of our leaders can be trusted now, but back then, there was
corruption, but the leaders still worked for the people. Today, our leaders
work for only their families. If they care about the people, they'll create
more jobs and employ people that deserved such jobs. If you don't bribe people
or have connections, you can’t get jobs these days.”
She moaned that women had given up their bodies in
exchange for jobs in today Nigeria. According to her, it was not only charity
that begins at home, corruption also begins from home, she said.
Taiwo said: “Parents no longer bother to instill
good morals into their children and they blame everything on the government. Those
days, young people were willing to work, but now, everyone is searching for
quick money. No one wants to work in the agricultural sector. In those days,
even the military men had farms that they worked on and there was enough food
for everyone. Now, those that are not willing to work are stealing and getting
involved in fraudulent activities. Many companies in Lagos have closed down
because there are no workers and everyone’s shouting there are no jobs.”
An 81years old ex-military officer, Fasawe Emmanuel,
said: “Times have changed. One could use 70 Kobo to cook soup before, but now
even N3000 is barely enough to cook. Everything is expensive. As an ex-military
officer, I can say for a fact that the soldiers we have now are just like
civilians, same with police officers. Before, police officers could not collect
bribe in public and they usually dig holes in bushes to keep whatever bribe
they collect, but now they do it in the open.”
Emmanuel further said: “When I was in the Army, I
was transferred to Mushin. If I arrested someone for breaking traffic laws, I
would take his or her keys, and if you apologized, I would talk to them and
call them cow because they were stubborn. I make them admit it and after getting
a promise from them that they wouldn’t break the law again, I would whip and
then allow them to go. This earned me the nickname, ‘Baba Malu.’ Transportation
is expensive now because policemen at ‘Stop and Search’ would be collecting
money from market women, and market women would add the price to the price of
their goods, making them expensive. The money I get for my pension now is
barely anything, not able to feed my wife and I. Our leaders have too much money for doing
nothing. Our house of assembly should be a part time job and they should be
paid less than what they are getting now because sometimes they don't sit for
months, and they’ll still get paid. Doctors that are currently on strike have a
good reason for that. They are not paid enough and everything is still
expensive.”
Dr. Toyosi Owolabi, 73, said that Nigeria had become
totally unfavourable to the lower class, leaving the middle age struggling to
survive.
The doctor said: “Comparing Nigeria today to Nigeria
of old is like comparing sleep with death, because that period, we had little
money and the basic necessity of life were accessible compared with now, where
even the middle class can barely survive, let alone the lower class. There was
no point in history, that there was no threat to security challenge, but
relatively compared to what we have today. Insecurity is a very big problem. When
we were younger, we would trek from one village to the other. Back then, people
sometimes worried about children being kidnapped, but today, adults are being
kidnapped everywhere. Back then little things can make your life comfortable,
but today, you can’t enjoy life without money. We had to do everything manually,
but technology has brought comfort. The Nigeria as of early 1990's was better
than what we are witnessing now.”
Deacon Bamidele Adeyemi, 70, believes that
technology ruined more than it helped, stressing that Nigeria of before was
better than present day one.
Adeyemi said: “When I was young, with little money
you can feed very well and things were not expensive. One could walk to far
places and be safe, but now, there’s no security in Nigeria. We keep saying that technology is making life
easier, but it has ruined a lot of things. I preferred then to now because there
were jobs, security and all but now even if you have money you have to always
look over your shoulder to make sure no one is after you. Not having peace of
mind has also caused many people to develop high blood pressure and die
quickly.
"Then, one could give birth to many children
and take care of them but now to take care of two children is expensive.
"Our politicians then, were still a bit
truthful but the ones we have now have no iota of truth. We all just have to
keep praying for the country," he said.
Deaconess Florence Fasawe also supports that
technology ruined the country.
The 71-year old said," Security then and now
are far different. In 1960, you could send a child on an errand from one town
to another and he would walk to and fro and nothing would happen to him. A
child could hawk goods and not come back on time and you'll still be calm.
"Thieves hardly went to houses and if they saw
that people were awake, they would run away but now there different cases
everyday. Now, one has to pray overnight before one travels just to make sure
they are safe.
"Our Naira was once equal to Dollars before it
began to drop. 5 shillings could buy shoes and clothes but now you need
thousands of Naira to but and sew cloths.
"Technology is what spoilt the country totally. What a small child shouldn't
be exposed to have been exposed to them through technology. They want to live
like the people they see online making them to want to have money quick."
On the other hand, Mrs. Abike Oluremi, 70-years old, is grateful for
technology making things easier in the new Nigeria.
"Security was better before than now, there
were no kidnappers as much as now and these kidnappers are just doing it to
have big money.
"People could move freely then but now one has
to be careful of how and where they go to.
"Before the Naira had value but now it is
almost worthless compared to Naira. Food was cheaper. When I got married,a tin
of 'garri' was 5 shillings but now it is
too expensive.
"Yes, technology has improved standard of
living but things have become too expensive. We usually picked out stones from
our rice and but it is now easier.
"The population has increased and in a way it
has affected the economy, if there's too much demand for food items and there
are little supply, there is bound to be inflation.
"I know of a woman that gave birth to 12
children and this would definitely affect others and then there was nothing
like family planning that we have now. So, the issue is something that has been
happening from the past."
Engineer Bello Adegoke, age 75, said the current
economic situation could have been avoided had Nigeria not focused all her
attention on oil after its discovery.
"In our days the economy was not as harsh as
this. Dollars was very low. Our leaders do not know how to manage and project the country and that has brought us
to where we are now because if our leaders had foreseen that the country was
going to be like this, they would have harnessed all our resources for betterment
of the future.
"Unfortunately, the resources then we're not
harnessed and thing in the country are down and Naira is falling and things are
becoming expensive especially in terms of importing.
"Security then had little challenges. There has
not been a time in the world that there were no security challenges.
There were robbers and thieves too but it was on a
very small scale but now it has become socially acceptable. It is not taken as
bad as it should be.
"Lives are no longer important to people, they
take lives that they cannot give, people do not respect their names again.
'Nobody wants an era where things are hard and with
two eyes closed they cannot be safe. Nobody would prefer an era where the currency is so devalued.
"If we had been able to manage our areas of
revenue like agricultural products like oil rather than allow oil rule out
others, Nigeria would have been one of the largest exporters of agricultural
products now but the country has tailored it's revenue on oil and the other
sectors are dead."
The 60-year-old, Mr Azeez Adeleke also compared
today's Nigeria to that of his youth.
"During my youth days, the security in the
country is far better then than it's now. As at this time I can't understand
probably God is angry with us.
"At that time, our recent President who was
also the former president then made security in the country rigid and strong,
compared to now days that both the rich and the poor are afraid due to lack of
security in the country.
"I prefer the state of security then in my day
than that of today," he said.
Mrs. Blessing Nwani, 75 years, said we all live in
fear now compared to how Nigeria once was.
“ That time we valued the money we were using, we
had shillings and pounds, If anybody had £5 that time you were like a
millionaire. When we got our independence, we moved from pounds to naira, the
naira then had more value than now, for example; One Cup of rice was one naira
and a rubber of beans #25 or #50 And 1 tin of Garri was 50 naira.
“You know now we live in fear, we have security
vigilantes to watch us, the streets, that time we could walk miles from one
village to another without fear of Being kidnapped and we can leave our doors
open to buy something and come back, we even leave our children at home without
fear. at night we walk about with the Torchlight but the Torchlight are used to see where we are going or in case
we encounter a snake but now no one can walk around in the Bush like that”
“I preferred it then, because now we do everything
in fear we do not have Peace of Mind and then families cooperate, this will be
news was not as high as it is today, the respect was mutual between parents and
children and then in terms of marriage parents investigate the family before
introduction ceremony, but now not all parents do that for their children”
“ The government that time was OK, they do not have
to kill people to get into office, we obeyed their rule. the only improvement
now that we did not have then is to move from country to country by air,
because then if one was to travel abroad We go by sea and we can travel for
three months before we get to our destination. during that time I was in
primary school Nnamdi Azikiwe was running for presidency with Obafemi Awolowo.
When Azikiwe came to Iselukwu, delta with his people all the schools in
Iselukwu lined up to welcome him, then he promised to give free education and
he did, there was free education, we did not pay any thing in primary and
secondary levels, they fulfilled all the promises they made as president, but
now it’s not like that.”
Mrs. Ima George, 76 years old, spoke about trust
that people had in their neighbours knowing that their things would not be
stolen if the went out, despite the fact that they had no cars.
“ When you talk about buying things from the market
I think then things were cheaper than how it is now because when one takes one
shilling to the markets you can use it to buy things to cook soup, If someone
had one pound at that time you can use it to buy a lot because 10 shillings it
was one pound and 12 pence one shilling,
so it buys a lot. Then was cheaper, things was cheaper.
“What I can remember when I was younger was that in
the house even when I’m going out to the farm we don’t have doors we use palm
leaf to close the doors leaning it’s on the door frame and then we use stick to
wedge it and it was not done because of somebody, we did that goats will not
get into the house, there was not much fear that thieves would come in to steal
so that time when it comes to security I can say it was better because we were
a bit free. But now we have burglary in
our houses And still live in fear,"she said.
Speaking on education, she said, “In my time I met
elementary school because standard was changed to elementary but then there was
good discipline, these students cannot stand in front of a teacher and talk
anyhow, it was not like today that students can talk anyhow two teachers at
that time schools from elementary to university will vacate at the same time,
but now especially private school they just vacate anytime they want but today
students have more privileges because of technology
“There was respect in my time, and there was good
discipline, maybe one may prefer today because of being exposed to different
modern technology, but when it comes to discipline I prefer my era”
Mrs kudirat Babatunde, 72 years old, pities the next
generation as she said they might be born into a Nigeria with a dead economy
with how the country currently is.
"During our time we had a lot of opportunities
not like this 21st-century I always say that what time was easy because the
comments that we’re not Callous as they are now even though there was still
corruption in the system we had chances
and there was hope to have a greater future . I pity children of the next
generation because they are going to be born into Nigeria’s dead economy.
" Back then, sometimes we had free food from
politicians, free education also and there was hope.We had hope to have a
better Nigeria and there was nothing like tribal fight nothing like religious
people fighting or opposing religion there was nothing like the unknown gun men
we all live in peace and harmony without ethnic discrimination.
*Also during our days we knew everything was very
easy, even the poorest among us could afford two square meal unlike now the
poor remain poor while the rich become richer and those doing business, don’t
have anything to show for it because the
heavy tax imposed by the government alone is draining everyone doing a business
now is just as a means to survive.
"These
days the dollar rate is high before you
import goods into the country you have to pay some Tariffs once you start a business in the country you
pay every given tax and that is giving us giving us hard time in the country
shipping .the next generation and I pray no evil shall befall anything before
that time would pay dearly for it and I pray we don’t go experience slavery
again from the Asian community because the president relies on them they borrow
money from them."
Additional
reports from Peter Sonibare, Kafayat Olalekan, Precious Yusuf and Adeola
Akinola
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