According to reports, Nigeria has about 13 million children who are not in school. It’s one thing to know the statistics and figures, and another to meet the needs of the people that actually make up these figures.
Earlier today, I went to the market to purchase some pepper. After buying, I decided that I’d blend the pepper at the market, too. When i got to the stall where i was gonna blend, I met a girl who I’m pretty sure wouldn’t be more than 14 or 15 years. And in a bid to figure out what I wanted, she said, “Sho ma kun??” Which means “would it be filled to the brim?” And because I was a bit unfamiliar with the market environment, I did not understand the crux of what she was talking about, leading to an immediate language barrier.
She implored one of her friends to speak to me in English, hoping I would understand her better— that one shrugged it off. So, in order to free her from her dilemma, I told her in Yoruba to do whatever she likes, that I would be fine with it.
The disadvantage of this girl not being able to read and write has put her way behind her peers. And until Nigeria realizes that this uneven distribution of opportunities is terrible for our safety, this country will just be filled with chaos .
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