Life of a Nigerian

...So, I opened my eyes to behold the bright fluorescent light in my room glittering directly above me. I hated sleeping with the lights on and though I had slept off, the light had a way of waking me. Yes, the light! The one our confused PHCN had decided to allow when I had already given up my wait. What nonsense!

I had kept myself awake, a forced vigil all in the hope for electricity which I had actually paid for some day back. I had stayed awake till 2am when I finally dozed only to be awoken by 4am by the light. I wanted to curse PHCN with all my might, but, instead, I put the light to use.

Immediately, I jumped up from my bed, plugged all my gadgets and my pc, and all my electrical appliances, put my almost spoilt leftover food into the microwave to heat up a little as my gas and kerosene had both finished and I had no money to purchase another one. I was happy that at least, I could get the privilege of using the electricity I had paid for, because in my part of the world, Oshodi, Lagos, Nigeria, it really is a privilege to use the electricity one pays for. I ran to bring out the clothes I would wear for the next week so that I could iron them. Immediately I plugged the iron and made sure it was hot enough, it happened!

The light went off. In some places, one would check if the bulb got burnt or something related to the electrical connection, but, in my case, I knew that wasn’t even a possibility as it was a usual occurrence. PHCN had taken the light! At that moment, all the curses I had harboured in my heart burst out of my mouth. I cursed and cursed and finally went to take my food which as it were was the only benefit I got from the useless five minute electricity supply as it was hot and good enough for consumption. After eating, I went back to my bed to continue killing mosquitoes which was what I was doing before I slept off the last time.