Is change possible?
Development and Nigeria's elections
I was in Lagos in February for 10 days and there was a lot of discussion about the upcoming elections. At the hair salon I went to, the hairstylists said they didn’t bother registering to vote because they felt it was a waste of time voting when it was already sure who would win.
Although I couldn’t vote as a Nigerian living in the diaspora, I was hoping Peter Obi would win the presidential election because I felt that he could bring some of the change that Nigeria needs. Peter Obi’s Ibo and I would often hear comments that Ibo people weren’t “good” which I found problematic. Getting into discussions about this would lead to fierce debates that I didn’t want to get into.
I woke up this morning to see that the APC candidate - Bola Ahmed Tinubu had won the presidential elections and I can only hope that he delivers the positive change that Nigeria needs at this time.
What’s new on the podcast …
I often wonder what keeps us going when working to change attitudes to a societal issue. One of my colleagues at the global development research centre I work researches how to improve the perception of teenage pregnant girls and young mothers in Nigeria because they’re often stigmatised. It can seem like this perception can’t be changed so I asked Ayomide Oluseye what keeps her motivated to keep doing this work. She also shares some tips on how to build a career in global development research. (Listening time, 17:49).
What I’ve been reading…
Paper Doll Lina - a novel by Robyn Lucas. It’s a story about a woman whose marriage seems perfect on the outside but is actually suffering from domestic abuse.
What I’ve been listening to…
Other People’s Pockets. It’s a podcast about how much people make, how they make their money and how they are able to afford their lifestyles. They recently made an episode with a financial dominatrix and it was interesting to see how she made her money.
What I’ve enjoyed watching recently…
The TV show - Riches. I loved it so much that it inspired an episode of my podcast where my husband and I spoke on what we can learn about parenting and money lessons from Riches. (Listening time, 06:43)
Have you watched, listened to or read anything interesting in the last week? Please, let me know in the comments.
Love,
Motunrayo
On Nigeria, I genuinely want to believe that a positive change is underway but it's difficult. In between the winner thinking it's his right to rule the country and the rowdiness of the elections, I can barely muster any hope. Anyway, we gather dey.
I feel the same about how Tinubu thinks it’s his turn to lead Nigeria. Where in Nigeria do you live btw?