I have always wondered where is the best place to live. I wasn’t quite sure of this until I viewed clearly what every other person in a big city witnessed.
I considered between a big and a small city. Juxtaposing both cities in a thorough overview, playing the part of a spectator to better paint life in the big city with words.
Take Abuja for an example. Abuja, just as Lagos, shares some peculiarities.
Unlike the kangaroo style of hopping on and off buses in Lagos, the Abuja struggle is different.
However, all big cities are the same, Here are some similarities you are likely to find.
THE STRUGGLES of LIVING IN THE BIG CITY
THE PASSENGERS:
Passengers in big cities have special unique signals they use to represent where they were headed, I’ve been told a joke about an immigrant to the city who said the inhabitants of Abuja were very friendly.
They always seem to be waving anytime he drives to work. (That’s funny) Why? Because a wave of a hand to anyone driving in Abuja indicates that “I am going to town”.
You can blame that on the town’s use of private cars as cabs by residents who go to work in the morning and pick up passengers for extra cash.
A raise of a finger, like, when you attempt to answer questions in class symbolises that that person is headed to ‘AREA 1’ (Another place in town), if a driver is pointing downwards it means he is stopping his ride at the end of the road.
I don’t know for certain about Lagos but, I am willing to place a bet that they struggle for vehicles. ( like run after and struggle for who gets in first). The funny thing is the struggle is seen as healthy competition and those who lose out on the first round wait for the next vehicle to struggle again.
I don’t know why I see this as rude, I can hear the laughter of fellow Nigerians as they read this and presumably say something like “Dey there na”.
I feel the struggle is unnecessary, but since society has given it a thumbs-up as an internship for the struggles ahead as a Nigerian, I guess the best is to get used to it.
ABUSIVE CONDUCTORS:
Since it’s not a job wanted amongst the educated, some of the conductors have no basic education, and most of them are very abusive.
You can tell by their harsh remarks, impolite mannerisms, and loud incessant chatters. I heard in driving school you are trained to assume every other road user is a mad person, Nigerians almost give this maxim a life-like representation.
THE TRAFFIC JAMS:
Another obvious problem of big cities is the ever-increasing population, you see all sorts of workers in large buses going to work every morning and returning in the evening.
This, of course, is normal, but the traffic that comes with this normal occurrence is abnormal. We are all tired of it.
HEIGHTENED COMPETION:
The competition is real as everyone tries to be better equipped than the next person which in turn makes the big city dwellers selfish because nobody really cares about the next person. (It’s a dog eat dog world)
THE FINANCIAL DIVIDE:
Furthermore, the financial divide in big cities is constantly highlighted. It’s either you have it or you do not.
Average people don’t really count in big cities, the upside about this is, those big cities are playgrounds for the ambitious.
Anybody can be a king if you work hard enough. ( except you have a trust fund somewhere)
THE HIGH EXPECTATIONS:
Despite all this stress, you also have to deal with the huge expectations that come with staying in a big city. When you say I stay in Abuja, Lagos, or Port-Harcourt, there’s always a certain look or comment of ” Big boy”, “You dey flex na” from listeners.
People always feel that individuals in big cities are always doing well. ( Don’t make people push you to fake life).
REASONS WHY PEOPLE LOVE BIG CITIES
In my assessment of big cities, I have been a tad selfish. I have only blurted out the complexities. There are also good sides to a big city.
- OPPORTUNITIES/LIFESTYLE:
Due to the lavish infrastructure and development, there is a boom in business. Let me also state that asides from the aim of entertainment, or that customer policy crap that says businesses also serve.
The population in big cities makes it a very ripe market. That’s why they have more Fast food restaurants, Nightclubs, Hotels, Attraction centres, Headquarters, Cinemas, etc. So yeah! In a big city, I have options.
I will advise you not to get too carried along with these pleasure places, fun is good, but success is paramount in a big city. It’s just like a drug, you ask a Lagosian will you ever leave Lagos? The answer in most cases is no.
If you ask someone based in Abuja ( Abujain, that’s my attempt to name Abuja residents) he/she doesn’t want to leave also.
Ever wondered why? Simple, they have adjusted so vastly to the life there, having gotten used to the ups and downs of the city, everything has become a routine. ( let’s just admit that they like the challenges they face).
what about small cities?
Still, wondering the best place to live? The irony in all this is that life in small cities is simpler and much more friendly.
Less population, less struggling for vehicles, the recreational facilities are not always filled up, the standard of living is also affordable.
It’s a paradise. “big cities as fun as they are, can be too much drama.” The best place to live for you might depend on your personality, lifestyle, and of course, what you consider to be an advantage.
What do you think?
This is enlightening.
Thank you.
I learnt something. I really didn’t know pointing downward by drivers means …end of the road
Glad I could help.