Steem Engagement Challenge - S7W4 | The Era I Would Love to Travel with the Time Machine
Introduction |
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Reminiscing on the past years comes with a lot of memories (the ones we witnessed and others we didn't), some we wish we could have been part of, some we wish never happened, and others we feel should remain till today. There are a lot of things to talk about the past and I will be writing a bit about one in this great contest.
The Era |
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If I have the opportunity to visit the past years utilizing the time machine then it would be in an era we can call the good old days in my country, Nigeria. I have not come into existence in that era but we heard a lot about how it was, how life was very easy for the citizens, and a time when everyone was enjoying and proud to be a citizen of a great nation.
Let's go back to the era when 1 USD equals 0.55 NGN and this is precisely the year 1980. This is an era barely after the country's independence in 1960 and early before that time was a discovery, hmmm. In 1956, that was the first time it was reported that Nigeria discovered crude oil and that seems to be the turning point for the nation's economy when the main foreign exchange of Nigeria was this product and that gave value to our currency which makes it one of the strongest currency across the world back then.
Nigeria Flag | Source: Wikimedia Commons
It could have been an era of greatness that last till eternity but I think a lot went wrong. Through this era, from independence year to the '90s, the country enjoyed the comfort. It was recorded that after university education, a lot of companies would troop in to employ graduates with an abundance of different jobs that compete to get these new graduates into their companies, even with car gifts and other juicy benefits at the acceptance of the job, there is nothing like such any longer.
I never had the opportunity to witness these years but our elders tell us a lot about the era and almost every youth in the country at the moment wishes they can go back in time and witness these years. It's hard to believe that a currency that was once 0.55 NGN per dollar is now officially 460 NGN per USD (and 750 NGN in the black market). How time flies! It's enough reason to visit this era again maybe we can make a change.
Who I would Like to have on the Trip and Why? |
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If I would travel with a time machine to visit this era with anyone then it would be with the entire citizens of Nigeria. Why? These people deserve to go back to that era and enjoy the comforts of those days because the hardship in the nation at the moment is on another level, things are extremely hard due to poor economy, unemployment, insecurity, and so on.
Nigeria Pupils sitting on the Floor in a Classroom with no Seats | Source: Flickr
That said, it would be an avenue to change a few things about the management, some mistakes were made by the leaders back in those days and this cost the entire nation a lot which we are been struggling to put together, unfortunately, to no avail yet and it might just take more decades to get back on our stand. It would be worth traveling back in time with the entire nation.
What I would Bring |
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If I have the chance to visit this era with a time machine and I can bring back one thing, then it would be 0.55 NGN per USD, this would be enough to restore comfort to the nation. To do this, there are a few things that are needed to be put in place to ensure the currency maintains its stability, and some of those are:
Electing truthful leaders who are not greedy. This has cost the nation a lot.
Not entirely focused on crude oil, we have good agricultural lands but on the discovery of crude oil products, the government started paying lesser attention to agriculture. Now, the crude oil is fading and we are planning to trace our steps back.
Old 1 NGN Coins | Source: Flickr
Birth control rules. Even if most citizens don't want to hear this, overpopulation is one of the major problems faced in Nigeria. Data from the internet shows that Nigerian Universities alone produce around 500,000 graduates yearly, how do we create enough jobs for these ones? And what about the numbers of children out of school, that's even pathetic.
Refining the educational system to produce graduates that in the future improve the production power of the nation in different sectors.
These are some of the ways to give power to our currency again and make it one of the strongest across the world which would in turn stabilize the country's economy.
Conclusion |
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In conclusion, if I would ever visit an era with a time machine then it would be 1980 when Nigeria's currency was one of the strongest in the world, throughout the years that fall within that era it was established that they were the best in the history of the nation.
Some of us were not around during those years but we do feel some things were done to keep the power back then. It's a pleasure taking part in this and I hereby invite @josepha, @simonnwigwe, and @dexsyluz to participate in the contest.
This is the essence of the prayers of every true Nigerian. We want to enjoy a better life, sir. I could remember how my dad used to tell me and my brothers and sisters how life was so sweet then. Till date, the pressing iron that my dad bought with 80 naira is still working perfectly, and if you're to get such a type of electric iron (Philip) today, it will cost you not less than 7,000 naira.
Truly, in those days, things were far better compared to nowadays. Then, in my early stage of life, I used to go to school and church with 5 Naira, and at one point, 10 Kobo, of which today you cannot even use 100 Naira to buy something reasonable. If it's possible for us to go back to those days, let us go back because that is where true happiness lies. We need our money to get values. Oh, I am crying 😭😭😭😭 and feeling for a lot of Nigerians because I know millions of Nigerians are facing serious hardship.
People hardly feed themselves these days. Do you know that in some cities, 3,000 Naira can't prepare a pot of soup for you? Whom have we offended, and where are we going to, oh no, God, come and save us from bad governance?
You have written well, and I wish you the best of luck.
We all have similar stories in our homes, there is a pressing iron inside the house now, I don't think Dada even spent up to 80 Naira back then and this iron is still working properly. See, even though we do not witness those good old days yet we see things around us that often tell the story.
It's quite valid that 3,000 NGN can't prepare a pot of soup in most places now. I was at a frozen foods shop yesterday and this tiny turkey's wing was sold at 1,620 NGN for a family, it was cut down into very smaller parts, and I'm not sure that thing is going to last a meal for the family, it's definitely not going to (And the minimum wage is 30,000 NGN). It's crazy.
And now, petrol is very scarce and the same thing applies to public transport, the fare is double. And to buy a car of your own is a bigger problem, cars have now doubled the price they were sold last year. Those who managed to get one before now are lucky. It's all tiring.
We can only hope for the best and make the changes we can in our own corners as citizens toward refining the nation. Thanks for your time, @josepha. God bless Nigeria 🙏.
You can imagine the type of country we are. I pray God Almighty help us. A flight ticket was once 18,000Naira but now it's about 80,000Naira inter state flights.
You can imagine. And traveling by road is dangerous considering the rise in bandit activities across the country, what about the stress of traveling several kilometers on a bad road? It's just crazy most times when I think about the whole thing.
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@fredquantm, your post about the good old days in Nigeria is truly captivating and thought-provoking. I appreciate the effort you put in to describe what you believe to be one of the most significant eras in Nigeria's history. It is interesting to see how much the nation has changed from that time to the present day.
The idea of traveling back in time with the entire nation is an excellent one. It is a way of showing the citizens what the country once was and what it could be again. The problem of unemployment, insecurity, and poor economy faced by the nation today can be attributed to several factors, and I agree that the leadership of the country plays a significant role. Electing truthful leaders who are not greedy would go a long way in restoring comfort to the nation.
I also agree with your thoughts on the importance of the birth control rule, which is one of the major problems faced in Nigeria today. With a population of over 200 million people, it is imperative that the government takes control of the situation to ensure that the country's resources are not stretched too thin. On the same note, refining the educational system to produce graduates that can contribute to the development of the nation in different sectors is equally important.
Overall, your post is an excellent reflection on what the country once was and what it could be again. I hope that the government and citizens can take the lessons from the past and use them to create a better future for the nation. Thank you for the insightful post, @fredquantm!
Regards, @fabiha
I must commend you for actually reading through this piece. There is a lot to change from the past era if we have the opportunity to go back as a nation. Thank you, @fabiha.
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First of all, after reading your post, I feel that you want to solve all the problems of your country through time machine travels and witness that time in your post.
Then you want to bring a coin of your country with you so that you can present this coin to everyone as a witness on earth.
It was very nice to read your post, I got to know a lot about you, thank you very much for presenting such a beautiful post to us.
One of the ways to enjoy life is ensuring life is easier for people around you, with that everyone becomes happy while you have lesser burden on you. It would be great to have the entire nation taken back to that era. Thanks for your time, @rubina203.
Going back with the entire Nigerian citizen is indeed a wise decision because they will have the opportunity to enjoy the country even for the very first time. I wish you success in this contest boss.
That's one of the best ways to refine the nation. Thanks for your time on this, @simonnwigwe.
My brother, it is just a sorry situation that we found ourselves now. We would be very glad to remain in such era. This present era isn't palatable anymore. I hope this forthcoming election would help resolve most of the ill givings ...
Thank you for sharing...
The era we are living in has destroyed a lot of things. The situation was so bad that a lot of people have been forced to do things they don't really wanna get involved in, that's why we have rampant killings, rituals, and all sorts of immoralities around us. We hope the good old days revisit and we pray for the wisdom to take a good hold of it. Thanks for stopping by, sir @xkool24.
What about the mass exodus of the citizen? It has been a depressive moment for many. It's well, Sir.
Best of luck, boss.
This is very valid. Many are concerned about what the future holds if they continue staying here and resolved to travel abroad to secure a better future.
I have countless friends on this list who can't bear it again and had to leave. May God help us.
I must commend that this is an educative and interesting article you shared with us. I agree with you friend, those times you mentioned are what we call "the good old days."
I still can't believe that once upon a time, the price of Naira to Dollar was 0.55 NGN to 1 USD. This is proof that our leaders have gone really wrong over the years, and needs to look back at what went wrong and how to fix it.
After taking us to that era, I think I might just remain there and be comfortable rather than coming back to this falling country. You have done justice to this task boss, and I wish you goodluck in this contest.