Steemit Engagement Challenge (SEC) | S12W6- "My Country; My Home."

Good day everyone, a heart salutations to you from motherland Nigeria. Welcome to my blog as well as the season 12, week 6 of the Steemit Engagement Challenge. This week's topic centers on our home country. Nigeria is a blessed country and I must say, it has been a home for all, the home of my birth, so please allow me to share with you all home and abroad the little I know about my country.

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Nigeria is my motherland and I am proud to be a Nigerian. Nigeria otherwise known as the Giant Of Africa is located in the Western region of Africa. A multi ethnic country that has over 250 ethnic groups with leading ethnic group; Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo.

The history of Nigeria could be traced far back as 1861 when the British Government took control of Nigeria and made it a British Colony in 1914. In 1960, Nigeria gained her independence and became a republic in 1963. From 1966-1979, several coup emerged and the military government forced themselves on the country, they went on to rule again from 1983 to 1999. After this, the first civilian government came to power and Nigeria became a democratic independent country till date.

Area - 356,669sqm

Population (2023 Census) - 222,486,000

Capital City - Abuja

Number Of States - 36 States plus the Federal Capital Territory

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Nigeria is a very unique country with unique people. So, permit me to share with you all what makes Nigeria stands out among other African Countries.

• Multi-Ethnicity: Nigeria is a multi ethnic country with over 250 ethnic groups. Nigeria has boast over 1000 languages, more than anyother country in the west Africa. The adaptiveness is topnotch, religious tolerance in Nigeria needs to be studied. Where we have the Muslims marrying the Christians and the Christians marrying the Muslims and staying happy despite the religious indifference.

• High Population: Nigeria is known to have over 200 million people living in it. The country is known to be the giant of Africa because of this vast population. The amazing thing about this number is that, even with this, they still adapt perfectly with eachother. More of a reason I love Nigeria.

• Entertainment: Other than being termed the giant of Africa because of Population, we are also the giant of Africa because we have the biggest entertainment industry in Africa, currently, we are the third best entertainment industry worldwide. Irrespective of what is going on here, the entertainment industry keeps making us proud and happy. This is just too amazing for a country going through one crise or the other.

Honestly, with the way Nigeria is, the high rise in prices of things and overall hike in standard of living, I will grab any opportunity to relocate to any European country in search of greener pastures. Those staying here can attest to this point that an average Nigerian survives a day with less than $10. This alone is reason enough to leave Nigeria for the mean time for greener pastures abroad.

Secondly, the current security situation of Nigeria is not encouraging at all, people are being kidnapped everyday, the security agencies don't even want to see a well dressed young man without accusing them of being into fraudulent activities. I can't even talk of the Book Haram sect destroying the northern part of Nigeria, the Unknown Gun Men (UGN) killing incessantly in the east. This has given the country an unrest and it seems nothing much is being done about it.

Also, the basic amenities we are even supposed to be enjoying, we are not, rather, our government are selling the power supplies in Nigeria to other countries and we can't even enjoy electric power supply for atleast 5 hours a day. This is really heart aching, the roads are all dilapidated, no good constructed road for inter state movement, I don't even want to talk about our healthcare facilities, that one, if you don't have money to fly abroad like the politicians when you are seriously sick and might probably need a transplant, then dying is your next option.

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Honestly speaking, Nigeria has a very long way to go if we must be honest. But permit me to point out few of these areas that has tight people down for a long period of time.

• Prices Of Commodities: The overall price of things are now on high scale, the government should atleast work more on subsidizing prices of things for the masses, atleast, let the minimum wage be enough to take a civil servant throughout the month till when the next payment is due.

• Security: Politics are being played in security as a result of this, lives, I mean countless lives has been lost. The government should take the matter of security as serious as it is, the sect causing troubles and unrest in Nigeria should be declared terrorist groups and anyone apprehended at the course of this, should be treated as a terrorist, with this we will achieve a better Nigeria.

• Basic Amenities: The basic amenities; good roads, electricity, good school, good water supplies, good health care centers should be provided to the masses because it is their right. If these things are provided to the masses and are sustained, then we will have less to worry about and the issue of travelling out of the country in search of greener pastures will be a thing of the past.

Nigerians are happy people, accommodating and loving, we love the country we were being born into, but we don trust those taking care of us. The government should do all it takes to make Nigeria a safe place for all.

I want to invite @emily08, @wirngo, @saxopedia, @saintkelvin17 and @bossj23 to participate in this contest if they are yet to.