What is better
than the good life? Why do parents ask their children and wards to study hard,
get good grades, and good jobs? Why do businessmen ‘hustle’ hard? Why was the
United Nations formed? Why did Karrueche ‘Caro Uche’ Tran break up with Chris
Brown? Well, argue with your data plan, but everything revolves around the good
life. Even the growth of economies, and the running of governments, and the
activities of the United Nations and the thousands of non-profits. And then the
big matter of elections…
Depending on how
you see it, the Independent National Electoral Commission, Nigeria’s federal
firm charged with the conduct and regulations of elections, sought a good life
for the polity, and that was why she deemed it fit to shift #NigeriaDecides
from #feBuhari to #March4Nigeria. Trust me, it doesn’t matter which politician’s
plans have been scrambled or enhanced with this change, the end game is that
#WeTriumphStill, from this grueling ordeal as a nation.
However, I am
told that since the election campaigns of 1954, the promises have been the
provision of basic amenities like water, power, roads, hospitals, etc. Fast
forward 61 years after, and the promises are the same. Worse, is the state of
the power sector in the country, which has cranked up the cost of doing
business; created a generator imports cabal; and a government which is yet to
fathom how to upgrade the transmission infrastructure seamlessly. But can I
blame them? The issues dates back to the era of the famed National Electric
Power Authority, NEPA.
#Nigeria
since 1986. 28 years on... "@Yewanz: The promises
done tey sef...no be 2day :( pic.twitter.com/XUVV6xXdXk"
—
KoloKK | #SocialGood (@KoloKennethK) March
12, 2014
Young Nigerians
are looking for jobs, careers, human security, justice in their lives, peace,
and the good life…I am one of them. But we are tired of waiting for the
opportunities, we are tired of waiting for power, and good roads, and better
wages and salaries, hospitals, even light. This was what Deji Arosho a movie director
and producer captured ahead of the 2015 elections, in the musical movie, “The
Good Life”. In 30 minutes, featuring such star artistes like DJ Switch (Glo X
Factor Winner 2013), Six Foot Plus (Jos bred popular artiste) Shaffy
Bello-Akinrimisi (Award Winning Nollywood Actress) amongst other cast, Deji weaves
the story of renewable solutions with elections, and seeks a common ground
where everything might just lead to the good life, when politicians adopt
issue-based campaigning, and talk about power.
The movie,
sponsored by the Heinrich Boell Stiftung Nigeria, buttresses the #PowerIsPower
campaign by the same foundation, which has been drumming up civil society, to advocate
for the inclusion of renewable energy as a power solution in the campaign
manifesto of politicians at local, state and national levels. While Nigeria
needs about 200,000 MW of power to feed her hungry population's demands, current output
is pegged at 4,400 MW. This means that most of 170 million people are either
spending a lot on hydro carbon powered generators or utilise kerosene powered
lanterns, which remains hazardous to health.
Operating in Nigeria
from Lagos since 1994, and then from Abuja in 2009, Heinrich Boell Stiftung Nigeria
runs programs on sustainability, women’s rights and good governance. She supports
activities that aim to identify greener development options, which would
include growth models that promote responsible use of natural resources in
times of increasing climate stress; but overall are gender sensitive and
socially inclusive.
