10:24 am. I just dropped by to get started. I will add to this article as the day unfolds.
In my view, Nigeria thrives on socio-economic disparities and oppression. We are intrinsically a classist society. As much as possible, the distinction between the poor and the rich is deliberately highlighted by everything around us: living environment and expenses, food, clothing, extracurricular activities, vehicle and gadget ownership (as well as the type), association, salary, and language, to name a few.
In Lagos, for example, we associate the environs of “the Island” with high class. The ownership of an iPhone elevates one to a higher status. If you take drinks like ‘Fearless’ or buy food from the roadside, you are looked down upon. To wear popular clothes means you are cheap.
1:49 pm. My Child Development class ended some minutes ago, and it seems like the content of the class in relation to my topic for today is linked by destiny. We looked at the Nigerian policy on child development. One thing that my lecturer, Professor Oguntuase, hammered on was class disparities. I’ll be back here to talk about this soon. I am currently working on my thesis at the library.
The literal next day, 6:13 pm. I couldn’t come back here yesterday ?. TBH, what happened was that I became overwhelmed with life, put my phone on “me mode”, watched some shows for three hours till I started dosing, and slept thereafter. I feel so much better now.
In yesterday’s class, I learned that Nigeria has a child development policy. The National Policy for Integrated Early Childhood Development in Nigeria was created in 2003 and has not been updated since. There are different sections in the pamphlet (attached here), but 2.0. Justification stands out. The number one justification for the policy is:
Class struggle (high crave for wealth leading to corruption and decadent moral values)
– IECD (2003; 4)
19 years, class struggle still remains a prominent problem in Nigerian society. The well intended consequence for this is that the deprived remains so and the blessed, lucky, or grub – whatever you want to all if also main their status.