Climate change: Are our rural areas under an impenetrable covering?

A climate story!

I remember a certain Christmas.

We had traveled to the village for Christmas celebrations; it was always fun spending time in the village.

The food, drinking palm wine, reunion, watching masquerades at Ojide square, going to pick udara (African star apple), chasing after grasshoppers, watching in excitement as kids speak our dialect, visiting grandma and cousins, and most importantly innocently expecting Christmas money (gbarum Christmas) are the many memories of Christmas.

That very Christmas, it rained on Christmas morning, though for a short time. As a Christian kid, I soberly thought the Lord has come to take us on Christmas day, that our world has finally come to an end.

There were also thoughts of, ah! It could be an evil sign, something bad happened, or that God wants to specially bless this Christmas.

Today, I wonder if other kids had thoughts about that Christmas rain, I’m sure some did.

We have been taught that Christmas is the Uguru period (harmattan period), and also the dry season, so no way should there be rain.

Today, I reflect and observe the many silent changes happening in our society, and how our thought pattern has remained stuck to our ideals in religion and culture.

Sometimes, I wonder if climate change only happens in the Western world. If our society especially our rural communities are under a certain kind of umbrella or covering that shields us from the much talked about climate change.

Climate change is real, and everyday it happens. The most painful is to learn that we are the ones trying to drive ourselves along with innocent plants and animals into extinction.

The dangers we cause them to face, and our nonchalant attention is disheartening.

This January and also December last year, a beautiful girl (African star apple) failed to shine. Last year, it was mango (an adorable baby boy), and the way we give conclusions over these issues baffles me today. We do not consider these issues worth paying attention to.

Climate change education is at its lowest in Nigeria, yet climate change cares not if we respect it or not, if we know it exists or not. Every day it keeps occurring at the detriment of our ignorance and long-term survival.