With the hindsight
of the issues discussed in “The Aftermath (Collection of short stories)” book
authored by Adjekpagbon Blessed Mudiaga, this concise article written by Munirah Umar
Sadiq, beams on the challenges posed to society by those defecating in open
public places, especially in Africa
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Whether we are aware of it or not, open
defecation is a major public health concern that has become one of those topics
that people either ignore or make fun of. More than 46 million Nigerians
continue to defecate in the open, according to UNICEF. That's nearly a whole
nation's population. These are more than simply numbers, though. Families,
kids, and the elderly are actual individuals who are compelled to live without
the comforts of a toilet. Nothing can prepare you for the fact that someone
will actually defecate in public, not out of disrespect but just because they
have nowhere else to go. Reading about poverty and underdevelopment is one
thing, but seeing how they deprive people of their most basic necessities is
quite another.
There are just no functional restrooms in
many parts of Nigeria, particularly in rural areas and urban slums. Some houses
don't even have a toilet, especially those in crowded neighborhoods. When there
are toilets, they are frequently in terrible shape broken, foul smelling, and
useless. When the only public restroom nearby has no doors, is crawling with
flies, and smells so terrible it makes you want to gag, can we really blame a
woman for going into the bush? Usually, people don't choose to defecate in
public. It's a desperate move. That does not, however, imply that we should
ignore it. We must cease making it the norm. We must cease making it a
standard. Because what begins as a "harmless" act has larger
repercussions, including outbreaks of diseases, water contamination, environmental
damage, and the loss of dignity.
The consequences for health are
concerning. Human garbage doesn't simply vanish. Many people still rely on
streams and rivers for cooking and drinking, and when it rains, that garbage is
swept into them. This results in watery illnesses like cholera, dysentery, and
typhoid, which continue to kill people, particularly young children.
Furthermore, it goes beyond health. There is also a significant effect on
education. The lack of sanitary, private restrooms forces many public schoolchildren,
especially females, to skip class or quit completely, especially in remote
areas. Imagine having to hold your bladder all day while attempting to focus in
class. It's unfair in addition to being painful. This brings to mind an anthology
of short stories titled “The Aftermath (Collection of short stories) by Adjekpagbon
Blessed Mudiaga. The causes and results of public defecation are well explained
in the book. A secondary school student and his family members who are fond of
defecating in an open public gutter pays dearly for the condemnable act. It is
a book every person should read to fully assimilate the benefits of keeping our
environment clean, and those promoting environmental hygiene in the society
should be rewarded.
Through initiatives like the "Clean Nigeria:
Use the Toilet" campaign, the Nigerian government has attempted to address
the problem. Although that's a positive start, we all know that slogans won't
address the issue on their own. Infrastructure for sanitation needs to be
invested in more deeply and consistently, particularly in underprivileged
regions. Maintaining restrooms is equally as important as building them. It has
to do with awareness and education. To change attitudes, NGOs, local
governments, and community leaders must collaborate. Not to mention the
significance of accountability: initiatives must be finished, money must be
spent openly, and community members must immediately experience the effects.
We too have a part to play as college
students. We're not too young, too preoccupied, or too far away from the issue.
A few of us had personal experience with it. We can increase awareness by using
our platforms, voices, and skills. We can contribute to changing the narrative
through volunteer outreach, social campaigns, college media, and articles.
Because this isn't just about toilets in the end. Respect is at issue. It has
to do with health. The goal is to establish a Nigeria where everyone has the
right to hygienic, safe, and respectable sanitation, irrespective of where they
reside or their income. We often say that godliness comes after cleanliness.
Perhaps we should start living it instead of just reciting it.
END
Munirah Umar Sadiq,
Communication and Multimedia Design (CMD)
Department,
American University of Nigeria,
Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria.
