Sometimes I wonder why some things require paying for them when actually, they should be free. One of those things is water. We all know water is a necessity and we need it for a lot of things; ranging from drinking, cooking meals, washing plates, clothes, cars, etc. We cannot do without water. Now, we pay for clean water and that is the reality. I try to think about those taking money from others in exchange for water when it should be free, but after weighing some reasons here and there, I don't have to blame anyone because they also want to make living easier for themselves, especially in a country where things have been messed up. Lack of electricity has become the normal routine in my country and people would definitely need fuel to power their generators to pump water for use, and when other people come by to fetch water, they are demanded a small amount of money which they keep paying daily to keep using water. These sellers too need money to buy fuel whose price has now gone up now.
Just a few days ago, I wanted to board a bike from my place of work and it took me time to finalise my payment with the bike man as he kept giving the excuse of fuel prices that have gone up. This is the reality today and some filling stations are refusing to sell fuel for customers again, soon, everywhere will be crowded with people and their kegs looking for fuel — fuel scarcity!
The last time I ever bought water was when I was very young. We lived in the city of Lagos and even though things were still normal, good electricity, and foodstuffs cheaper, we still had to pay to buy water and it went on till I grew up. Every weekend, Mom would dip her hands into her purse while handing us a little amount of money to get water filled into all the rubbers in the house which would last us for a week and some days before getting another one. The only time we never paid for water and would always pray for more was when rain fell. At this time, we would pack all buckets and rubbers outside to collect rainwater which is always sweeter and clean because it comes directly from heaven as we believed it then.
...And those years have gone making me remember memories again after my encounter and experience recently. I was surprised for the first time in many years when I heard that they pay to get water in the town where I am currently serving my fatherland. I smiled because it brought back memories and how it was then. At that time, everything was so cheap, unlike today where we don't even understand how the world is going again. The couples told me of how they pay #5000, that should be less than $4 monthly to get water from a van that brings water for them which they pump into their big bowls and buckets making them stay on management till the next month because once it gets finished before the end of the month, they would have to suffer for it by searching around for water.
When I was staying with them, I understood the struggle and would be mindful of how I used the water to bathe or even poo. It was so funny to me but I have come to accept the reality that is here. One day, the wife told me that two things are the major problems in this town which are; lack of water and electricity — imagine the two important necessities in human lives are what we are being deprived of. Since the beginning of the year, I only saw light twice and I don't know when I would get to see it again, perhaps when I leave in October. Lol
I thought I wouldn't have to face such too until last week when I was out of water and kept managing the little one in my rubber. I couldn't take a shower at night because I was on management. To even poo was difficult as I would hold myself in till I get to workplace so I could use the toilet instead of using mine. I had to pend cooking food that requires much water to use.
It is one thing to get water, another to fetch into my apartment which I couldn't do because it would be stressful for me to carry water on my head from downstairs to my place upstairs. I needed someone to do that while I pay for the service because I have decided never to go back to such a life where I would have to start looking for water when there are people to render such a service, only for me to get them paid and that is it. I looked for someone for 3 days until I got one on Tuesday. You need to come and see how my mood lit up for joy when all my buckets and rubbers were filled with water. I jumped up for joy and began making meals I couldn't make just because of no water.
There are two taps in my apartment; one in the kitchen and the other in the bathroom where the pastor in my building would pump water for us to fill with his generator, but we are in the dry season and water is hard to find except for those in the business of selling it. For more than 10 days now, the pastor couldn't pump water because there was none in the well that could be pumped. Right now, we have to keep hoping there is water in the well so that we can have some pumped while we enjoy filling in all our buckets, but until then, I think paying for water would be something I would be doing for the meantime for my daily use.
Both images belongs to me