For me, I think it’s safe to say that I’ve lived in the rural areas, the urban ones, and also the in-between. Throughout my life, I’ve bounced around several localities for one reason or the other. At first, it was due to relocation and whatnot, and then it was because of school. Later, other life doings forced me to move to places I had no plan to stay in before.
But then, every place I’ve ever lived in came with their own troubles. They came with their blessings and their lessons. I learned everything I needed to learn and in one way or the other, they helped make me the individual that I am today. Something I’d eternally be grateful for.
My formative years were spent in Mushin, Lagos State. That was where I spent my earliest years until we moved down to Ikotun. Ikotun is more of a town, but as the years went by, it became more and more of a city with the developments that took place. Now, there are so many people there that there is no difference between it and any other city. That was where I got most of my urban experience at the time.
I stayed at Ikotun until I had to change states when I got admission into a higher institution. There I moved to Nekede in Imo State. Now, Nekede is not a city in any way. It’s a town with strings of villages. However, thanks to the presence of the federal institution, it managed to give it a little upliftment. The school is located in a village, and all the lodges we live in are located in villages. However, due to the nature of the kind of people populating this place, it’s hard to see it as a village.
This is the place that I call the in-between because while it’s a little bit more advanced than a village, it’s not entirely a city. Now, is this place urban or rural? The same answer applies. It’s a mix between the both. There are still signs you would see reminding you of how rural the place is, then you’d see things that’ll let you know that the place is also developed. Take for instance, they still use town criers in some of these villages and there are a number of farmers here, yet in these same villages, you have clubs and hotels that are always open and always active. And then the population is just way too much for any small village to be.
My rural experience came during the pandemic when I spent the entire lockdown period and the length of the strike action at home in my village. Depending on what you’re after, the village life can be everything you want it to be. Besides being peaceful, it’s also calm and without all the noise of the city. They also have hotels here, but you hardly ever hear music from them. Hell, the light situation in my village is even better than it is here in my school, and I’m not lying.
In the village (as of 2020), the security was pretty dope. I remember staying out late at night just so that I could download movies. I would go as far as the main road, just me around 2 AM in the morning and I won’t even be scared of anything. Once in a while, some people will walk past and I’d say hi to them. I don’t know if they’re actual people or if they’re ghosts, I’m friendly to everyone… hehe!
Here, I also had my first experience with farming, fishing, and even the art of making garri and palm oil. They take farming pretty seriously in the village. There is always water and there is a small clinic for emergencies. What else are you looking for? Well, in terms of innovation, I think the road was quite good, and I’ve already mentioned the electricity. However, the network is nothing to write home about. Whenever I go to the village, just know that I won’t be active that day. I already told you how I have to walk as far as the main road at 2 in the morning in search of the network. That was a regular thing! Not once, or twice. Dozens of times where I was forced to do it.
Also, opportunities are limited. If you don’t want to be a farmer or a fisherman or a salesgirl/boy, there is ridiculously little that you can do unless you’re willing to learn a skill. There are no jobs there, so you have to go to the town for that. Also, when transformers and network masts get damaged, it takes longer to get them fixed than it would take them in more developed areas. More people use firewood here, leading to more air pollution. As a matter of fact, many of them prefer using firewood to gas.
The list can go on and on and I’ll list the beauties and uglies of living in rural areas, then line them up against the urban. In the end, the story remains the same, what will I pick? I love them both. There is a reason people go to their villages during the holiday. There’s nothing stopping you from bringing your family to the city to celebrate with you. It’s easier to relax in the village, it’s easier to be yourself and just close your eyes, away from all the noise and drama that comes with city life.
I just love them both. They have their functions and for me, I’d love to have access to both whenever I can. So that no matter what is going on in my life, I would have somewhere to go that will be just the right place for me.
