2021: Our hopes, expectations – Nigerians

It’s an annual ritual for most people to make commitments and set goals for each New Year, even as it serves as avenue to renew hope of meeting expectations in different spheres of life. In this report, TOPE SUNDAY and IFEANYI EMEKA write on hopes and expectations of Nigerians in 2021.

The culture of making New Year resolutions always brings renewed expectations with high hopes of success whether exaggerated or ephemeral.

The joy of surviving the hardship, fatalities, health and political crises of the previous year helps one make resolute assessment and projection for navigating the New Year.

The global health pandemic coronavirus (Covid-19) that gave rise to many businesses being stalled and workers being laid off without payment and hope of fresh employment led to huge economic loss to the country.

The pandemic, which is still ravaging the country with increasing rate of daily infections, occasioned a seven-month lockdown in 2020. There are palpable fears of an impending national lockdown as cases continue to rise.

Hilariously, many Nigerians believe that 2020 shouldn’t be referred to as a year, instead it should be seen as a decade masked in the guise of 12 months.

In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), our correspondents asked Nigerians, across strata, what their expectations in 2021 are and their views cuts across improved security and infrastructure, employment opportunities, as well as speedy resolution of the ASUU/FG face-off, among others.

I want Nigeria to work – Trader

Speaking to our correspondent, a trader, who sells educational items at Nyanya, a community in the FCT, Ms. Nkechi Umeh, said her business was seriously affected by events of 2020.

She expressed hope that the New Year would bring better fortunes, especially a country that works for the benefit of all.

She said: “Last year, the advent of Covid-19 made me rely on my business funds for daily sustenance. I saw my business crumbling, but I had to feed my children despite the obvious loss to my business.

“Sell book and other educational items. So, my clients are mostly students and schools. It follows that if schools is in session, without the hindrance of the pandemic, I am hopeful that my business will regain its footing. I may be able to recover from the losses of the previous year.

“I want a country that works and that is safe for my children to live in. I hope this year brings good fortunes and changes for the better.”

Employment opportunities – Unemployed graduate

For an unemployed graduate, Ms Phenomena Emeka, her best wish is to be gainfully employed. She wants government to provide opportunities for unemployed Nigerians to start up small scale businesses for survival.

According to her, “After my graduation, unemployment was my reward in 2020. I received countless rejections in my search for job. As a graduate, my hope for the New Year is that the government provides opportunities for young people like me to be gainfully employed and that I would be able to find the capital to begin a business.

“Marriage is also important to me, but if the possibility of physical meetings at social gatherings are prohibited as a safety measure against the spread of the coronavirus, it will be a challenge for hopeful unions.”

More young Nigerians in leadership – Businessman

A middle-aged man, who sells foot wears in Karu, Mr. Kunle Olusola, told our correspondent that his expectation in the New Year was for old politicians to give way for younger Nigerians to take up leadership positions.

He was of the opinion that the resignation of President Muhammad Buhari would be his best gift to Nigerians in 2021.

He said: “The resignation of the President will be the best gift of the year. Too many deaths and mass slaughters in the country can’t be condoned in any sane society. I believe it’s time for young Nigerians to take up the mantle of leadership. I hope to see it happen this year and in the years to come.

“The majority of us in this country are suffering, even the reality of this was evident doing the Christmas season; huge sales of goods wasn’t seen in the markets.

“It felt like Christmas was rescheduled for another month or year. It has affected me a lot. Many of my customers cited the harsh economic conditions of this country. Everything bad about this country almost manifested itself in 2020.

“We all saw the #EndSARS protests across the country including the callous murder of youths by officers who had sworn to protect them. This isn’t the kind of country we should be proud of. We want only that which is good in this New Year.”

FG should avert lecturers’ strike – Undergraduate

The wish of an engineering student at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri  (FUTO), Ms Cynthia E. Lolo, was that the government to ensure prompt salary payment of the university teachers to avert needless strikes in the year 2021.

“Universities have been on strike for over nine months. In this New Year, I hope the government shows proactive commitment to education by paying lecturers on time to avoid another inhumane strike. The conditions of university students aren’t even encouraging nor does it motivate learning.

“Our infrastructures in the universities are woeful. We need to do better in 2021 knowing full well that the values of an educated young mind to the development of this country. My hope is that things get better in general. That’s my expectation for this New Year,” Cythian said.

I hope to establish new business – Electrician

An electronic repairer, whose shop is located in Jahi 2, Jahi District, Abuja, Prince John Adejoro, said his aspiration in 2021 was to start up another business and called on the government to create an enabling environment for businesses to survive.

“I hope to establish a new business and also believing that the government will create an enabling environment for our businesses to grow and other relevant material comforts.

The business climate is not fair for SMEs in this country although we young Nigerians have always nurtured thriving spirit of survival. We don’t give up,” he declared.

I don’t want repeat of 2020 – Merchant

In the same vein, a dealer in clothing materials, Mr Eze, said: “I want achievement and progressive motion in my life endeavours. That is my expectations for 2021. A repeat of the realities of 2020 shouldn’t happen this year to me or my close allies.”

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