Nigeria And The Change I Want

Written By: Nola Metseagharun

Nigeria is a beautiful country blessed with natural resources and great people. It has a population of about 200 million people who came from different tribes and culture. I love my country, Nigeria, but one major thing that annoys me is people breaking traffic laws. It is common to see motorists, pedestrians including law enforcement agencies breaking this law. Our roads will be safer if we make a decision to obey traffic laws.

In my country, Nigeria, only few people obey traffic laws. I have seen children wanting to cross the road on a zebra crossing but the oncoming vehicle will refuse to stop. Sometimes, people see the zebra crossing and pedestrian bridges and refuse to use them. Sadly, many persons especially children have died because of this. Furthermore, many drivers disobey traffic lights by refusing to stop when required to do so. Some drivers have also driven on high speed in roads where they are supposed to drive slowly and this has led to several accidents.

There are many reasons why people disobey traffic laws. Firstly, some people thinking that they are above the law often disobey traffic laws. It is common to see law enforcement agents and government officials doing this.  Another reason why people disobey traffic laws is that when they disobey these laws they don’t get punished and that makes them want to do it again.  We risk our safety because of our disobedience to the law.

If we want a road where drivers and pedestrians will move safely, we have to start obeying traffic laws.  No one is above the law and the government must ensure that everyone obeys the law. People should know that there are consequences when they break laws and they must be made to face the penalty when they break it. If we do not follow the traffic laws, we are not only putting ourselves at risk but also putting the lives of innocent people and other drivers at risk. I want a Nigeria where people will respect zebra crossing and use pedestrian bridges; where people will respect traffic lights without a law enforcement person forcing them to do so; where people will obey speed limits even when they are driving on the road alone. I dream of a Nigeria where people will obey traffic law amongst other laws.

I dream of a new Nigeria with a new mind.

Nola Metseagharun is a nine-year-old pupil of Year 5, Corona School Lekki, Lagos. Nigeria and the Change I Want is her submission for the Jordan Hill November Writing Challenge for Primary School pupils.