We are working with the Journalist, Socrates Mbamalu to share stories from people that have been directly and indirectly affected by this pandemic.
#CovidStories is a new MANI series where we interview people whose lives have been impacted by this pandemic. This soon to be lawyer has suddenly found her entire life on hold, as The Nigerian Law School has put all activities on hold due to the pandemic. Now she’s back home and practising the art of indifference to stay sane.
What school do you attend?
The Nigerian Law school.
How has it affected your research/project?
I’m done with undergraduate school. The Nigerian law school is for professional qualification. We don’t do projects. However, we were supposed to begin externship in firms, and court attachment in March. Then we were supposed to conclude this month and resume next month. The calendar has been disrupted. Our final exams were supposed to be in November. I doubt that it’ll hold. The pandemic has had a trickle down negative effect.
What were the plans you had before & Where did you think you’d be or what did you think you’d be doing at this time?
I definitely had plans. I had thought I’d be preparing to round off my chamber attachment by the end of this month. I really don’t know how this will all span out in the larger scheme of events. No one has ever experienced this before so there’s no blueprint to follow. Right now, I’m just sitting at home and waiting. The waiting part is frustrating because it’s hazed with uncertainties and most likely in the final analysis, students will bear the brunt of the after-effects of the pandemic as is always the case with the Nigerian Academia. The NLS put in place virtual classes using Google-Meet/Google-classroom; but this is the first edition, so it’s had hitches and technicalities here and there. The virtual classroom can’t contain all students. Honestly, a physical classroom experience for this educational journey is preferable; it’s just not the same.
Reading within a time frame is more motivating.
How do you feel about the delay?
Now I feel indifferent. I got to this point after handing everything over to God.
Initially, I was sad about it. You see, I’m coming from a Nigerian varsity that was plagued with a series of strikes. I spent 7 years in school for a 5-year program due to incessant strikes. I had issues in my final year coupled with, one-year depression from my academics making 8years. 🙂
A little background story; The year is late 2017 and we just returned from a 6 months’ strike. I was in my final year and we were being rushed. Lecturers weren’t coming to class but setting tests.
I was a 2.1 student. I, wrote a test (taxation law) and performed poorly. That was the genesis of my depressive journey. I ended up retaking a course (jurisprudence) after graduation. So, I left school with a 2.2(3.49).
I saw a therapist at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba.in “Yabaleft”, and I got better.
From my history, you’ll realise that I’ve faced delays so coming here and realising what the impact of Covid would be on my journey took me aback. I used to think that by now I’d be done with school. I got admitted to school at 17, by August, I’ll be 25 and, I’m still pursuing my first degree.
To not think of this, indifference has been my coping mechanism. What will be will be at the end of the day.
What does home feel like for you?
All my siblings are married so I’m the only one at home with my parents. It’s been a solo stay, with my parents always dishing out new preventive measures to ward off the virus. All these, were obtained from tons of WhatsApp BC’s.
I’m majorly just reading, sleeping, baking, tweeting and eating.
My parents are aged. They’re pensioners so financially, they weren’t hit per say.
Doing chores, how has that been for you?
We have a domestic staff so I help out. She’s enrolled in a fashion school within our neighborhood so I run the chores in her absence. She resumes when she comes back. There’s really not so many chores at home; just dishes, sweeping, mopping and running errands or purchases.
Money issue; Do you have to rely on your parents for money?
Yea, I do. I don’t make so much from my business at the moment. I run a small pastry business as a side hustle.
How does it feel to have to rely on your parents for everything?
I don’t like the feeling of not being independent. Plus, I need to check in on items with my parents before getting them. If it doesn’t sit well with them, I’d have to let go.
How are you managing expectations of being at home, especially with parents and not doing anything?
My hands are tied right now and fortunately my parents don’t hound me about it. So, I just take one day at a time.
I apply indifference.
This helps me not to see myself as a victim of life’s vicissitudes. Things happen, It’s life. I just do what I can per day, divested of economic activities.
How does it feel to be home without knowing when you’ll leave?
It’s frustrating but understanding that with life comes uncertainties would help one navigate through. So now I just live in the moment. Every day is a new day; I don’t keep count anymore.
How has this affected your business?
It’s affected logistics which has in turn affected sales. If I can’t pull through with deliveries, I can’t make sales which in turn affects my finances. Plus the cost of products in the market has skyrocketed and customers won’t really understand. I also can’t reduce quality or else it’ll affect patronage. To keep quality, I’ll need to adjust prices a bit, but then, it’ll drive away customers’ so it’s a tango. I’ve retained quality for the same price for the deliveries I’ve done thus far, but I’m only short changing myself.
Honestly, what do you think about the survival of your business if this doesn’t end soon?
Oh well! If I don’t re- strategize, I may have to suspend activities till I can come up with a pragmatic solution. The issue majorly stems from the fact that I operate solo. I, have no walk-in-store, and I have no personal mobility for delivery. However, I don’t think my business will die. I may suspend activities, but it won’t die.
How do you feel about lack of support from the government?
The systemic failings of successive Nigerian governments have taught me not to have expectations from them. It’s disappointing but it’s not surprising.
It’s a caucus of political juggernauts supporting their own. Reshuffling the same cards in the political circle so the status quo remains the same. The government has failed us. It almost feels like I have internalised the govt’s failings as their tradition so I don’t even get mad or angry again.
I’m aloof now.
If you have a story to share with us about your experiences during this pandemic, please click here.
Interview carried out by our awesome Covid Interview team-(Halima, Asma, Tosin and Jeniffer.)
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