Onions Is To India As What Is To Nigeria?

I’ve always seen Nigerians as laid back, accepting whatever situation they are faced with and trying to make the most out of it. Is this behaviourial pattern a blessing or a curse? I’d like to read your thoughts on this. 

This line of thought was further reinforced after I read the dilemma the Indian government is facing. According to reports, Many Indians are finding it difficult to cope with the retail prices of onions; yes you read well, I said ONIONS!!!!

This vegetable has over decades acquired a degree of political significance and even wielded enough power to topple the government at different eras. Indians consume about 16.5 million tonnes of onions a year. Apart from the fact that this singular vegetable is a major food staple and near indispensable, India is the second largest grower of onions in the world after China so you can imagine the role it plays in the country's socio-political sphere.

As it stands, the price of onions has risen four times to as high as 100 rupees ($1.62) per kg in the past 4 months making it disappear kitchens.

On a lighter note, an opposition leader Vijay Jolly presented Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit who is seeking re-election with a basket of onions as a gift and ofcourse my people would say a coded message has been passed considering elections are coming up in December.

 Bharatiya Janata Party activists hold onions during a protest 

What am I trying to say? The most inconsequential items can be used to get a government to do it's citizens’ bidding!!!! What fazes Nigerians? What would honestly pique our unified interest? Apart from Oil, what would make Nigerians say “Enough is Enough!”

Is it food? If yes, which item? Is it Education? ASUU has been on strike for over 5 months and no one’s batting an eyelid except of course the orchestrated protests. Is it the blatant corruption staring us in the face?

While we’re mulling over our thoughts, we may consider exporting onions to India, that’s if we even have enough.