Currently, Nigerians are experiencing an intense heatwave that is so uncomfortable for both humans and animals. At first, I thought that the current hot weather we have been experiencing was only in Lagos State, Nigeria, where I reside, but as the day progressed, I began to see the news on TV about how the severe hot weather was affecting lives in almost all states across Nigeria. As I type this now, I am currently sweating even with loose clothes, and I just finished having my bath. I do not towel my body anymore due to how much I sweat during this heat season. Sometimes I feel dizzy, and I know I must have been dehydrated.
The scorching heat has been a concern due to its effect on lives, and to make the situation worse, the Power Holding Company of Nigeria has not been to their best, at least to come through for people who cannot afford to buy the high cost of petrol to use in their generators as an alternative source of light.
There is a time and a season for everything.Here in Nigeria, there are basically just two seasons: the wet season and the dry season. The wet season lasts from April to October, but sometimes it begins earlier, perhaps due to climate change, while the dry season lasts from November to March. The thing is that when the weather is hot, it's usually very hot, and when rain starts, it comes in an excessive force, sometimes disrupting people's activities and sometimes flooding and affecting houses and lives. At that time, many people will be craving the dry season, and this is why human beings are insatiable.
Having said that, the current intense heat we are experiencing currently looks abnormal. Everyone is complaining; it's totally different from the kind of heat we used to experience before. Honestly, I don't know the cause, perhaps due to global warming. Even the farmers complain that the ground is too strong for their harvest and thus contribute to the high cost of raw food in the market. Some livestock find it difficult to survive the heatwave, and they die. My neighbor recently lost 5 out of her 7 chicks. You see, even the animals are receiving the side effects of the hot weather. I personally feel unproductive with the heat; nothing seems to flow well with me due to the unbearable heat. I could bathe three times before daybreak, and this disrupted my sleep, resulting in a headache in the morning.
Nigeria's electricity problem is no longer news, but it keeps getting worse each day. Imagine staying 3 to 5 days without a flash of electricity during this heat period. It's crazy. Even when I manage to buy the costly gasoline for my generator, I can't run it overnight. That would be a whole lot of money to be spending per night in the epileptic kind of economy we are in. People are beginning to cut down on things in order to cope, and I am not an exception.
You see, the current weather in my area is so disturbing and gets worse each day, but I think that the following can be done to make life better for us:
Government intervention about the electricity issue. At least with constant electricity, we can use either a fan or an a/c during this heat period. But then I noticed that the fan blows warm air and doesn't actually cool the body these days. However, ensuring that we stay in a ventilated room can help a bit.
Taking lots of water to keep hydrated is very important.
Avoiding bush burning, which can contribute to the warm weather. Recently, I have been noticing some empty land being burned instead of clearing the bushes with the right equipment. Maybe educate those involved in this act about the effect it has on our weather.
Also seek fresh air outside whenever you can, and make sure to be deliberate with the type of clothes you wear, of course, loose clothing preferably, all for the weather.
How is the weather in your locality? Feel free to use the comment section, and let's talk about weather.
This post is in response to the #hivelearners community contest on the topic titled How's the Weather? You can participate if interested.
Thanks for reading through!
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