Nigerians are known for love for wearing highly expensive wristwatches of different makes imported from different countries. Watches are available in shops and as well as being sold by hardworking hawkers in daily traffics in Lagos and other cities in Nigeria. From extremely flashy to the casual digital watches, Nigerians wear them. But what is the essence of putting on a watch without known its purpose or without attaching any importance or value to it?
Majority of Nigerians wear watches just to show up and my reason is that they have problems when it comes to using the same watches and clocks in their homes and offices to observe time or plan. It is unfortunate that Nigerians don’t respect time and it has now reached an alarming situation where almost everybody fails to keep to time as, for example, a meeting scheduled for 10. 00am ends up commencing by 12.00pm because of habitual late coming. It has led to the popular saying: “Nigerian time” with a plea to the invited guests in any invitation card or text message stating, “No Nigerian time please” just to make people come early.
More unfortunate are the lies told in order to cover up for the lost time. I also weep inside of me when people have no fear of God as they often lie while answering phone calls such as “I’m not in town” whereas they are right there few kilometers away within the town or “I’m stuck in traffic” while they are in their living rooms probably watching television.
Nigerian attitude towards events has even created a situation where the event planners set the commencement time earlier than the actual time they have in mind, so as to trick people into coming at the time they intend to start the event. This occasionally gives a desired result, but not always as many Nigerians having known the trick now begin to adjust their conducts to make sure they do not keep to the time on the invitation card or message for the commencement of the occasion.
It’s obvious that the problem lies in the mindset of Nigerians and not on the watch. Nigerians don’t seem to understand the importance of punctuality. What many Nigerians also fail to understand is how much they lose when time is wasted. We should realize that ‘no time lost can ever be regained’.
Aminat Adesope is one of our Staff writers.
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