One of Nigeria’s perennial challenges is the provision of adequate energy for her people. This challenge is so well known that South Africans refer to Nigeria as the nation of generators. Yes, truly, though the good old generators, driven by either diesel or petrol motor, have provided succour to the country for generations they have never quite been able to replace the energy provided by the state owned power utility company, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) formerly National Electric Power Authority (NEPA).
NEPA used to be the sole power provider for the entire country until quite recently when it was broken up and sold separately to private investors. However, the acronym ‘NEPA’ often corrupted to “Never Expect Power Always’ has stuck in the hearts and minds of the wider populace as a synonym for irregular and volatile power supply in the country. Thus across the country one is wont to hear Nigerians castigating NEPA for power outages and equally hailing it as well for any sustained improved power supply. For example, when there is a sudden power outage there is usually a collective wail of ‘oh NEPA!’ In that singular chorus, one can deduce the pain of unfinished tasks, the anguish of a terminated TV show and worst of all, the abrupt cessation of a football match made more harrowing if it involves the senior male national team. However, when NEPA restores power the communal joy is palpable. To an undiscerning observer it would appear as if the nation is being born anew due to the happiness which springs forth and cascades over and around the surrounding.
In Nigeria, anywhere in Nigeria, the restoration of power by NEPA is usually greeted by one joyful, jubilant shout of ‘up NEPA!’ This joyful shout is immediately succeeded without let by a ringing cacophony of noisy activities as a dour atmosphere and environment anesthetised by the power outage is resuscitated by the jolt of electric power administered by the almighty NEPA. The very young segment of the population has also been quietly acculturated into this timeless practice of joyously celebrating the restoration of power
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Thus only last week while quietly enduring one of NEPA’s outages my neighbour’s three year old son suddenly yelped ‘up YEPA!’ I leapt up, flew to the nearest wall switch and scrambled it on and indeed there was light. That singular light bulb aroused an ethereal joy in my spirit made physical by a wide simile in my face which unconsciously provoked me to repeat that little boy’s joyous chant ‘up NEPA’ even more vigorously. My neighbour who was ambling past my window at that moment heard my cry of delight and carried it with greater flourish, ‘up NEPA!!!’ And there we both stood with a wide grin etched on our faces listening to the thundering wave of ‘up NEPA! up NEPA!’ resonating all around the neighbourhood before rapidly melting away into the distance in unison.
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