Nigeria is fast becoming a "pure water" republic".The "pure water" boom of the last six years has created jobs for a good number of people at different levels.You may be wondering what i mean by "pure water".Pure water is the sachet equivelent of bottled water :) Some years ago,a Nigerian entreprenuer came up with the idea of packaging water in small plastic bags and make them affordable to millions of Nigerians that cannot buy bottled water.His idea was a runaway success.From the busy business districts of Lagos to the quite political strongholds of Abuja, pure water ruled!

"Pure" does nor mean pure.Some of the sachet water have tastes that make you want to puke after drinking .There are pure water factories on every corner of majro cities and villages.This is always the case with successful business ideas,everybody jumps on it with little regards for quality and social responsibilty.

Today, pure water is a menace.All over the place there are emppty sachets of "pure water".People drink and drop...it's "normal" to find people throwing out "pure water" sachets through their car windows.Some drop them as they walk...and nobody cares.

This afternoon,i was in a taxi shuttling between the Rumudara end of Opkoro road and Artillary Junction.It was a small car for four but we were seven! Three in front and four at the back.I was in front between the driver and a young girl of about 17.She was drinking "pure water".After about six minutes,she threw it out of the window! I turned and said "haba, make you keep 9ja clean o" She laughed,looked at me and said in broken english "na wa for you o, you think say 9ja fit clean?" which means "you amuse me, do you think Nigeria can be clean?".The other pessengers joined her and i was alone :(

There arguement was clear, how can we as keep our soroundings clean when the "big people" do not care about us.They divert the "big money" meant for sanitation and environmental protection and yet expect us to join hands in making this country a better place.At this point, i remembered the small,peaceful city of Bayrischzell...i imagine me and Kaushik deciding on how to dispose of our room 35 generated waste.We separated every bit of the waste items...Paper,plastic,etc had their "destinations".For three months, i did not see anyone throwing and dumping garbage on the streets.Maybe we all need to go study the German waste disposal and recylcing system.

Note for Nigerians:While we complain that the government is not as responsive as they should,we should also play our small part by taking ACTION!

Ok folks,no matter what, i am enjoying the chaos and charm of Port Harcourt.I hear there's a film festival coming up soon.Stay close for my next dairy on a conversation i had at the bookshop with the director of the centre for international strategy and leadership.