THE TOILET AS A MIRROR TO THE HEALTH OF A SOCIETY

Hello! How about this?

120 Million Nigerians lack access to toilets! No be me talk am o!  Na Water Aid talk am. 

The toilet might appear like just a place to go ease off when pressed,  but it is more than that.

The toilet reflects a whole lot about a person,  an organisation,  a family,  a security agency and a country.

If in doubt,  ask Ambassador John Campbell  about his experience when he first came to Nigeria and his impression with Aso Rock and the country,  by extension.

Whilst working as a staff at Communications company in Lagos,  my Boss once told me something about toilets that has endured till this day.

I use it all the time to measure different things about about different organisations.

When I visit a place looking very shiny and brilliant,  I often ask to use the toilet. Sometimes,  I really want to use it. Other times,  I am just checking it out.   But either ways,  I take whatever I see there to mean a whole lot. 

When I visit a financial services company and try to use their toilet only to see that the place is dirty,  then I know that their books cannot be clean.

When I visit the "temple of justice" only for me to be directed to a place where 'lesser beings' bow to shit,  I know that there can only be injustice at such temples.

If I visit a police station and decide to check out the toilets only to be told to use where "criminals" use,  I know what they are already thinking or planning to do to to me.  
This one works like magic!

If I visit the airport of a state or country and get to see first,  it tells me how serious that state or country takes things.

How can a person,  company,  organisation,  state or country that cannot keep it's toilet clean keep it's affairs clean and straight?

If you have used the toilets at our airports,  in Lagos,  Abuja,  Portharcourt,  Kano and any other state,  you need not visit Aso Rock to know what the toilets will be like outside the offices of the major personalities there.

Recently,  the food of the security personels trended so well for those who monitor trends to know what the toilets of the lesser mortals will be like.

According to UNICEF,  about 2.7 billion people out of the 7 billion people in the world have no access to proper toilets.

Even you,  as a big man or big woman,  see the toilets you are subjected to when travelling.  what does it say about your country?  It means a lot of people defecate at open areas.  Just yesterday,  I watched a video posted by Chiekezie Dixie where people say on the bridge track defecating in the open.

According to Water Aid,  about 120 million Nigerians out  200 million lack access to toilets.

How can a country without toilets be healthy?
How can a company without toilet be healthy?
How can a family without toilets be healthy?
How can a person without toilet be healthy?

Truth is,  a toilet is more than a toilet.  A toilet is a direct reflection of the health of a person, a family,  a company and country.

If we hope to keep our country healthy,  we must prioritise  clean, functional and beautiful toilets. 

HEALTH INDEED IS WEALTH.

©Ogedengbe Ayo Moses
@ayoozovehe