The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), last week, said just a little over 98 million Nigerians were living in multidimensional poverty, this being ameasure of lack that encompasses the various deprivations experienced by poor people in their daily lives.
Multidimensional poverty however includes but not restricted to poor health, lack of education, inadequate living standards, disempowerment, poor quality of work, the threat of violence, and living in areas that are environmentally hazardous, among others.
Interestingly, practically every Nigerian appears to understand the concept of multidimensional poverty, including the rich, because it is the life they live and see everyday in Nigeria. What is however not likely is the sense of urgency with which they consider this a problem and at the same time working out plausible solutions, because of its likely spread!
Graduating from being awarded the poverty capital of the world to now battling multidimensional poverty, the future is definitely not bleak, because Nigeria cannot rise from these rubble and ashes, but because its leaders would first not accept this as true and second, they would refuse to do anything as a result.
This is why, without exaggerating the local challenges, things may continue to roll on a downward slope. Pray, the next nametag would not be ‘ultra-dimensional poverty’ especially, that it could represent the real picture at the time!
