Hitting the nail on the head...

Travelling to Abuja this week, the car was full of Nigerian visitors to Minna. It was interesting to sit and eavesdrop on their perceptions of the town. They saw a poverty that I guess I’ve grown immune to. They noted the differences between the few ‘haves’ and masses of ‘have-nots’ and pondered on the mismanagement of public finances that has undoubtedly brought this around.
But one chap made a wonderful insight – he said as soon as you try to speak about this everyone withdraws into Hausa, and they are lost to you. I hadn’t been able to put that into words but it’s very true. Hausa is sometimes used as a powerful barrier to the outside world.