When Rivers Rise and Thermometers Soar: A Personal Climate Tale

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I really didn't know how climate change felt, I just saw it as a normal things just because I hadn't really witnessed it, I only watched it on tv especially how flood destroyed places, I can't really forget the one that happened in Bayelsa in 2022, how people in that area suffered, lost property and they were helpless, another flood occurred in Lagos not far from my neighborhood, at some point I pitied those affected and relieved it didn't reach my area because I really don't know how it will feel but the day I felt what real climate change was, I felt like running away to a place cooler.

It was during my Nysc service when I was posted to Adamawa in the north and it was a long journey. At first, I was bothered about the security aspect but since the journey was peaceful without any hindrance and I was posted to the capital, my mind relaxed a bit until a heatwave struck. I thought it might last just one day, that very day, I stepped out to just to get what to eat and I had to run straight back inside because everywhere was really sunny and it pierce through my clothes, I abandon my errand and called someone to help me out when coming back from work but that night was hell. Phcn took the light that night and I was sweating, I was just sweating uncontrollably and couldn't sleep, I was more surprised when I stepped out and saw everyone in the building with their bed out in the compound lying down, when I asked, someone said it is the time of the year when they experience hot weather even at night that I will soon get use to it.

He also made a statement that cold moment will soon come and everywhere will be too cold at night, that their weather is always abnormal some times. The heat wave lasted about five days, I had to drink cold water, took ice block bath just to regulate my body temperature and the worst part was I developed heat rash. The cold moment afterward was kind of cool but we had to kit up before going to bed. I was happy when I left the state vowed never to return but I had to ask myself, if this happens regularly, how do people just get used to it especially if you don't have gadgets to regulate situations like this.