“Abeg, who Christmas carol epp?”

“The first Noel, the angels did say, was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay…,” the radio blasted as I took a taxi from my office to another concert. It’s Christmas time in Lagos, Nigeria. A huge commercial city, Lagos was not isolated from the wave of financial difficulties that have swept through Nigeria as the country’s economy plunged into recession.

The recession, which has lasted all through the year has seen unbridled inflation, failing government policies, an increase in taxation, and a decrease in the quality of life of many Nigerians, most made up of the working class, and the lower class have plummeted as tensions within the country has risen, with social media bearing testimonies of discontent, general angst, and despair.

December, the traditional month of festivities announced itself with a bang. The Federal Government had announced new taxes, including VAT on travel documents, and the National Communication Commission had directed the big telecommunication companies to increase the cost of data, inorder to enable smaller companies compete.

This happened on the first day of Christmas. Hohohoho. Merry Christamas.

Santa Claus had brought a negative gift, which was rejected strongly by the masses, leading the Senate to suspend the plans and shelve it. But the air is still corrupt. Ponzi schemes such as MMM, iCharity, Givers Forum, and Ultimate Cycler had become popular, providing risky hope for a population seeking answers and instant cash to survive the times.

It was against all of this as the Uber pulled out and I asked for the aux chord. Being a Christams junkie, I had already had my playlist swollen with the best of Christmas songs and carols. It was diverse. The traditional Christian hymns, the American holiday songs, the Parisian hot jazzes, and the Italian sopranos. Heck, I even through in two versions of Tunde Ednut’s ‘Jingle Bell’ remakes, complete with a local All-star feature.

“Joy to the world, the Lord has come…” I began to sing along, after I had quickly enjoyed a special rendition of ‘The First Noel’ by accapella group, Pentatonix.

“Oga,” the Uber driver interjected after I had gone two stanzas of the hymn. “But is there joy in Nigeria?”

No way was I going to entertain such negativity, not when Baby Jesus was about to be celebrated. I tried the first of my emotional arsenal – Positivity.

“Chief, I know the country has K-leg right now, but come on, it’s Christmas!”

I was boisterous, and launched into an inclusive motivational speech about how the Lord will bless his people this Christmas, and how we should all celebrate and maintain a joyful disposition towards the season for it brightens the air, the mood, and even the garri we drink out of brokeness.

After about 30 minutes of uplifting speech, I was sure that with these few points of mind, I was able to convince him, and not confuse him that Christmas should be celebrated with carols and lights, and gifts, and little cherubic figurines.

My driver nodded all through, and when my lecture was done. He turned to me, a somebre look on his face. I knew I had a convert as he opened his mouth to spew forth the magic words:

“Who Christmas carol epp?”

I was in shock. Waste of good speech.

“Oga, who Christmas carol epp?” He asked me again.

My shock flipped to sense, as I began to give myself brain. The question resonated through me for five minutes, and slowly my positivity slowly eroded. I asked myself the question. Vulnerable in the face of the commonsense that was gushing through me. That wave of commonsense possessed me to the point where I couldn’t resist no more. I found myself saying the magic words too:

“Who Christmas carol epp?”

“Nobody,” my Uber driver provided an answer. I concured quickly. I now have sense.

I found myself going back into my playlist and switching the music.

The first words that came through from the speaker was not something with hymns and yuletide greetings. What came out was elemental, local, and uplifting in its own mainstream way. In fact it was divine.

“Folake give me love oh…”