When Nigerians rang in the New Year, they were already experiencing a harsh economic climate as well as a perplexing security problem in the country that not only traumatized many but also left many more people defeated.
Despite their predicament, the true Nigerian spirit was clear for all to see as the people persevered, longing for a source of inspiration as they heralded the advent of 2024.
It, therefore, did not take long before some netizens coined the slang term, “No gree for anybody.” It went viral and Nigerians quickly embraced and adopted it as the mantra for the year.
The Pidgin English slogan meant different things for different people. Some said it means they will not allow people’s opinion to influence them; some said it means they would not give up in the face of adversity and some other people said it means they have to keep fighting and never surrender in life.
Undoubtedly, “No gree for anybody” came to the rescue of many Nigerians by strengthening their almost-pulverised resolve to face difficulties head-on. And, indeed, it reignited in many folks the fire of the Nigerian spirit that is celebrated for its consistency and endurance.
However, while Nigerians were relishing their newfound expression, the Police had a difference of opinion about the fad.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, warned Nigerians against using the slang, insisting that it came from a “revolutionary sector” and could lead to crises.
“The new slogan for 2023 and 2024 for our young ones is ‘No gree for anybody’. We have been informed by intelligence that this slogan is coming from a revolutionary sector that may likely cause problems across the country.
“No gree for anybody is being seen as a normal talk, but in the security community, we have seen it as a very, very dangerous slogan,” he told reporters in January.
The Police and Adejobi himself were criticised for their trouble, and they were sneered at after the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, used “No gree for anybody” to encourage Nigeria’s football team, the Super Eagles, to go to the African Cup of Nations and conquer the continent.
Afterwards, popular Nigerian musicians, Portable and Spyro, joined the “No gree for anybody” bandwagon, too.
The musicians released their respective hit singles titled “No gree for anybody,” with a message to their fans to always stand strong and not allow themselves to be bullied.
With all that in mind, Nigerians have continued to be imbued with the “No gree for anybody” mentality even as the year is winding down and the future of the country seems bleak.
Nigerians have been boxed into a corner by rising costs of living, soaring inflation, skyrocketing prices of gas and fuel, high cost of electricity and transportation as well as other crippling effects of the removal of subsidiaries on petroleum products by the Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government.
“I ‘No go gree for anybody’ or anything that will prevent me from seeing my aged parents this Christmas”
Despite all the troubles and pain, many Nigerians have decided to make the yuletide season as memorable as possible by deciding to hold end-of-year parties, go for Christmas shopping and even travel to their villages to celebrate with families and friends there.
A Nigerian residing in Egbeda, Lagos State, Chikamso Nwabuenyi, told The Point that although his family resisted it, he held an end-of-year party “to thank God for life.
In Nwabuenyi’s view, even though the economy is in dire straits, money still has to be spent here on earth, not in heaven.
“Before the party, my family members were demanding that I jettison the idea of holding a party. They said things were hard and the party would be a waste of money.
“I insisted that I wanted to celebrate it to thank God for life.
“Surprisingly, after the party, those who initially criticised me for it told me that it was a memorable and fun-filled party.
“So, the moral of the story is ‘No gree for anybody.’ Do what will make you happy if you have the means,” he said.
Another Nigerian living in Imo State, Juliet Okwara, told our correspondent that when it comes to giving, the biting economy cannot dampen her spirits.
Okwara said she shares hampers with her neighbours during the Christmas season. Although she vowed to do so this year, she revealed that the baskets would not contain the usual food and drink she put in them.
“Every Christmas, I share Christmas hampers with my neighbours.
“I put assorted gifts, food and drink into my hampers. I buy beverages, cornflakes, milk, fruit juice and the rest of them, just to make the season a blessed one for my neighbours.
“But I won’t be able to afford some of the things I put in my hampers. But will it stop me? No, it will not. I intend to put as many smiles as possible on people’s faces this Christmas even if my finances won’t be happy with me,” Okwara said.
An abacha (African sallad) seller, Mary Ejikeme, said travelling to the East to see her aged parents is on her to-do list. According to her, it will not be out of the question this year.
She added that the high cost of transportation was the only “serious obstacle” she would have to overcome. Ejikeme said the risk notwithstanding, she had decided to take a night bus back home.
“I ‘No go gree for anybody’ or anything that will prevent me from seeing my aged parents this Christmas,” she said with a glint in her eye.
“It has been a while since I saw my parents and I don’t want to miss that opportunity this December.
“So, high transportation cost or not, travelling to see them will not be out of the question.
“I know it (cost of transportation) is a serious obstacle but I will overcome it by going home on a night bus.
“I know that it is not safe to travel at night. There are a lot of kidnappings on the road. The police are overstretched and can’t adequately deal with some of the violent robberies we read about. But I don’t care.
“My brother, at Jibowu, it will cost me about N38, 000 to travel at night to Owerri instead of N50, 000 the same eastbound luxury buses are charging during the day.
“I will take the risk and hope for the best,” Okwara said adamantly.
A current affairs analyst, Maxwell Igwe, said, “In my opinion, Nigerians are among some of the most traumatized people on earth. The people here have suffered a lot.
“Poverty is rampant and if the ground would open, some Nigerians would have preferred they were swallowed up by it. The situation is that bad.
“The truth is that “No gree for anybody” reminded Nigerians that they must keep fighting to survive all the hardship that has been thrown at them.
“This is why you still see people this season trying to do one or two things to show that they are defiant and willing to take risks.
“But it has not all been easy. And somehow, we have survived to this very day. It means that God is on our side and the hardship and challenges won’t be able to finish us off.
“This is why “No gree for anybody” was useful to Nigerians in 2024. It doesn’t make money to grow on trees for us, but it reminds us that no mountain is too high to climb and no river is too deep to swim.”
Asked to suggest a new motto to be used in the coming year by Nigerians, Igwe said, “Many mottoes readily come to mind.
“Something like ‘Na we go run the show’ and ‘Naija no dey carry last’ are both good.
“Whichever one Nigerians eventually adopt, the message will still be that we are a proud people that won’t be trampled by our situations.”
