This question has been on the lips and thoughts of every Nigerian for weeks. The recent heat surge has been an issue of concern for Nigerians who were already faced with economic challenges. Nigerians on popular microblogging platform X (formerly twitter) have tagged the situation as ‘Specific heat sapacity’, a combination of ‘sapa plus heat’ (sapa – a state of financial incapacity).
Hand fans have now become the order of the day; ranging from plastic hand fans, rechargeable fans, portable/movable rechargeable fans, to raffia hand fans. In fact, during various suggestions for gift ideas for the recently concluded Valentine’s day celebration, some people went as far as suggesting hand fans as the perfect gift since it isn’t gender specific.
Meanwhile, we had individuals from different locations share their heat experiences, depicted with memes in this piece.
Memes source: Zikoko memes
Precious, Olambe, Ogun State.
My worst experience with heat happened just last week. I was home all day and only engaged in very minimal activities but I kept sweating all day.
At night, I took a shower before going to bed and by 11pm, I was awake because the whole house was so hot. And I had to sleep on the floor for the first time ever when there was no other person occupying the bed in my room.
Gbemi, Alimosho, Lagos.
There’s been a recent heat wave in Nigeria, and the weather gets super hot especially during the day as a result of this. My worst experience was when the house inverter went off at midnight yesterday, and I couldn’t use the fan. The heat made it hard to sleep, so I had to wake up a couple of times to take a cold shower before morning. It was a tough night dealing with the heat without fan.
Treasure, Ojo, Lagos.
On Monday morning, I was preparing to head to school. After showering, I was already sweating while putting on my clothes…the usual Lagos hassle of getting to your destination. Then skip to when I got to school… some of my coursemates started giving me eyes I was like what happened and they asked if it rained from my end cos my clothes were wet especially my back, we just laughed it off 😂
Darasimi, Jos.
With the current heatwave situation, I had to run an errand for my boss. As I boarded the bus with my black shirt and my black jeans hoping that the weather was going to change. Stuck with the other passengers in the bus, the smiles on my face began to change into discomfort. As soon as I got to the office, my black on black that was meant to be a drip was beginning to drip sweat and all I could see my boss do was laugh at me for putting on such. If I know I for don wear white, na me wan drip. Just a reminder that the things that could be avoided should be avoided.
Chike, Surulere, Lagos.
I was sleeping and woke up scared, I thought I had peed on my body.
Everywhere was just wet, my bed was soaked with sweat.
I was relieved it wasn’t what I thought it was.
James, Ogba, Lagos.
I was out for a leisure walk in the scorching heat when I suddenly felt my ice cream cone melting faster than I could eat it. In a desperate attempt to salvage my treat, I ended up with sticky, melted ice cream all over my hands and face. As I walked back home, I couldn’t help but laugh at the ridiculous sight I must have been, and I made a mental note to choose a more heat-resistant snack next time!
Opeyemi, Oshodi, Lagos.
I have a lot of personal experience because the heat these days have been unbelievable, but would love to share that of Feb 15, 2024.
I was lying on the bed, my fan on 5 whereby on a normal day the highest I put my fan is 2 because I’m allergic to cold(I will fall sick).
But this day with my fan on 5, I felt like I was lying down in an oven, my clothes were sticking to my skin, and beads of sweat forming and dripping from my head.
At that moment, I felt like I was going to melt anytime soon.🙂😂
I was forced to pull off my nightwear and lie on the floor till I slept off.
Hikmat, Alakuko, Lagos State.
Hmmmmm! Omoo, this heat ehn, I don’t even know what to say about it but if one isn’t careful person can die, hope I’m not being to extreme. Normal normal I can be lazy oo but there was a time I was just mopping my room that’s how I started breathing like someone that had just finished running a marathon and I started dripping from my head down to my toes, Even with the fan being on like I don’t get what’s going on.
Divine, Ifo, Ogun State.
The heat has been extremely terrible for the past few weeks, and it has gotten progressively worse as the days go by.
I school in Ogun State, and that is not an exception at all because it seems as though the heat is worse there. I got back from school and I started taking off my clothes right from the gate of the hostel because there is no way you can enter your locked room after 9 hours multiple lectures without dripping with sweat.
It’s not funny at all.
Yvonne, Makurdi.
There was so much heat and my family and I were living in a building that had a deck but it wasn’t completed. All my brothers slept on the decking to avoid the heat but because I was the only girl I wasn’t allowed to sleep outside with the rest of the guys. One day the heat was so much and the compound gate was wide open. There was a heap of sand just in front of the gate. I had to spread wrapper on the sand and slept there. When my father found me there in the middle of the night, he was so shocked and he allowed me to sleep on the decking with the boys.
Amidst the weather condition, health and climate authorities have urged Nigerians to stay hydrated and shelter from the burning sun.
Nigerians have also been advised to take adequate fluid, seek shade, use fans, and wear light, breathable clothing to reduce exposure to high temperatures, and avoid strenuous physical activity during peak heat hours.
In a recent video posted by a medical doctor, Egemba Chinonso Fidelis, popularly known as ‘Aproko doctor’on Tiktok, Instagram and X, he warned Nigerians about dehydration and heatstroke as the heat continues to hit hard.
See video below:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3ZbLqPIdmJ/?igsh=MWI1OGswZGxycDEzcA==
The heat these days can cook noodles oo