The Call for Subsidising of Female Pads in Nigeria: A Misplaced Priority in Public Policy
Humans – particularly Nigerians – are often enamoured with the idea of "free" things; hence, the concept of hedonism. Unfortunately, nothing in life is truly free – not even the air we breathe. Take, for instance, clean air: it requires trees to filter and produce it, and those trees do not plant or preserve themselves. Someone, somewhere, takes responsibility for maintaining that ecosystem. Fresh air is not a product of happenstance. Our collective failure to plant new trees or preserve existing ones contributes to the growing environmental crises we face today — heatwaves, flooding, and other effects of climate change. This principle of responsibility and trade-offs applies across all areas of governance, including the ongoing conversation around government subsidies. Recently, I have observed a growing call for the Nigerian government to subsidise feminine hygiene products, specifically sanitary pads. At first, it sounds humane and empathetic. But as I considered the i...