Ayra Starr Calls On African Leaders To Improve Electricity Access
For Ayra Starr, unreliable electricity was never just a minor inconvenience growing up in Nigeria.
The Afrobeats star says it shaped her childhood, affected her education and influenced how her family survived day to day.
During the Global Citizen NOW event in New York City, Ayra Starr reflected on the reality many Nigerian families faced while dealing with constant power outages.
Some of her clearest memories came from helping her grandmother sell tomatoes and pepper quickly before they spoiled because they had no electricity for storage.
Every Nigerian child has faced some type of electricity issues. My grandma used to sell tomatoes and pepper and I used to assist her. We had to sell it quickly because we didn’t have electricity to store them.
Those moments, she explained, taught her how to adapt and push through difficult situations without the comforts many people grow up with.
The harsh experience made me who I am today. Because I had to find ways to do what I had to do without the comfort of electricity.
The singer also believes stable electricity would have made a major difference in her studies and daily life as a child.
Growing up, having electricity would have made a big difference. If I came back from school and I had AC or even a fan in the heat while doing my assignments, that would have made a big difference.
Now speaking from a global platform, Ayra Starr urged African leaders to improve electricity access across the continent, stressing that every child deserves proper living conditions and basic social amenities.
