Nigeria Must Learn To Live A Happy And Sustainable Lifestyle From Japan.

By: Ajukura, Fidelis O.
ajukurafidelisobi@gmail.com
14/01/22

Did you know that Japan currently has the highest life expectancy ratio in the world?

It is an incontrovertible fact that Japan currently has the highest life expectancy in the world. For the purpose of clarity, life expectancy is simply defined as the "age to which a person is expected to live". Life expectancy vary from one country to another. Factors such as; diet, habit/Lifestyle, socio-economic conditions among others determine how long people live.

Among the advanced countries of the world, Japan has the highest life expectancy at birthday. According to 2016 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) data report, Japanese men have a life expectancy of 81.1 years which is more than that of Canadian men which is 80.9 years. The life expectancy of Japanese women is 87.1 years more than that of Canadian women which is 84.7 years.

The high life expectancy in Japan is attributed to the following factors:
1. Diet -
High consumption of fish and plant foods like; soybean and green tea.

2. A low consumption of red meat which result in low rate of cardiovascular related diseases and obesity. In Japan, the obesity rate is low. Only 4.8 percent men and 3.7 percent women of the entire country's population have obesity related issues. This is very low compared to Canada's 24.6 percent of men and 26 percent of women.

Like meat, especially red meat, Japanese consume less dairy products, sugar and sweeteners but take relish in the consumption of fish, seafoods, rice, soybean and tea. Similarly, the Japanese consume very little salt. In short, the exceptional longevity of the Japanese can be ascribed to the less consumption of red meat, sugar and starch.

3. Habits/Lifestyle -
Beside diet, the Japanese live a simple lifestyle of having few children. They are hardly overburdened by the trouble of raising so many children.

4. Socio-economic Conditions -
The socio-economic condition of Japan is stable and favourable. The government of Japan is concerned about creating the right and enabling atmosphere for its citizens. In this way, the people do not worry about those things that send people of other nations to early grace such as; feeding, accommodation/shelter, medical care, clothing, payment of children's school fees etc.

When the life expectancy ratio of Japan is juxtaposed with that of Nigeria, one begins to wonder whether the two countries belong to different planets. According to the latest WHO data published in 2018, life expectancy in Nigeria is; "male 54.7 years while female is 55.7 years and a total life expectancy of 55.2 years". This situation stem from factors such as; poverty, hunger, poor medical care, harsh economic reality arising from insensitive leadership, burdensome cultural practices, obnoxious lifestyles to mention only but a few.

In 2019, the World Popular Review pegged the life expectancy of Nigerians at 54.494 years. Women at 55.414 years and men at 53.6 years. The report further showed that Nigeria ranked 198th out of 202 countries studied. Nigerians life expectancy is only better than Sierra Leone (199th), Chad (200th), Lesotho (201st) and Central African Republic as the least ranked nation at 202nd position.

Regardless of this scary reports, the government seem to be unperturbed, life expectancy is declining on a daily basis. Retirement from work especially for those in civil or public service is a signal that death is around the corner. This feeling is corroborated by the fact that, according to the Pension Reformed Act, pensioners are not expected to enjoy their pension beyond 18 years. In other words, they're expected to die on or before 18 years after retirement.

In the area of diet, many Nigerians, because of poverty and hunger do not have much choice than to make do with what is available. Unlike in Japan and other developed societies where people eat with the intention of getting the basic nutrients, many Nigerians eat just for the sake of filling their empty stomachs. For this reason, many come down with all manner of sicknesses and diseases. However, all hope is not lost, Nigerians must learn from Japan that high life expectancy is possible if we all do what is right.

Ok, so with all this hardship,social vices,terrorism,corruption and an illiterate governing over 200m people?
Nigeria suppose to be named thousand ways to die in WEST.
Death by Boko haram
Death by Bandits
Death by Fulani herdsmen
Death by kidnappers
Death by assassination
Death by armed robbery
Death by poison by frienemy
Death by depression
Death by heartbreak
Death by ghastly motor accident dangote truck break failure
Death by fire caused by fuel tanker/ house electric
/Nepa fault
Death by ritualist/yahoo yahoo plus
Death by marriahe wahala
Death by debt all the sokoloan
Death by family people in the village wey vex say you no the beg them to eat
Death by people we dey envy you say you better pass them or una dey sell same market
Death by your ex
Death by your lovers concubine
Death by sex,taking sex enhancement drug just to satisfy olowo
Death by your quack mechanics
Death by all these illiterate/quack doctors and nurses that will you injection where they are suppose not to
Death by fake clerics that will give wrong/false visons and profesies and made you confuse the more
Death by babalawo that will add to your problem
And so on and so on.
I dont want to say your write up is future impossible tense but before we get to that level that will be next century(s) probably.