More Nigerians Slip Into Poverty, Particularly in North

 　　Nigeria is Africa's most populous¹ nation and its biggest oil producer. The West African country exports more than two million barrels of crude oil a day.

　　Despite its oil wealth, however, a new government study says the number of Nigerians sinking into extreme poverty has grown, particularly in the predominantly Muslim north.

　　VOA sent reporters across the region to hear what some are doing to survive.

　　"We are headed for trouble"

　　It is early on this Tuesday morning and Mallam Muhammadu is already at work, scavenging through trash bins² and dumps in Nigeria's northeastern city of Yola, in Adamawa state.

　　This is the only work he can find to feed his family in this city of more than one million people. If he is lucky, he will make 90 cents to $1 after a long day's work. But he said poverty has become so extreme in the oil-rich country, it is difficult to find anything of value these days.

　　"Can you imagine scratching a living out of filth³ and then suddenly even the filth you rely on becomes valueless? You can see my bag - empty," he said.

　　A government report released on February 13 says a majority of Nigerians are living on less than $1 a day, like Muhammadu, even as Nigeria's economy grows.

　　The National Bureau of Statistics says 61 percent of all Nigerians - nearly 100 million [97.6 million] - made less than a $1 a day in 2010.  That is 10 percent higher than the last poverty study in 2004, and the report notes that income inequality also has increased since then.

　　According to the agency, the worst poverty can be found in northern Nigeria, particularly in the northwest and northeast.

　　Muhammadu blames government corruption⁴ and leaders who, once elected, ignore the plight⁵ of their impoverished⁶ constituents⁷. He charges that many put self-profit ahead of all else, leaving little for the people and the country's notoriously poor infrastructure⁸. While Nigeria is a major oil producer on the global market, the West African country must import gasoline because it is unable to refine its crude oil at home.

　　"Our leaders must address this acute poverty or we are headed for trouble," he warned.

　　Muhammadu ventures into neighborhoods using a bullhorn to announce his arrival. He picks though bins and offers to buy what residents no longer want. Perhaps old shoes or a broken lamp he can repair and sell, or damaged cooking utensils⁹, which he can melt and shape into something new.

　　"Masses are now rebelling"

　　Roni Abdullahi Badamasi earns less than $3 a day working as a petty trader in the northern city of Kano, where attacks by a radical¹⁰ Islamic sect¹¹ have surged this year.

1 populous   

adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的

参考例句：

• London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
• China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。

2 bins   

n.大储藏箱( bin的名词复数 )；宽口箱（如面包箱，垃圾箱等）v.扔掉，丢弃( bin的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Garbage from all sources was deposited in bins on trolleys. 来自各方的垃圾是装在手推车上的垃圾箱里的。 来自辞典例句
• Would you be pleased at the prospect of its being on sale in dump bins? 对于它将被陈列在倾销箱中抛售这件事，你能欣然接受吗？ 来自辞典例句

3 filth   

n.肮脏，污物，污秽；淫猥

参考例句：

• I don't know how you can read such filth.我不明白你怎么会去读这种淫秽下流的东西。
• The dialogue was all filth and innuendo.这段对话全是下流的言辞和影射。

4 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

5 plight   

n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定

参考例句：

• The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
• She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。

6 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 constituents   

n.选民( constituent的名词复数 )；成分；构成部分；要素

参考例句：

• She has the full support of her constituents. 她得到本区选民的全力支持。
• Hydrogen and oxygen are the constituents of water. 氢和氧是水的主要成分。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

9 utensils   

器具，用具，器皿( utensil的名词复数 )； 器物

参考例句：

• Formerly most of our household utensils were made of brass. 以前我们家庭用的器皿多数是用黄铜做的。
• Some utensils were in a state of decay when they were unearthed. 有些器皿在出土时已经残破。

10 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

11 sect   

n.派别，宗教，学派，派系

参考例句：

• When he was sixteen he joined a religious sect.他16岁的时候加入了一个宗教教派。
• Each religious sect in the town had its own church.该城每一个宗教教派都有自己的教堂。