Politics
in Nigeria is like a relay race where athletes from the same country identify
their running mates once a lap is over until the finish line is crossed. When
the military handed the baton to democratic control, everyone
was in high spirits. They thought the change would be characterized by the
involvement of the masses in decisions that affected them. It came as a shocker
when the elected president continued running the race of his predecessors. In
the midst of corruption and unilateral actions carried out in the supposed
interest of the people, one phrase became prevalent at the time. ‘E go better’ was on the lips of everyone
who was suffering from the effects of the continuous rise in fuel prices,
goods, services and the permutation played by those on the power table.
The
major sectors in the economy began a slow and steady decline into
unconsciousness. Education was constantly plagued by strikes - both internal and
external. Festive seasons experienced inflation of services that rarely
collapsed. Roads became death traps because of poor maintenance. Electricity supply
became a play tool in the hands of its officials. Meters were seldom calculated
and bills ended up classifying twelve separately from a dozen. A lot of persons
had to make do with the use of generators as alternative power sources due to
the frequent electricity outages. Industries either closed down or produced
mass products with low quality. Undergraduates struggled in highly un-conducive
learning environments with dilapidated structures and the fear of strike to
earn a degree.
Out
of the half-baked graduates who were thrown into the crowded labour force,
several would remain unemployed, some usually ended up in vocations they didn’t
study while the remaining few might just be lucky to get a job by chance or
craft. Politics seemed to be the only lucrative place where quick money could
be gotten. Positions sold like hot cake and had to be attained at all costs.
That marked the beginning of an era where it paid to be morally wrong. Patriotism
took the back seat. Individuals fought for the stability of family as far as
the future sixth generation. Officials
filled their coffers with the monies slaved for by the sweat of the masses,
neglecting the jobs they were elected to do. Fingers continued pointing at the top and
whoever couldn’t beat the system rushed to partake in sharing the national cake.
As
babes, members of the general public felt that was the way things were run in
the people’s government. When fraudulent acts were eventually exposed by a
vindictive move in the game, the bodies responsible for apprehending such
individuals made light of the situation. Political thieves ended up walking
freely when those who had stolen the tiniest fraction of the crumbs on the
street got jungle justice. Still, the average Nigerian is very trusting. Even
when the people’s choice for elections became a process of selection by the
powers that rule, the masses complied for peace to reign. Studies actually
revealed they were the happiest people on earth irrespective of the fact that
they belonged to the list of the world’s poorest nations. Oil spillages, gas
flaring, polluted water, deforestation, hunger, malnourishment, high infant and
maternal mortality kept sweeping the populace. Yet, they remained hopeful.
Like
every stage of growth, babies must learn to sit, and then crawl before
standing. A bid for a third tenure pushed the citizens to crawl albeit
uncomfortably. The baton was passed on again by selection. Things started
taking a turn for good because the new president seemed to have a plan. For the
first time, the people got a glimpse of a transparent government. In the wake
of trouble by militants who claimed to be fighting for the cause of their
fellow statesman, initiatives were implemented to curb the situation. Unfortunately,
good people don’t last. The country was thrown into another process of
elections. Despite the usual selection, people encouraged themselves to make a
change by participating actively in the votes.
Some
sang songs; people filled campaign sites and lives were lost due the crises that
followed. Votes were cast based on optimism and solidarity. At the long run, a
minority finally came out triumphant, promising the masses transformation. When
billions of naira was pumped into the nation’s golden independence anniversary,
eyebrows were raised because the average family couldn’t boast of a complete
square meal. Terrorism took a face that day as bombs were detonated on defenseless citizen.
As
innocent lives dropped like flies due to orchestrated attacks, the President
felt it was more important to increase the salaries of his ministers than look
for a solution to control the poisonous rise of terrorism. The motion hit a
brick wall. In the midst of gross insecurity, single tenure elongation was
proposed. These acts made the people question if they had made the right choice.
The increase in the nation’s budget had not proffered solution to fight
unemployment, revive comatose industries or the failing health care and prison
systems. In a bid to survive, faith became the only thread that kept the nearly
defeated spirits of the people. The bombings continued with little intervention
from security agents. Demands were made; negotiations were contemplated when
the rumour concerning the removal of fuel subsidy began circulating.
Debates
sprung from every corner, deciding if it would be the right decision to make
for such a frail economy that was barely held together by the glues of the
civil war. Media houses were having a field day, properly dissecting all angles
of its implementation. Eight out of ten people said it was a wrong move while
some others supported the idea with the notion that the money would be invested
and open the market for investors. The people thought little of the issue. They
were appreciative for crossing into a New Year after experiencing a black
Christmas, only to wake up on the very first day of the year to hear that the
government had removed the subsidy on premium motor spirit. Without dialogue
and proper orientation, a unilateral decision was made again. The ripple effect
was more than a100% inflation. Fuel stations sold petrol for thrice the initial
price. Goods and services followed suit, leaving several persons stranded.
The
reaction from the masses was unexpected. It was a case of once beaten, twice
shy. On countless occasions, fuel prices were increased in the past and they
watched the gains been pocketed by the ruling elite. Gas flaring was yet to be
stopped, maternal mortality rate continued increasing, and fewer babies got
immunized as the years passed. Employment, literacy, good transport network, constant
electricity supply etc. are on a flight to never land. Prisoners serve jail terms
without fair trial and many more problems plague the people. The Federal
Capital Territory (FCT) and her parastatals are treated preferentially like the
goose that lays the golden egg. The local fishermen whose source of livelihood
are cut off as a result of polluted rivers from oil spillages or the children
who die from bronchitis due to the acid rains caused by gas flaring hold no
significance because the decisions of the executives is not carved from
populism.
The
total deregulation of the downstream sector may be ineffective because of the
conspiracy, untimely palliatives and lack of sensitization. The executives would have faced the
power generating sector squarely or reformed the oil sector, then watch the
economy kick-off. Sycophantic advisers and technocrats keep trying to persuade
the populace to accept the policy by using an alarmist theory. If Nigeria were
to become a failed nation, it won’t be the fault of her poor masses who feed
below a dollar per day. If comparisons are to be made with other oil producing
countries that succeeded in removing subsidy on fuel, a wide margin is evident
from their methods. Infrastructures such as constant electricity supply and well-organized
transportation networks were already in motion. Where it took two or three
years to build a refinery from scratch and sell fuel for pittance among
citizens, the guess work made by officials handling the sector stated that it
will take two years to repair existing refineries in the country and four to
five years before the masses reaped the benefits. Interestingly, fuel subsidy
was the only benefit the masses were getting from her government because all
other sectors – except politics - were failing. If a whole orange could not
fill a glass, how is it possible that the glass can be filled with one quarter
of the same fruit?
The
cry for better leaders will one day be heard and acted upon because bad
governance, lack of vision and mismanagement of power are gradually wearing out
the people’s elasticity. Dictatorship and monocracy should no longer take a
bold stance where freedom is meant to be exercised. The time for solidarity,
sentiments and the bribing of ones rights by corrupt leaders like the
proverbial rat which blows the feet to bite it later has to pass. It is time the
people understood their fundamental rights as citizens and make democracy take
its true form as a government for the people, by the people and from the people.
Written by Timi Federick
