In 2010 we celebrated 50yrs after
independence; 3 years later some Nigerians and some part of the world joined to
celebrate the centenary year (100 years of existing as a united federal state).
Amidst these celebrations is a
nation in crisis, a nation crying blood and full of languish. And I can’t help
but ask who constitutes Nigeria? Political leaders or the people?
Once upon a time, October 1st
was a memorable event. For me, there was no school first of all; then I and my
peers would head to watch or match past the Nigeria Police band and the parades
of several other military and para-military formations. Very colorful indeed!
For the elder ones like my parents, of course a NATIONAL holiday and by 7am
they are glued to their TV sets ready to watch and listen to the Chief
Executive of Nigeria or our state give a broadcast.
Morally, you don't elaborately
celebrate a birthday in your house when there is a death or an eminent one by
the corner...perhaps Nigeria doesn’t have morals but Nigerians do!
Is it the killings in the North East
or the Fulani invasion in Benue and other North-Central states? Or are we
referring to the season of letters from our obsolete leaders pointing fingers
at each other playing the blame game or the alleged N6bn collected from 6m NIS
job applicants and the subsequent callous statement made by the Minister of
Interior regarding unemployed YOUTHS being so impatient to the extent of losing
their lives? What about the Speaker of the House of Representatives accusing
the President’s body language of supporting corruption or the governor of Borno
alleging that members of the Boko Haram Sect are more armed than the famous
Nigerian Army? To say the unimaginable, the fulanis also shot at the Chief
Security Officer of Benue State. Meanwhile, Alh. Asari Dokubu a typical Niger
Delta (ex) militant who alongside his cohorts have been feeding fat on the
national treasury would wake up and make a statement like, if Goodluck does not
get re-elected come 2015, there will be BLOODSHED. Yet no body questions such
authority! Again, the federal government
exhibited their mastery in deceit, and came up with a national conference
(apparently to divert attention from their sabotaging white collar policies and
programmes) even when there is a legislature to determine everything that
concerns us. It is rumored that about N7bn of taxpayers’ money is being voted
to orchestrate this event. Gradually the
fuel queues are coming back with national dailies already anticipating a new
petrol pump price of N140…hear Allison Deziani Madueke “we MUST deregulate the
petroleum sector…”. With which modalities put in place; perhaps we are also
encouraged to insist on cooking gas.
These association of elites make us
(the ordinary Nigerians) pay so much that even when you struggle to plan,
struggle again and pay the stipulated bill, they are angry and would inflate
the price the next day. Take for instance, parents sent their children to Unity
schools in Yobe state. Some of them met death and the lucky ones who escaped
were transferred to other close by Unity Schools, only for them to be asked to
pay for the cost of transferring them to their new schools! May the soul of
Aliyu who saw death and told his father he wasn’t returning to school only for
him to be coerced by his parents to resume school and in obedience met the death
he was almost avoiding, rest in perfect peace!!!
While I can go on and on and on to
seem as if our blessed country is the darkest of the horses, I implore all Nigerian
youths to begin conscious attempt at understanding that we hold our future and
that of our generations yet unborn in our hands, only if we agree with one
voice that APC, APGA, PDP, LP, AP etc are all the same. Funny enough this enemy
of the ordinary Nigerian youth is aware that one day we may have nothing to eat
and perhaps think of eating them; they have conducted themselves under
different platforms so we don’t catch them in one place at a time. Where does
the wrangling in the legislature between opposing political parties take us to?
Same position I guess! At the last Ministerial nominee screening, a brave young
Senator from Zamfara or so, apparently campaigning for a youthful and vibrant
leadership in Nigeria asked a certain, His Excellency Alhaji (Amb) Aminu Wali
if he thought it wise to appear once again in the Senate chambers to be confirmed
as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria after close to 30years or even
more (when the Senator was pretty young up until now that he has become a
Member of the red carpet chamber) of holding top government position including being
a Minister and an Ambassador in many countries instead of positioning himself
akin to political leaders of the then Northern Nigeria; the amiable President
of the Senate, the one who knows every part of the National Assembly where there
are banana peels stood to Alh Ambassador’s defense, “the time of the youths will
come”. Too bad!!! Well, Matteo Renzi an Italian born in 1975 once suggested those
Italian politicians who were of the same generation as Prime Minister Silvio
Berlusconi should retire; today he is Prime Minister of Italy! Hmmmmm!!!
It is regrettable that it seems blur
as to a possible period of genuine change when government shall begin to exist
for the common man in Nigeria, since some of us, either direct descendants of
the ruling class or benefactors of system irregularities have continued to dine
and wine with them only to share tokens of remnants when they meet with us and
feel that the journey is almost smooth. After all they are currently being
anointed to succeed their parents and godfathers.
Is it true that we were once called
the jet age? If it is true then our children are obviously of the Rocket Age! However,
a computer literate population of youths is continually being led by
traditionalists in Nigeria…and we think all is right. I remember Fela’s suffering and smiling and I am
also smiling.
All hope is yet not lost. In Osun,
Ogbeni Rauf is thinking like us, he saved hundreds of millions of Naira to
produce unique tablets (not slates, lol )
for school children (instead of painting his picture on textbooks in
preparation for re-election in his state). He is definitely of the older
generation but obviously has the future of his children at mind and would never
undermine their thoughts or decisions. But another state governor of Benue who
began his political career in the House of Representatives a little above 30
years (as acclaimed) was caught telling his people bluntly (i.e. if you like it
or not) he can’t pay teachers minimum wage because the state allocation compared
to other states like Rivers is meager! Gosh where lies the abundant and
redundant resources of the food basket state that could yield enormous IGR?
Gov. Rochas once acclaimed he is feeding the school children in Imo state in
addition to free education from an enormous security vote.
How long shall we continue to
celebrate when there is hunger, sufferings, mutual suspicion, deceit and deaths
on the stage? We must uncover this thick
lid covering our sight for change is now and when next we gather please don’t discuss
the latest cars when you are trekking or Justin Timberlake when you have
confidently left tomorrow to take care of itself.
Act now and we shall once again be
attempting to save our youths and democracy in Nigeria.