Nigeria on the brink

We are always in the news for the wrong reasons. Boko Haram promised a Christmas day present for the FGN or Nigerians. The security forces went to sleep on this day. And who am I to blame them when their heads are clinging to power like their life depends on it.

Rather than tackle security issues which is engulfing the nation, the FGN prefers to remove oil subsidy which we doubt if it exist in the first place. A lot of their effort is channelled to selling this venture. The presidency has drawn the battle line against all who oppose the oil subsidy removal. Not even a revolution can make him change his mind.

The unity and patriotism amongst the people is at a record low. The populace are not bothered if the nation divides. The ruling class wants the nation intact because there is still a lot to loot. The opposition may want it divided because it’s an opportunity for them to mount the throne and reign supreme. We have entrusted our life and future into the hands of criminals turned politicians and we expect so much from them.

There is no silver lining to keep our hopes. There is little or nothing at stake for the common man and I pray the President sees it. I implore the president to ignore his advisers and listen to the people because there is a disconnect between the people and the government. He also has the option of ignoring the people and going ahead with his stubborn stance. For the nation to remain one and for the peoples hope to be rekindle, the government has a lot of listening to do…so that we may remain one while you all are in governance

Letter to the Economic Team.

I have listened to your arguments on televisions. Unfortunately i could not watch the question and answer segment due to power failure in our area. That’s a natural phenomenon in Nigeria. I am sorry to say i really don’t understand the charts, graphs and digits you guys where quoting. I still don’t understand if there is a difference between removal of oil subsidy and increament in pump price of petrol.
Perhaps, i should tell you my situation and you should use it to explain the benefits of oil subsidy removal. I am a graduate and i teach in an unapproved school where i earn 20k per month. I spend 4k on transport monthly and feeding takes about half of the salary. Luckily for me I don’t pay rent as i stay with my parents at age 35. I have never enjoyed anything from Nigeria has I have to pay for all. The government has always been telling to sacrifice and hope for a better future which never comes. Now, this administration has also come with messages filled with promises, telling me to sacrifice once again. I give given so much in terms of sacrifice to Nigeria and it’s only the ruling class who have benefited from my toil. Give me reason why I should sacrifice once again? Tell me these crops of leaders are not part of the previous deceitful administration. Will I ever enjoy a good Nigeria in my lifetime?
So can you explain to me in simple terms how life will become better after subsidy removal? Sorry, i lied somewhere. I lost my job. Please don’t tell me you feel my pains because none of you have ever been in this situation in your life. Not even the man who had no shoes.
Angry Nigerian 

Withered flower

When Babatunde Fashola was re-elected as Governor of Lagos State someone told me we sure aren’t tired of flowers. It’s amazing the greenery of major roads and major parts of the island and mainland. I don’t understand what is happening with the maintenance of these gardens ever since the administration was returned to power. The people have witnessed past administration with no achievements thus seeing so much flowers and paved walk ways was like gold.

IMF assisted road projects; concessions, take almost the whole percentage of road works in the state. The state has spent a lot more money on showcasing their so called achievements in the media. The LCC commenced collection of tolls on the Lekki road. Lagos State Government with the help of the media played down the protest even though the state resulted to the use of violence. Nothing is being said of the acclaimed life(s) that was lost. No touts were arrested rather the peaceful protesters were arrested.

The scales are falling from the eyes of Lagosians but it hurts that it took so long for people to see clearly. Little is heard or seen on activities of the administration since returning for second term. Even, those who voted predicted nothing fresh or new is expected from the leadership.

Now, we have to wait and sit out the remainder of the tenure and watch the flowers wither...

Starting point...

We lost our morality, lost our family values. Our religious leaders have failed us in every way. They preach while they who should be role models act in contrary. Our churches are PLCs making more money comparable to the NNPC. The Overseers have made it a family business. Followers are taught not to ask questions, they are to follow blindly or remain gullible. The Muslims are not left out; some of their leaders tread this line of business.

It should be easy to differentiate between wrong and right but a whole lot of us are lazy and won’t use our brain. We can’t read the Holy Books to help direct our path. We prefer our so called religious leaders to read and ‘misinterpret’ the meaning to us. We also prefer a congregation that says the Holy Books allows bum shorts and nudity in places of worship. I thought we are to adjust our lifestyle to suit the religion. Rather we are adjusting religion to suit our lifestyle. We claim to be righteous yet we act in an opposite direction.

We can’t look unto our political leaders for development and neither can we look to our religious leaders for guidance to salvation. We have been brain washed to the extent that we demarcate religion from politics. How could both which have so much impact on our life be separated? Shouldn’t the people go against a tyrant and wicked leader? We prefer to let them carry on with the misappropriation and embezzlement.

Woe unto whoever said religion is the opium of the people. By the time we go back to true religion, we’ll realize we don’t deserve the kind of leaders we have. We will realize God wants the best for us. Until then, we continue to complain and wail.

If we can ask a Goodluck Jonathan questions, why can’t we ask our religious leaders? And if we can’t ask them, it’s time we start reading to understand the holy books and using it as our guide. 

Comedians-In-Chief (CIC)

The budget proposal is out and there is no provision for oil subsidy. As it is now, there will be increase in price of petrol. The President sounding a note of warning to ‘troublemakers’, said even a revolution won’t make him go back on the fuel subsidy removal. So it’s the people’s wish against the presidents wish.

My concern lately is the presidency’s comments in the media. I find it disturbing when some comments come from the Presidency. The statement on cassava bread was laughable and outright irritating. I wonder if the speech was written or rather the president thought of it and just said it without weighing the implications.

‘Trekking to school barefooted’ was the pioneering statement. A lot other statements have followed and I wonder what the advisers of the president are paid for? Perhaps, they want to ridicule the presidency or is it that the president doesn’t take advice from them?

Past administrations created the impression that the presidency was corrupt and insensitive. The current leadership should have redeemed itself but it chose to add to the negative perception. The presidency displays arrogance, lack of direction and this is quite (un)impressive.

Word for them, we lost all hope in this administration. Just like the immediate past administration which had nothing to show, we expect not little but nothing from this administration. Keep up the comic works for the remainder of the administration.

A bigger monster

Many of those who champion the course against corruption, bad governance and social injustice face huge task. Those who are supposed to encourage them are sometimes among the people who will say they are wasting their time shouting at a deaf government.

Our problems in this part of the world ought to have been solved by electing a new government but it’s certain this approach may never be fruitful. The electoral commission which should serve as an umpire in the change process may not totally be independent and unbiased. Though the current leadership of the electoral body is a big improvement to former one, that doesn’t make them near perfect or perfect. The judiciary, the common man last hope is just an extension or tool of the ruling class. A lot are so positive about the activities of the oppositions but they are just another cabal of rogues fighting for their own portion of the loot. The opposition is waxing stronger, claiming territories with the support of the people (who are been deceived). The media only inform the people on what their financial stakeholders want them to.

The opposition have a stronger grip on all of its pawns, the judiciary and even the independent electoral commission of their regions. They claim to represent true democracy but we have seen clear signs of dictatorship. They are riding on the gullibility, illiteracy and trust of the people. Why should I blame them so much when the enlightened ones who ought to be neutral umpires have sold their soul? We have allowed sentiments to erode our rational thinking and have failed to ask questions. We have overlooked corruption within them all because they are opposition who claim to be on our side. We love their corruption as long as they use the media judiciously to brain wash us.

The ruling class as well as the opposition seem to be on different path but yet they are after the same thing. I hope we will realize that the nation is really divided into two; the ruling class which also includes the opposition; and the masses on the other end. When this sinks deep into us, then we will take the future into our hands.

Corruption is the monster we are facing but looking at the tentacles the elites have spread all over the nation which engulfs the judiciary, the security agencies and all others, then we have a bigger monster against us. We have failed as a nation and as a people. We have also failed as a family and society because our leaders are a good representation of what the average man is. Its time to correct these anomalies because enough is enough.

Why there won’t be a revolution in Nigeria.

The current economic hardship been felt by the people coupled by insensitivity of government makes it look like Nigeria may have its own share of uprising against government. This is a country where it is the suffering masses who have to 'tighten their belt' and brace up for more hard times whereas the governing class makes it very important to show off ill-gotten wealth at every opportunity.
There is no gainsaying if I list the achievements and living conditions of Libyans during Ghaddafi era. Egypt which is still in mild turmoil has citizens who have a better living standard. I looked at the scenes of protesters clashing with police and I see beautifully lit streets. They have a functional health system where ambulances are ready to take injured protesters to hospital. I was asked to ask myself what these people want again. Could it be that they lack the basic things? If they lack good governance and basic things then where do we stand as Nigerians?
The former leaders which the Egyptians, Libyans and currently Syria are fighting against have some things in common. They have frozen out western influences on their economy if not totally. These are countries that have enjoyed peace for a long time with a very good economy. What could have provoked the populace to confront the government? Is it because they don’t have the support of the western world? Or because power might shift hand if these once stable nations continue on a part of growth and peace?

We Africans especially Nigerians whose policies are dictated by the western world yet have an awful economy won’t stand against government injustice. Perhaps our stooge leaders are puppets to the 'powers that be' of the world. Maybe the western world has a lot to gain with the state of our nation and economy. We may not experience even non-violent revolution because we are indirectly ruled by some who make so much gain from the current deplorable situation
I expect no revolution, not even a non-violent revolution from lily-livered Nigerians. We are so much pleased with the decay. The corruption means little to us. So, let’s keep castigating the Ghaddafis, the Mubaraks, the Assads and let’s continue to applaud The Jonathans, The Tinubus and also justify all wars by the US and western worlds when its obvious the wars are un-called for.
As it is, i see doom in future, cause the generation of the present youth is wasting away. No one will tell anyone not to wait for his destiny. You go grab it.