Now the year is
coming to an end and another election is around the corner. We have started
hearing all sorts. In Nigeria, a country I call and most people call the “The
Israel of Africa” – election time is characterized by failed promises,
betrayals, accusations, assassinations, blame shifting, name calling, decamping
and the negative list continues. This is so sad, I remember how as a Nigerian,
I looked forward to the last American elections especially the period before
the election (3-6 months pre-election). This period you witness the most
sophisticated debates and promises/ itemizing the plans/ objectives of the
administration. A society where you know what parties stand for.
Pause …………..
Uhmmmm. In
Nigeria, during the military administration, we knew it was a boss and servant relationship
(clearly defined). In the civilian rule which involves party systems, you can’t
pinpoint what the parties stand for. This is a very pathetic situation. I ask
myself what does PDP stand for? What does APC (amalgamation of CPC and CAN)
stand for? What does APGA, SDP, LP, NRC etc. all stand for?
Am sure, there
would be answers provided by the various leaders. The issue isn't the answer provided but what is exemplified in the various administrations/leadership
tenures at various local, state and federal levels.
Pause …………..
My mind is very
busy once again and this time its thinking in the direction of what an average
Nigerian expects from the Government. To this end, it has drafted a mail/letter
to the government.
Pause …………..
THE LETTER TO THE GOVERNMENT
The Inner
Chambers,
Of the average
Nigerian Heart,
Every day, Every
Month, Every year.
The Government,
Local, State and
Federal levels
Dear sir/ma,
TO WHOM IT MAY
CONCERN: OUR EXPECTATIONS
It is a rare
privilege to be given the opportunity to communicate the pains of many hearts
to the government of the country. My heart/mind weeps daily and this has been
affirmed by other Nigerians I have had communications with at various times. To
this end, my heart/mind has taken the mantle of communicating the relatively
obvious/pronounced pains on the heart/mind of various Nigerians both home and
abroad.
Pause …………..
Time travel
reminds me vividly of the campaign in 1993, at a point when we had two
prominent parties SDP (Social Democratic Party) and NRC (National Republican
Convention). The two candidates MKO Abiola (SDP) and Bashir O Tofa had a
presidential debate which was heated and it felt like there was hope for
Nigeria. They stated and talked about plans to do a lot of things such as education,
electricity, health etc. ……
Pause …………..
Take a deep
breath and this is 2014, the government and various candidates of the parties
have the same plans as that of 1993 (21 long years after). This is very sad and
pathetic. However, our needs haven’t changed and there is a need for constant
reminder to people in leadership/government.
Pause …………..
Its 54 years
after independence and we are still called a “Developing nation”. I actually
feel this should be changed to “Underdeveloped” because we aren’t static instead
we are getting worse. Look around. We cannot boast of excellent roads or better
still roads devoid of potholes/ death traps. I have journeyed across various
states and it’s the same in almost all part of the nation. Once, I asked who
was responsible for the construction of a road and the response provided was
“The road is a Federal Road”. As a citizen, I don’t want to be concerned with
whose responsibility it is. State, Local or Federal government are supposed to offer
service to the entire populace. Another pathetic response we don’t want to hear
is the fact that the state is governed by PDP, APC, CAN, APGA, SDP or whatever
nomenclature the parties have, we just
want functional motor-able roads as opposed to existing death traps.
Pause …………..
I watch the news
and in my journeys to other parts of the world, I see light trains, trains,
water jetties, structured road transport system. I ask myself the question,
don’t our leaders see all these when they travel. I and so many other Nigerians
want to be able to sit at home and book a train ticket because I don’t want to
drive. Please give us functional
alternative sources of transportation.
Some years back
we could boast of being a peaceful country in the midst of the multiple terror and
violence that exists in the world. Right now, we are swarmed by TRIBAL and RELIGIOUS
conflicts, which were the trademark of primitive societies in past eras. From one
group or the other, (I am trying not to mention any group’s name), we lie
miserably in the grip of terror, unsure of when the next bomb/explosive will go
off or when the next machete will be swung violently/disastrously.
Violence/terrorism has now become a typical part of the day in Nigeria, we have
gotten so used to the news of bomb-blasts – very pathetic situation. Kidnapping
is another major issue. The number of young girls, and people generally that
have been captured/kidnapped cannot be provided by any one. A situation that is
appalling. These insecurity issues are too much, we just need a safe and secure
society.
Pause …………..
My heart and
mind stops and skips a bit at the rate in which the questions and issues of the
country just keep increasing. Then my mind/heart instructed my hand to check
Google – “the great oracle that knows a lot” and search for Nigerian problems.
Uhmmmmm. So
amazing, the list of problems as stated by various individuals and groups.
However, my mind became attached to a write up by one Nigerian which I chose to
add to this write up. It states:
And so, why is Nigeria like this? Ask a
million Nigerians and you will get a million reasons. Nigerians, it must be
said, are very good at identifying problems. We’re all experts at discussing
“the trouble with Nigeria”. Nobody can take that away from us. The only setback
is that we usually don’t proffer solutions. Ironically, you hardly find Nigerians
who are ready to accept that they are part of the problem—or even part of the
solution. (Olusegun Adeniyi wrote recently that everybody is fighting
corruption—at federal, state and local government levels—and that leaves you
wondering who is actually doing the corruption. I’m still laughing.) It stands
to reason, however, that your perception of the problems will influence your
choice of solutions.
Pause …………..
Public schools
are a study in deterioration. Our hospitals are like an incurable disease. Our
international airports are a journey into chaos. We have an airport in Nigeria
currently with faulty conveyor belts. I imagine a foreign investor coming into
the country and this is the first experience he/she gets. This is really sad.
Civil/Public service
is a gutter of decay, the epitome of inefficiency and extortion. We wear
corruption like an adornment and exhibit various loots like a gold medal from
an Olympic. You can hardly get anything done in the private or public sector
without partaking in corruption. We need our amenities fixed. As for corruption
it starts with you and me.
We need good schools that function with
the right amenities in place.
We are tired of a situation where private education and the need to send
children abroad for educational purposes become paramount in the hearts of
parents. A venture that is so expensive and also encouraging the exportation of
our national talents. I sit back and think of the number of Nigerian talents
sent away due to lack of so many things in the nation. A saying I am familiar
with points to the fact that “the people are the greatest asset of a society”. We ask that the government to invest in
Education and research. Give us a good educational system.
There are a lot
of things to talk about but I am trying so hard to keep it short for the sanity
of my mind and to avoid sounding too negative.
Pause …………..
In the cause of
my thinking, I get a debit alert from my account and my heart skips. I am sure
you are wondering why the heart is skipping.
It skips solely
because I felt the amount left in my account won’t be sufficient to buy fuel
for my generator for the week. I sat back doing a mental calculation of the
amount spent on fuel on a weekly basis. I get home and meet darkness. It is a
norm to hear from the gate of my estate till I get to my place of abode,
various sounds and melody of generators as the welcoming sounds. I can’t
remember when last I saw light. I only hear from neighbors that there was light
in the afternoon when I make a public complaint. The heavy investment on
inverters has come as a succor to some homes. However, this shouldn't be. My
mind races to the various TV programs where you see some countries generate
electricity from various sources and I ask myself: Why can’t Nigeria do this?
This question was asked at a forum once and gist has it that a top government official
said “The generator business is a multibillion Naira investment that cannot be
touched”. If this statement is true, then there is fire on the mountain.
I personally
believe the solution to most of the problems in the nation is POWER GENERATION/
ELECTRICITY. I once heard the statistics of the number of manufacturing
companies that folded up in 2013 in a state. The number was put at over 400.
Pause …………..
Let’s do some
mathematics and draw inferences.
Employment:
Let’s imagine each of the companies had a minimum of 5 staff. That gives us a
total of 2000 unemployed people.
Health: From the
calculation above, it means you have approximately 2000 people who have at
least 5 family members. This increases the number to 10000. Now you have over
10000 people who are unhappy and indirectly have health issues.
Crime: Now
imagine the number of jobless people, because the numbers keep increasing. The
unhealthy people can no longer work at optimal levels, hence they lose their
jobs.
Corporate Social
Responsibility: Imagine the companies exist and every organization is saddled
with a corporate social responsibility which revolves around water, health
care, roads etc.
Pause …………..
I guess you can
relate to my point that electricity / power generation is key. It solves
Unemployment, reduces health issues and allow provision of good health
facilities, roads are constructed, education is available and affordable, and
research is promoted.
It has been very
easy stating the needs of Nigerians. However, the challenge/ agitations I have
are centered on: How do we make sure we are led by the right people at local,
state and federal level? How do we
ensure we move from individualism, name calling, and blame shifting to solution
finding, collective governance, and patriotism?
At this point,
my mind has grown so weary and chooses to take a rest.
Looking forward
to getting a positive response to the needs and a time when we would transit to
the status “A DEVELOPED NATION”
Yours
faithfully,
Nigerian mind(s).
