ECONOMIC HARDSHIP: AN URGENT CHANGE OF GUARD
A cursory look at the Federal Executive Council, you will see it filled up with journey men. People that were selected to be rewarded or compensated. This situation has led the team to work at cross-purposes. While one side is talking about this, the other side is talking about that. I do not really see a handshake between the fiscal and the monetary side, or an understanding of the role that solid minerals are supposed to be playing in all of these. Technology is hiding and the trade and investment desk is totally out of her league. The Osun oga in blue economy is just biding his time and petroleum is dancing around like a gigolo. Dear sir, now that I am on your side, let me say something. You really need to shake up this cabinet and do it NOW! It’s all about confidence. Nigerians and indeed international counterparties want to see better optics, they want to have the confidence that they are talking to the right people and as such would be better able to cut deals and negotiate better deals for us. In this regard, permit me to recommend some names. Fola Adeola readily comes to mind, he fostered the pensions reforms which has seen that industry grow to over N3 trillion in valuation. Another person is Bimbo Ashiru who is presently the Chairman of Odu’a Group. He understands industries and finance. He did remarkably well in Ogun State as Commissioner for Commerce opening up the space and throwing up what little industrialisation you see there. His work with Odu’a Group has seen the group expand very aggressively into areas that are out of their core groupings with remarkable results. Bring back Nasir El-Rufai, he is stubborn, dogged and cannot be compromised. He is the devil we need in the equation. Donald Duke is another person. His clarity of purpose, understanding of the new economy and visionary status will help us. Jallo Waziri is at the CSCS. He is an AI expert and has leveraged technology to grow funds under their custody upwards of N14 trillion. Ambode, Fashola, Mustafa Chike-Obi,
Ezekwesili and others like that should all be given a look in. At this point we need experience and not people who will come and learn on the job or people who will be appointed to satisfy political expediency. You should also set up a new council of state that would have all Bank CEOs, MDs of firms with capitalisation above N1 trillion, trade organisations to be meeting weekly until the economy is resolved. The meeting alone sef will make the markets calm down. Sir, you need to show an expansive and robust approach to tackling the matter rather than this one where blame is being thrown at Buhari, Emefiele, governors and prostitutes. Let’s stop that, you are the Commander-in-Chief and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, rise to the occasion oga. consequence to you. With one blow you can scatter her brains. You are all powerful and engaging and you are a lion. But as you roar, she quickly grabs your balls and squeezes. My brother EFCC Chairman, your voice will turn to a whimper, your eyes will budge and turn red and you will experience the kind of pain you can only imagine in hell. You will fall on your knees and beg for your life. That is what these forex crises are about. Some people are holding Nigeria’s balls and squeezing it real hard and it is not by force that you will save Nigeria. Carrying big guns and pushing your men in cheap suits and that red thing they wear to “attack” mallams, as we call them, all over the place. This will only worsen the situation especially if they are licensed BDCs. What we need now is adequate policy, negotiations and some people have mentioned amnesty. I have heard about this amnesty in so many places recently. People are saying that we should allow a “prosecution freeze” so that the estimated $80 billion in