PEOPLE’S EXPECTATIONS FROM MR PRESIDENT (1)
F irst and foremost, the essence of this two-part article is to speak for the common man on his expectations from Mr President. The man who without platforms like this, has no voice. The man who is not interested in the technicality of issues but the pain these issues are causing him. The man, who does not understand the depth of Economics, intrigues of Politics or complexities of Security. The man who just wants and needs to know why his dreams and hopes for a better tomorrow has been vanquished and fallen like a pack of cards before his very eyes. I don’t know, if like me, you saw the interview with Martine Dennis with Mr President in Al Jazeera a few weeks ago. And I must say, Martine was well prepared because as she asked hard-hitting questions! But Mr President’s demeanour throughout the interview made me uncomfortable. At some point, Mr President even said it seemed like she knew more about Nigeria’s problems than he does, a comment which seemed laced with a veneer of sarcasm if you ask me. But reaction we expected was for Mr President to show patience at times like this and make it seem to the public that everything will fall in place eventually. He was not portrayed in the best possible light because of the terse short answers he gave to certain probing questions, one of which was about the issues of what was going to happen to parents like himself with children studying abroad, who are now facing the possibility of having to pull their kids out because they can actually no longer afford to pay for school fees. Mr President responded that the country could afford it and so be it. And when she reiterated with a somewhat sarcastic retort by asking if his own kids will continue their studies, no doubt, he was not fazed and kept a deadpan expression on his face. Weaker men would have cringed at being put in a spot but not General! “So it’s tough luck?” asked Martine and Mr President, not particularly popular for his diplomacy responded, “Well, that’s the true situation we are in.” But if he wants our children to relocate how about him, Mr President, setting an example? Pray tell, if we had globally competitive education here why will anyone want to send their children abroad at such astronomical costs especially when you do the conversion…at the old rate, not to mention the atrocious new one now! One would have expected, or rather expects that Mr President should have been able to assure his host that part of his agenda (which it should be) is the tireless work being done to invest in and improve the educational system to make parents keep their children here in furture. Any man who initiates strong reforms without an alternative for the common man is often a scapegoat for any kind of dissatisfaction. Too drastic a change can have the opposite of its desired effect. No matter how quickly he want to turn things around, if the effect is extremely negative with no hope in sight, it incites anger, disappointment and bitterness. This transition has to be done with expertise, wisdom and knowledge of those who know their onions in the various sectors. This is why we expect Mr President to make us feel like this change is an improvement of the past not a worse version. In fact someone sent me this message that had it not been too close for comfort, I would have laughed it off…it went like this,
Bring Back Our Corruption!! With corruption a bag of pure water was N80. Without corruption a bag of pure water is N150. With corruption Dollar was N180. Without corruption, Dollar rose to N400. With corruption I have 20hours electricity at low tariff. Without corruption I have 7hrs electricity with 45% increase in tariff. With corruption keke to my house takes N50. Without corruption
keke to my house takes N100. With corruption, smallest Indomie was N40. Without corruption, smallest Indomie is N60. The list goes on and on but I just have to take a stand..#Bringbacknairs…#IStandWithCorruption #Bringbackourcorruption #Wakawakabuhari. Brothers and Sisters, you will agree with me that we need corruption in this country … Titus Sardine started with 4 fishes, it reduced to 3. Then now it is 2. In years to come, you’ll open Sardine and see ‘Try again later!
Some might find the ‘joke’ a bit extreme but right now, it has a ring of truth to it … not the corruption part, but the vicious rise in cost of livelihood and people are feeling the bite so badly.
There are still so many unresolved issues and what is most dis-heartening is that we are paying a very high price for the sins of a few, which we would have taken in our stride if we could only see the light at the end of this seemingly endless dark, very dark tunnel. We are also ready to ‘suffer’ with the untold hardship, harshness of climate and tightening of belts if we are assured of a better tomorrow. Where there won’t be free money flying around anymore because corruption has been eliminated and all the loopholes in doing business and government work in Nigeria have been eradicated. Where you do a contract, spend 80% and make 20% profit rather than spending 20% and making 80% profit so as to have enough money to ‘settle’ the ‘insiders’. Where jobs, positions and contracts are allocated to people not because of their origin of birth, who they know but because of what they know about the job at hand. Where the corrupt Nigerians who put us in this mess are prosecuted, jailed and their properties confiscated. It will also be nice to update the public when it happens, how it happens and what was retrieved from each of these culprits and also Mr President needs to let us know where these retrieved monies will be channelled to. These facts should be made open to the public and accessible for them to use later for History lessons for our future generation on the Repercussions of Theft! People are very bitter and by no means expect those who embezzled the country’s coffers not to go scot-free. It is more painful now because part of our suffering today is lack of funds in the system which has affected every single aspect of our livelihood today. All because a heartless few mercilessly syphoned billions like a hoover sweeping the carpet! People who require Forex for their businesses are unable to conduct it further because banks do not have enough money! With a nation naturally blessed like Nigeria, less that 20% live above poverty line. And this number is reducing by the day. This is why, Mr President, you cannot let this matter rest. Our jail candidates must not be allowed to escape. The B-rated soap opera being unravelled before our very eyes must be handled to the very end with the outcome pronounced for all to witness. Game time is over. As far as I’m concerned, with the extent of abuse of power these people imposed on themselves, some of them should be locked up with the keys thrown away...and even that will not be punishment enough. The punishment for decades of abuse of stolen wealth should be well meted out on this past dispensation so as to set a good example for future generations to come. We are embedded in the ruins left behind which we as a nation expect Mr President, to salvage. He knew what he was up against but I don’t think he realized just how deep the rot was until he got there. We need the blueprint of Mr President’s projected Nigeria and more importantly, his ability to assure of a better tomorrow is something he cannot underestimate. We are prepared to go on the journey of retribution and salvation but he has to carry us with him and not treat us like children to be admonished for the sins of a few in the midst of plenty. Whatever decisions he makes, he must remember to put us and our livelihood (or lack thereof ) into consideration. He cannot just close a tap without providing a well for us to manage until the tap is fixed! He owes it to us. You cannot fight a battle without carrying your soldiers along. It’s not a question of there is no food to feed. A father, even in the most trying times, does whatever it takes to put food on the table no matter how dire the situation is. He doesn’t just suddenly stop feeding them, and without consolation or coersion, simply turn off the light and command the children to sleep on empty stomachs with no grumblings made or questions asked! You have to make provision and create an atmosphere that will tide them over until the struggle to resurrect the ruins left behind has been achieved.
Watch out for the final part of this article next week…
No matter how quickly you want to turn things around Mr President, if the effect on your people is extremely negative with no hope in sight, it incites anger, disappointment and bitterness.