Our Chibok girls were kidnapped on April 15, 2014 Inexplicably our Dapchi girl-child, 15, Leah Sharibu is not released.
Obasanjo says Nigerians are frustrated. Not an original observation, sorry though he is not correct. Nigerians are very, very frustrated and have been very, very frustrated almost all their lives and the lives of their parents as well from a lack of love of Nigeria by its leaders. Currently, we are at the deliberate but still inexplicable nine-month serial delays in budget approval, a wicked, evil and successful attempt to ruin the economy. Add the perpetuation in politics by, and the easy manipulation of the media of, the old and largely failed past presidential guard in the country’s highest offices. The imposition of candidates, the continued financial consequences of the massive theft and misuse since 1999 of our public funds precipitating the pauperisation of the citizen but not the politician who still illegally, legally steals irresponsibly and mentally inexplicably huge funds masquerading as salaries and perks with no remorse far in excess of the sums stolen by all the criminals convicted of fraud and theft or even enjoyed by politicians in the best economies in the world. Nigerians are indeed very frustrated that politicians from all major parties rub citizens’ noses in their poverty while politicians get richer. Unfortunate.
It is a pity that our president is ‘proud to declare a State of Emergency in Water -Sanitation and Drinking’. Similarly a new vehicle launch boasts it has a car that can ‘Cope with Nigerian Roads’ like Peugeot of those days ‘Made for Nigerian Roads’. When will we have roads like everywhere else? Only if the political class make that decision between self and citizen.
The NLC and all bodies going on strike separately should put as Number One on their agenda what many citizens consider to be Enemy Number 1- the National Assembly (NASS) and force it to cut its hyper-greedy salaries and perks, SAPing Nigeria dry. NLC etc should also target the colossal constituency projects and lead a campaign for cancellation of in favour of relocating the funds into the ministry budgets. NLC should also campaign to put politicians on the state and federal salary structure at levels up to level 20 or even level 24 for president. These could have been part of the fight for increased minimum wage. Perhaps ASUU, striking for improved services and fulfillment of long past agreements should remain on strike and be joined by other bodies like the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, until NASS recants its exorbitant and extortionist emoluments greater than in any other political class worldwide.
The reason why the education budget is so much lower than the UN recommended 26% is that the politicians trivialise the need to equip education to a level at par with anywhere in the world. Nigeria has always had the money for education. Just see how many trillions have been unaccounted for, and therefore stolen, during the military misadventure and since 1999. Witness the abandoned projects and disappearing funds for pensions and salaries. The money for education and even good quality health and good roads was and is there but it was and perhaps is, to a much lesser degree, diverted to corruption-driven projects and the greed of politicians, contractors and civil servants. They are like a plague of locusts on citizen. Their steps to amend the constitution are belated and an afterthought to placate a population disgusted with its non- passage of the budget for nine or 10 months. When did our thieves stop stealing a few millions and move to a billion and more? Was it not under the military that their ‘chop-chop’ appetite was whetted? If the huge sums were never stolen, there would have been funds for all important projects to railways to meet Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs. Of course it takes a leadership that is anti-corruption in morals, policies and cash and bullion matters. At present we have a leadership which appears to be failing in parts of this definition and the violence and ethnically-based appointments are there for all to see. Would he jail those who are suspected of corruption but who gave him support to win his first term? Will he turn on the apparent corrupt friends-in-high-places making them strange bedfellows, if he wins a second term? The story is told that he surrounded himself through his top main appointments with the Daura Mafia because he is hell-bent on preventing being ousted by another military coup a la Babangida, who is still very much around and by the way is planning an autobiography!!!
Personally I cannot give a kobo of my money to Babangida for his autobiography as his reign left a very bad taste in my mouth, a huge dent in the dollar value of my naira, created the first wave of professional refugees heading abroad, and an increase in the Monetary Policy Rate under the vulture International Morticians Fund and the Woe Bank. However I hope as a tribute to Nigeria, and as a penance for sins past, he will give away one million copies of the book. And readers please do not dustbin the book or burn the book before reading it. No knowledge, no matter how annoying, is wasted. I do not expect revelations of pre-coup plot meetings or assets declaration in the book.
- Uncover ‘I LOVE NIGERIA’ KNOWLEDGEABLE CANDIDATES for 2019 -SDG 16.
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