A reporter said we were basking in the euphoria of having exited recession, a second read of the newspaper, one dares ask, who exactly is the “we” that is basking? Are we really basking? This country is on a downward spiral and the leadership are explaining it away, they are simply reading newspapers filled with bad news that are largely their own making.
Let me tell you about those basking in the light of all the troubles, problems, palavers bedevilling this nation, the politicians are basking and their days may be numbered. Leaders who bequeath debts in trillions to unborn Nigerians are the same that have security of all manners; one soldier, policeman, and a civil defence. If we don’t deal with these and address our collective amnesia, all the discussion on restructuring and renegotiating will be in vain because whether at federal level or state or local government level the problems are the same. We have weak institutions, and powerful individuals.
So what do you see when you read the newspaper? NDLEA intercepts container loads of tramadol and you wonder how about those that were not intercepted? With the once small scale business of kidnapping, now growing into a multinational establishment, schools are not safe and what do we get from our leaders the senator and the sitting governor who exchange words on who is a champagne drinker and who is suffering from a protracted mental illness and schizophrenia.
While the Buhari-led administration insists on military action, the visuals that the public are exposed to simply portray a government that is speaking from many sides of the mouth and watching as a nation slides. Chasing shadows and leaving the substances, there is no nationality, we are divided by religion, by faith, by creeds by languages, by professions, social customs and values, class and political identity, we mouth unity in diversity, but in practice our very own divide and conquer us, when we are our enemy, the establishment is a small foe.
Nigeria can’t and won’t work because we are not ready to work together. If we are going to demolish our strongholds of bondage, we have to recognize the power that lies within us, we cannot keep reading newspapers; our leaders are bad news, can they disappoint us and do right—Only time will tell.
Prince Charles Dickson PhD
pcdbooks@yahoo.com
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