Nigerians have never been more confused about their situation than now.
Of the economy, management of public funds, healthcare, security, education, democratic and religious practices, etc; not even experts in the various fields are in agreement as to the rightness or wrongness of what is currently going on.
Considering what was achieved sometime after independence from the colonial masters, it would be more appropriate to describe our present day Nigeria as the relics of a once precious African dream. A geographical scrapyard of its former enviable self.
As a stopgap, there has been an urgent need of leaders that will take the country back to the boom period, even if it has to suffer the consequences of being left behind by a world racing towards the future of technologically empowered impossible-possibilities.
As it is today, the threshold that befits the posture of galavanting as a lucky winner amongst numerous political bidders or the head of Africa’s most populous country, remains to be earned by the current regime. With a promise to renew broken hope, President Tinubu needs a public barometer outside of the reports of his band of appointed experts, to determine the true outcomes of his realignment processes.
While the task of fixing Nigeria’s numerous problems is no doubt far from being easy, the most resilient part, which are Nigerians, themselves, ever willing and ready to either support good governance or withstand onslaughts from repressive policies and regimes, are sadly becoming apprehensive of policies fashioning them into additional scraps to complement Nigeria’s scrap-yard of dead industrial activities and edifices.
The deal to revamp the rot in Nigeria’s ailing mainstay (Petroleum) rightly needed the courage with which President Tinubu ended the highly contentious subsidy regime. Jumpstarting our dilapidated industries and activities can also benefit from the reinvigorated diplomatic outreach, taking Tinubu to strategic parts of the world. And if only at this time, maintaining a bloated political appointments is strategic to soothing discordant embers of regional sentiments within our seemingly fragile unity; it can be overlooked but tampered with the wisdom of exposing such appointees to the real business of the day, devoid of exuberant financial gratifications, and less of returns on political investments.
But more essentially, the real deal that Nigeria needs right now, is the kind of leadership that can process all of the above as well as not making Nigerians suffer the treatment of leftover scraps. The unfortunate situation of being treated as the proverbial wet clothes that are thrown outside of the house after toiling with its owner to achieve the set goals in the rains and other ruinous conditions.
When Tinubu came on board with the slogan – ‘Renewed hope’ it presupposes that he too, understands there is so much despair in the air, and therefore the need to reawaken people’s believe in their rulers; and more on account of the role he played in canvassing the All Progressive Congress’ electioneering hope-imbued messages which roundly suffered setbacks of broken vows.
A few days ago, speaking during a press conference in Abuja, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi called on President Bola Tinubu to travel round some States, visit some health facilities to ascertain if Nigerians are truly having a fair-deal from his assumption that all the goodies being worked out for Nigerians, are enough to instill understanding, patients and accolades.
I believe it really makes no good sense if a parent claims to be toiling so hard to offer the children a most memorable Christmas or birthday celebrations, when the children are neglected to suffer ailments that keep them mentally broken and physical scrapped.
From the ‘polygamous’ nature of Nigeria, it can be very tasking and strenuous for a father aiming to successfully manage its complexities. However, fathers that have attained the height of successful polygamists, intelligently deploy ways to interface with the children aside the suggestions or prescriptions of the wives’; just as Nigerians would expect President Tinubu to gauge the mood of the citizens, outside the reports of his appointed experts.
Successive regimes have done poorly from the syndrome or practices of ‘the winner takes all’ with the heads surrounding themselves by persons, who envelope them in self-adulating cocoons, preventing the hearing of contrary opinions, as well as attending to such divergent views as stumbling blocks.
Patriotic and informed oppositions are not essentially to subject the ruling class to acerbic criticisms. If not understood as combative and echoes from bad losers, can be highly productive in shedding light on what can be done differently for better, cost effective and people-sensitive results. It is also critical enough to expose the depth of an opposition’s patriotism, preparedness and capacity to assimilate challenges and provide needed responses. Somewhat like an opposition’s mock examination.
This is why many think Peter Obi should have earned a laudable badge from rendering the preferred kind of opposition, and be regarded as one, who truly wants President Tinubu to succeed for the benefit of all Nigerians, instead of the President’s men calling him out as a dangerous distraction.
For some persons, President Tinubu is well cutout with the qualities to test the true workability of Nigeria’s continued unity and achievable progress. He is educated, physically mobile, a maverick who understands the intricate web of Nigeria’s politics, tested in the act of governance, seems nationally minded and knowledgeable, wealthy and hails from a significant region of the country, which voice should be heard and respected in balancing the ‘leg’ upon which the country stands, and above all, courageous enough to question the ‘ownership entitlement’ of any region, when such entitlement does not possess the seed of equity or common good.
From the aforesaid and more is President Tinubu expected to step out clearly in building an all inclusive government, because a lot is now hinged on the precipice of either making or breaking Nigeria. And whereas the task of making Nigeria work again may appear daunting when assessed with a selfish and egotistic mindset of ‘the winner takes all’ yet a charitable mindset would appreciate the simplicity of leading Nigerians, who are loving, patriotic, understanding, tolerant and most especially, brilliant enough to assist in providing workable solutions to common challenges.
Even as Nigerians are receiving the cheering news of the country’s refineries being geared up to work, ideal attention given to the ailing steel industry, mineral exploration better streamlined to add needed values, road infrastructure on the upbeat, agribusiness turned alive; it cannot be overstated that the actual gains from all of these is to see cheaper fuel, gainful employment, safer environment, improved standard of living, and of course the ruling class not displaying lifestyles in sharp contrast to those they are serving; knowing that nothing reveals the integrity of a transaction better than when for instance a cook looks better fed than those he is employed to serve.
Most importantly, it cannot be overemphasized that governance is guided by the principle of understanding that no matter what the ruling class knows and means with its intentions, the citizens are to ultimately validate the essence of all, and whose expectations, no matter how poorly presented, should not be treated as heresy or prophecy of doom.
Ogbeide-Ihama (Email: mustardaffairs@yahoo.com)
Gatekeepers News is not liable for opinions expressed in this article; they’re strictly the writer’s
