BY: PRINCELY ONYENWE
Nigeria is not an exceptional in the recent dreaded crunch that has plagued the economy in a claustrophobic situation pending the passage and implementation of the 2016 Budget which has overstayed its time barge. The swift revolution became prevalent since the supreme power of governance shifted to the All Progressive Congress Party the economy is dwindling. We shall endure my humble prayer before long this unpleasant wind of change will be a bygone.
Virtually all the economic countries of the world including China and the United States of America passed through such economic meltdown over years and were able to bounce back to economically viable countries of the world.
It is no longer news that All Progressive Congress Party, APC has taken the centre stage of Nigeria’s political administration through a calculated victory over ex-president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). It was alleged that PDP led administration was distinguished by delayed in justice procedure, corruption and insurgency posed by the Boko Haram extremists which remained unstoppable by every machinery enforced on them until president Buhari took over office on May 29, 2015 and clamped on them vigorously.
It is becoming unfortunate till date the trend have shifted from insurgency to colossal starvation, non-availability of power supply, non-payment of workers’ salaries, shutdown of boarders & importation of foreign goods, increase in fuel pump price and high cost of living.
It is not a surprise by APC mantra of change, Nigerians may have over-estimated and over-preempted the president to perform magic over night to reposition the political destiny of Nigeria but are regretting it reversal effect on the people whose survival is of the fittest.
This in effect is a clandestine theory of life where the poor grow poorer and the rich raise richer. Our political leaders must understand the fact that on such cankerous theory of life citizens become headstrong and lawless, corruption turn out to be unavoidable and crime prone blossom. In such a situation where there is no respect for the rule of law, it will be so difficult to govern such a hungry citizen whose mental reasoning geared towards the survival of the fittest. That is to say a hungry man is an angry mind desperate to committing whichever sorts of evil to survive austerity.
But on a practical view where citizens are comfortable, governance becomes easy and administration flows smoothly otherwise unbridled imagination will certainly pulsate the float of governance. Possibly, in the course of advocacy for change, citizens must be careful of chanting the type of change they would want before the change could blow all of us to stupor. We cannot be in the process of change and at the same time become lawless and radicals. A time when hooligans feel they can freely exercise their unholy conducts thinking the law is abridged and anything goes.
This trying time of hardship is supposedly a season of reflection and brainstorming the best way to sustaining the polity and not for war-war? It is expected of Nigerian citizens to be guided and directed fittingly. People must not be too defamatory against the government that has not stayed above 12 months in office and the government can hasten action to save lives before it is too late.
Propably valuable lessons about our nation were offered during the 2015 election. It was an interesting opportunity to witness verbal punches, late speeches, bloggers, pirate and social media war. There were ethnic/religious sentiments, physical brawls, verbal punches, campaign of calumny.
We should not forget so soon during the electioneering, the same Nigerians complaining today predisposed Buhari is a man that is bound by his words and as such may have envisaged him to frayed injustice and corruption.
I think it is too early to start pointing ill fingers on the president who has within one year in office-reduced insurgency to the Lowest Common Minimum that PDP could not realize in the years they were in powers. The recovery of looted funds from corrupt politicians and its prudent management is the change Nigerians yearned for. But if it is not the exact change we wanted, then the South Easterners and the South Southerners deserve the political rights to ask the Ex-president his reasons for leaving these zones aloof and casted his dice on the northern States which more or less led to his defeat.
In addition, if the benefit of the South-South Zone is a folktale that once upon a time they produced a Nigerian President. Then, where are the South Easterners heading to? Are they preparing returning to their Jewish kingdom Shechenigbo or strategizing strongly to take over power by 2003 pending the political zoning calculus which has granted the northerners the slot to completing their tenure then?
Beyond doubts, the political class from the South Eastern Nigeria is deeply seeing APC party as an-Hausa-Muslim- based having its caretakers and stakeholders as core northerners. The reheat was on the ministerial appointment that had raised all manner of eye brow. They saw the number of Federal appointees from the South East as a sharp sign of imbalance and tribal sentiments. Also quest for more states, finishing point of the second Niger bridge and rehabilitation of railways may have provoked them playing opposition through desperate quest for the sovereign state of Biafra over the dust raised from the detention of the IPOB leader citizen Nnamdi Kanu. And perhaps in the mind of unborn South/Easterners is full of marginalization and disenfranchisement of political rights and privileges until they will clinch the presidential power which has eluded them for many years.
Though there may be certain incommunicable processes and mechanisms of legislation in politics. There are indicative signs that APC and President Buhari can stabilize ravaging anomalies and prosper Nigerians soon.
It is our high expectations to see a super flourishing relationship between the three Arms of government. The executive and the legislature irrespective of political or tribal differences must work assiduously to boost sanctity in the entire public range to synchronize the affirmative status of the youths into governance, to create more acquisition centers and fund the SMES to standardize Made-In-Nigerian goods in Aba and Onitsha. These will reduce unemployment and austerity and to ensure every Nigerian citizen is protected and treated fairly and justly as one brother soul and body.
Actually, the South/Eastern Igbos have the powerfully dossier to lead the nation but it is advisable for them to play part in the leading APC government to work from the inside discussion group to translate the incommunicable status of change desired to action. The change advocates must begin to talk less and do more at all time in lifetime as regards our government. This has been my viewpoint that is my ideology and philosophy of life, in its functional application can benefit us.
Definitely, this is not the time to continue playing opposition against the government in power even If northern extremists and western dictators dominate the party at the centre. The South/East and South/South politicians must begin to live above board “Acquired Political Deficiency Syndrome”. It is a retarding effect on the societal growth. We must not remain a minority class in the political encapsulations of Nigeria’s government that no other minority can accept.
Little wonder why Gov. Okorocha of Imo State amid claims and counter claims by the people of the state that poor stomach infrastructure, bad condition of roads and non-payment of workers’ salaries will make APC fail in the state subsequent elections harps on Igbo politicians, the South/South & South/East States in Nigeria to join APC & support president Buhari actualize the mandate of corruption free government which will in-turn produce an Igbo President.
We cannot forget so soon the core intrinsic worth of our founding leaders like Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe whose legacy stand on nationalism & brotherlisim to sustain a one united & indivisible Nigeria. Nigeria is a blessed nation. She is the treasure of the entire world and the home of naturalness. We must not divide to part away sheepishly. However, even if the Biafra, Oduduwa or Afanifere may come to stay; I opine it shall come at God’s own time. Its quest must not distract our unison and the political structure must be strong enough to include the predicament of the masses”
As we are looking up to APC and President Buhari to bring back home to the rural communities the desired change so echoed about, let us also be guided by the profound theories of Locke, Descartes, and Bentham “Our Love of Country, our commitments to justice and equality, our belief that our future is brighter and our destiny lies in our hand to shape. Nigerians have to think less on what will separate us and be grateful for what binds us together. This is the way forward.
Princely onyenwe is a public affairs analyst, human rights activist and a renowned journalist. 08036856526.
