TheCable

The more I rub mind with informed folks from other African countries, the clearer it becomes to me that we are all suffering from the same malady on this continent. It is the same story from Zaire to Zimbabwe and from South Africa to South Sudan. Africa is both the most endowed and challenged continent. Things that are blessing other continents have become like a curse to the African man. Natural resources are blessing men and women of other countries, but not Africans. Africa is a continent so rich in natural resources, but home to many poor Africans. While the African man is wallowing in poverty, his political leaders are very rich, though.

Nigeria is called the giant of Africa, probably on paper. Giant in size and her leaders are giant liars. It is easier to get a coin that got lost centuries ago than to get to find the truth in the corridors of power in Nigeria. His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan released a book, a few days ago, profiling his transition hours in 2015. And immediately after the book was launched, many versions of his transition hours are hourly hitting the airways. This is one of the major reasons why the African man does not trust his leaders. And it is so sad.

Since I was not there during the actual transition hours—of a man who once enjoyed the goodwill of Nigerians before experiencing their fury, it would be very hard for me to know what truly transpired in the seat of power—in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Everything in the corridors of power in Nigeria is always shrouded in secrecy and someone as his Excellency, Rotimi Amaechi was asking Nigerians to trust them. How can our people trust political leaders—who are not transparent and sincere? It is absolutely impossible.

The African leaders do not know how to build, but they know how to enjoy what thinkers, planners and hard-workers of other continents have built. This will take me to what the arrow-head of Russia said about us some hours ago. Putin said and I quote: “when an African becomes rich, his bank accounts are in Switzerland. He travels to France for Medical treatment. He invests in Germany. He buys from Dubai. He consumes Chinese. He prays in Rome or Mecca. His children study in Europe. He travels to Canada, USA, and Europe for tourism. If he dies, he will be buried in his native country of Africa. Africa is just a cemetery for Africans. How could a cemetery be developed?” First, I’d say that Mr. Putin does not know us in Africa as much as we do know ourselves. He spoke about rich Africans, but little did he know that those who are extremely rich (without days of little beginnings) in Nigeria and Africa as a whole are either African leaders or those who are close to them. Take for instance in Nigeria, those who are heavily rich are the guys in the corridors of power and those close to them.

Let me leave Africa as a continent alone and zero in on Nigeria. Fifty-eight (58) years ago, Nigeria was rated to be one of the promising countries that would shake the world for good, but fifty-eight (58) years after, she is still crawling. Why is she crawling instead of flying as other sane climes? It is the terrible mindset that President Putin graphically described in synopsis. It is the unproductive-mindset that does not know how to build. It is the backward-mindset that loves to enjoy what other nations have built. Now that Rwanda is heading northward, in no time, our leaders would start taking our collective patrimony there, buying houses as they have done and are doing in Dubai today. This is what our leaders are known for, globally.

They send their own children to best place of learning in Europe while deceiving the Nigerian people that they are building world-class education system for them and our people are also rare breeds—who have been wrongly programmed by religious leaders that it is a sin to hold politicians accountable, even within the confines of our constitution. Most Nigerians love to follow like dumb-sheep being led to the slaughter. My fellow citizens are probably the only set of people on earth—who are too cheap to govern. Just identify with their chains once in every four (4) years and claim that you worship the same God they worship, then you are free to lead them to the woods and one thing is sure, you’d never lack the music of their accolade. It is a strange nation!

A few years ago, many Nigerians perished in Saudi Arabia where they went to worship God, but till today, nothing has been done by the Federal Government of Nigeria to penalize the Saudi Arabian government and it would amaze you that Nigerians keep trouping there every year! As if that is not enough, a nation that her constitution says that she is secular annually sponsors her people to “Jerusalem” and the “holy land” while their own land remains unholy. And when we return from Saudi Arabia, our thinking does not change a hoot. How about Christians too? They go to Jerusalem also to worship God and when they too return, nothing changes about the way they think and see national and global issues. They return home to pray Nigeria to cleanness and economic greatness—as if it is prayer that has made Israel to be what she is today on earth. Israel heavily fund research and they are very strong within the context of entrepreneurship.

Taking this burning issue a little further, I still do not understand how Nigerian leaders do not feel ashamed for always traveling abroad for medical checks, but they keep lying to their fellow citizens that they are building affordable and world-class hospitals. If you cannot use what you daily say you are building, then what is the essence of what you are building? For about four (4) years, PMB has not been able to reproduce the same hospital that saved his life from being lost some months ago. If English leaders were like our own political leaders, he would have died.

Nigeria cannot truly grow until it becomes a rule (that attracts stringent punitive measures) for both the children of the poor and rich to school here. And it must be passed into law that both the poor and rich are not allowed to go for medical checks outside Nigeria. Also, it must be passed into law that anyone caught—doing money laundry should be sentenced to death by hanging. Until these happen, Nigeria will not truly develop as a nation and it will continue to remain as cemetery for lazy-minded and rich political leaders and their cronies.