TheCable

A song we hear every day is Nigerians have prowess with a ‘can do’ spirit. We are die-hard hard workers who can squeeze water out of the rock. In the course of the last few years, I have tried hard to re evaluate the above in the real sense of what we are facing today. My conclusion is we may be a nation without any credible sense of self-worth and self esteem. We put up with anything until death takes its toll.

I am beginning to think we are becoming too fatalistic to know the difference between what is normal and what is abnormal.  We absorb lies for truth. Leaders keep brainwashing us with economic jargon. We keep shifting and drifting towards the wall to the extent there is no place to shift to, we are ‘suffering and smiling’ when we can actually say vehemently no more.

I hate criticism because it may seem the easiest thing to do for an irresponsible person. We have been told great people offer solutions not criticism.  But the beginning of any turnaround is an honest evaluation of where you are and where you can be. This will propel unholy anger to say no to rubbish and embrace full life which is available.

In 21st century, we are yet to get the issue of power and water right. We encourage mediocrity and celebrate irrelevance.Today if a governor or leader pays workers’ salary as at when due there is a celebration or praise singers around who will hail him or her. How low can we go?

If there is any recruitment process in many of our federal ministries and MDAs,applicants with no godfathers pay through their noses to be given a chance. A source from grapevine just hinted many paid as much as three million Naira. Depending on how juicy the establishment is. If an applicant can borrow as much as this in advance to ‘grease a palm’ what likely outcome can we expect? Interestingly we close our mouths and ears with a feeling of ‘what can a man do’

Recently Governor Seyi Makinde expressed shock about what he used to imagine what senior government officials salaries looked like. To him, he just found out the official monthly income of senior government officials when juxtapose with luxuries associated with them is difficult to understand. Why not pay them well and allow them to live within their means instead of buying many cars worth Millions for them without good pay? The fear of tomorrow and not wanting to live below such luxuries after retirement are pointers towhy   shoddy deals thrive underground.

Corruption may not be citizen of Nigeria as it has strong pull in every nation state. Just that where there are strong institutions, corruption exists in a less pronounced form.

People steal public fund with impunity here and flaunt it in our faces. Unfortunately we hail them without any questioning. ‘We are  all thieves, It is only the ones caught who serve as scape goats’ has become a cliche.Thing may be changing gradually, but the rate at which it is moving, it may take hundreds of years before it reaches significant destination.

We do say the sweat of of a labourer should not go dry before he he is paid. Here, sweat going dry is a child play when we look at what people go through. This happens in both private and public sectors. Many workers are not paid for six months and beyond. Yet they are commanded to be at their duty stations.  Employers have the feeling of doing them a good for employing them without pay. What a shame and deprivation?

In the midst of all these, our national lawmakers’ allowances, benefits and emoluments keep increasing. New regime members must have new cars and other luxuries. In the midst of these Nigerians will rather fight one another on the social media than to say enough. Known and alleged looters cross – carpet and their ‘sins’ are forgiven.

Nigerians will turn their eyes instead of speaking out against those who are robbing them of the commonwealth. This can cause a tribal war if the alleged looters are from particular tribe and someone from other tribes raised a finger against such anomalies.

Eventually we all suffered and those in government continue to have a good day. Our hospitals, schools and roads had become death traps and shadow of itself. We keep quiet like nations under perpetual bondage. When the least we can do is to speak out and demand accountability. When few amongst us or those in higher government positions are sick they fly out for better medical attention. This is the same with education of our children. Those who can afford the fees send their wards to nations where things work. ‘I better pass my neighbour group’ send their children to private educational institutions.

Only God knows who sold us the brief suffering and smiling are great human virtues. Our leaders understand our weakness. They know we will not talk or if some want to talk, it is a matter of spreading a slice of the ‘good tiding’ to them and that will be it.

I really do not know why it is difficult for citizens to demand from each government two essential things. If today it is electricity and quality education, in the next we can demand for good roads and health infrastructure.

With these, within four to five administrations we will be far ahead. Our personal self esteem and quality of life had become so low we accept anything. Hong Kong people just got what they wanted after peaceful protest which lasted over ten weeks. Nigerians seem not to have such tenacity of purpose. We need to know ‘anyone with I cannot die attitude should not ask for his father’s house chieftaincy title.’ To regain our dignity we must demand accountability from our leaders. That is the least.