On-the-way-i-see-the-nigeria-socio-economic-and-political-bearings-of-today-and-tomorrow
September 7, 2020 | News
THE WAY I SEE THE NIGERIA SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL BEARINGS OF TODAY AND TOMORROW
It is very easy to criticise others but it is not really easy to provide the workable solutions that is needed to transform a dysfunctional society such as Nigeria. There are just too many bad people all around, most of whom are used to the easy and free money from our collective wealth. In my own view, President Buhari has not done well on securing the lives of poor and innocent Nigerians. This is also as result of the long and irresponsible past governments in positions of power, which started in Obasanjo's Era of 1999.
There is no magic on how to address the fall of the Nigerian Naira, if the nation does not produce anything for global consumption. Nigeria is best known as a 'consumer nation' that is producing next to nothing for export. Apart from our raw crude oil and natural gas, which we export at a cheaper global price index and then import refined petroleum products and other items at a higher cost, Nigeria cannot boast of anything else. In fact, over 1000 items that can be produced from crude oil and natural gas are all produced by others, while Nigeria is only good at importing them into the country at higher prices. How would a country that is producing nothing get a strong currency? It is not possible. That is why our Naira is weak.
No economic magic policy that will address this if Nigeria has refused to be a producing nation. They now export 'political meetings' and corporate workshops to Dubai. The same Dubai that was not known few years ago. I think Nigerian leaders, and the ordinary common Nigerians are the problems themselves. They have refused to hold their leaders accountable for doing nothing. Nigerians are part of the problems and not entirely Buhari. When the people have refused to accept change, of course everything will crumble. Nigerians must be able to think. Please tell me where is all the money that was budgeted for the NDDC, Federal Ministry of Niger Delta, and the 13% derivation money? You don't see the impact in all the communities in the Niger Delta region. We keep on blaming the government for the problems created by the same set of people that are doing the blaming. The issue is not accumulation of Degrees and Diplomas, but it has to do with 'thinking to address problems'.
You see, the problem with Nigeria is not just the corruption but the inability to apply our thinking faculties. I am sorry to say, the average Nigerian does not think. They have all the degrees in the world, hold fancy positions, but they do not think. In other countries there is corruption, but the people think, so they know how their corrupt actions affect others and their countries. In Nigeria, there is no thinking. Corruption is a fundamental human right here. It is the way of life. The people do not even bother to know how it has put them in the situation they are all complaining about.
If you go round the rural villages in the country, there are only few poor villagers you will see there. The elites and politicians have abandoned their ancestral villages for the cities, and so the villages are occupied by the poor people. You can't see any social amenities there. The elites and politicians keep on collecting all their development money and keep for themselves and families. No body to challenge them because the place is occupied by the poor people, who are without a voice.
Some few years back, in a well circulated post, I saw a video of James Manager struggling on Okada to get to his village, which they don't visit, unless it is time for election rigging. And there are no reasonable population in these villages, yet they produce the highest imaginary votes, far more than the crowded urban cities. They have refused to take development to these villages, so that the politicians can continue to cheat their people because the villages are not accessible. Their politicians, who have refused to execute development contracts, are usually the ones shouting deprivation and neglect. They keep on saying my people are neglected. However, most of their children have never been to their villages. So, who will develop their villages for them?
All the Yoruba, Hausa villages have been abandoned for only the poor people who live there. Obasanjo is not from Abeokuta town. Ask Iyabo Obasanjo how many times she has been to her village, that is if she has ever been to her village in Ogun State at all? The politicians and elites live in the cities with their families, and so who will develop the villages for them? Is that how UK, US, United Arab Emirate (UAE) were developed to what they are today? Their villages (Country side) are developed and so the elites live in them, while the cites are occupied by the struggling class. Most of the people who work in London don't live in London. Their politicians go every day to work in London by the train. So, most of the problems we see today in Nigeria are caused by the people themselves. The former Governor Saraki was seen some few years back, driving through a muddy road on his way to his home village in Kwara State, which we are certain he has never slept there any day. He is not from Ilorin, and his people are happy with him, they don't even hold him accountable for not developing his village. But now that he has been disgraced out of power, his people have lost all respect for him. The Boko Haram and Fulani herds men security threats are sponsored by criminal politicians who are very desperate to rule the country at all cost. So, you see, the Nigerian situation is indeed a complex one, which only those who use their brains to think, can be able to solve. Until we have 'thinkers' as political leaders across all levels of government, Nigeria will remain a developing third world country.
Zik Gbemre.
February 29, 2020.
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
It is very easy to criticise others but it is not really easy to provide the workable solutions that is needed to transform a dysfunctional society such as Nigeria. There are just too many bad people all around, most of whom are used to the easy and free money from our collective wealth. In my own view, President Buhari has not done well on securing the lives of poor and innocent Nigerians. This is also as result of the long and irresponsible past governments in positions of power, which started in Obasanjo's Era of 1999.
There is no magic on how to address the fall of the Nigerian Naira, if the nation does not produce anything for global consumption. Nigeria is best known as a 'consumer nation' that is producing next to nothing for export. Apart from our raw crude oil and natural gas, which we export at a cheaper global price index and then import refined petroleum products and other items at a higher cost, Nigeria cannot boast of anything else. In fact, over 1000 items that can be produced from crude oil and natural gas are all produced by others, while Nigeria is only good at importing them into the country at higher prices. How would a country that is producing nothing get a strong currency? It is not possible. That is why our Naira is weak.
No economic magic policy that will address this if Nigeria has refused to be a producing nation. They now export 'political meetings' and corporate workshops to Dubai. The same Dubai that was not known few years ago. I think Nigerian leaders, and the ordinary common Nigerians are the problems themselves. They have refused to hold their leaders accountable for doing nothing. Nigerians are part of the problems and not entirely Buhari. When the people have refused to accept change, of course everything will crumble. Nigerians must be able to think. Please tell me where is all the money that was budgeted for the NDDC, Federal Ministry of Niger Delta, and the 13% derivation money? You don't see the impact in all the communities in the Niger Delta region. We keep on blaming the government for the problems created by the same set of people that are doing the blaming. The issue is not accumulation of Degrees and Diplomas, but it has to do with 'thinking to address problems'.
You see, the problem with Nigeria is not just the corruption but the inability to apply our thinking faculties. I am sorry to say, the average Nigerian does not think. They have all the degrees in the world, hold fancy positions, but they do not think. In other countries there is corruption, but the people think, so they know how their corrupt actions affect others and their countries. In Nigeria, there is no thinking. Corruption is a fundamental human right here. It is the way of life. The people do not even bother to know how it has put them in the situation they are all complaining about.
If you go round the rural villages in the country, there are only few poor villagers you will see there. The elites and politicians have abandoned their ancestral villages for the cities, and so the villages are occupied by the poor people. You can't see any social amenities there. The elites and politicians keep on collecting all their development money and keep for themselves and families. No body to challenge them because the place is occupied by the poor people, who are without a voice.
Some few years back, in a well circulated post, I saw a video of James Manager struggling on Okada to get to his village, which they don't visit, unless it is time for election rigging. And there are no reasonable population in these villages, yet they produce the highest imaginary votes, far more than the crowded urban cities. They have refused to take development to these villages, so that the politicians can continue to cheat their people because the villages are not accessible. Their politicians, who have refused to execute development contracts, are usually the ones shouting deprivation and neglect. They keep on saying my people are neglected. However, most of their children have never been to their villages. So, who will develop their villages for them?
All the Yoruba, Hausa villages have been abandoned for only the poor people who live there. Obasanjo is not from Abeokuta town. Ask Iyabo Obasanjo how many times she has been to her village, that is if she has ever been to her village in Ogun State at all? The politicians and elites live in the cities with their families, and so who will develop the villages for them? Is that how UK, US, United Arab Emirate (UAE) were developed to what they are today? Their villages (Country side) are developed and so the elites live in them, while the cites are occupied by the struggling class. Most of the people who work in London don't live in London. Their politicians go every day to work in London by the train. So, most of the problems we see today in Nigeria are caused by the people themselves. The former Governor Saraki was seen some few years back, driving through a muddy road on his way to his home village in Kwara State, which we are certain he has never slept there any day. He is not from Ilorin, and his people are happy with him, they don't even hold him accountable for not developing his village. But now that he has been disgraced out of power, his people have lost all respect for him. The Boko Haram and Fulani herds men security threats are sponsored by criminal politicians who are very desperate to rule the country at all cost. So, you see, the Nigerian situation is indeed a complex one, which only those who use their brains to think, can be able to solve. Until we have 'thinkers' as political leaders across all levels of government, Nigeria will remain a developing third world country.
Zik Gbemre.
February 29, 2020.
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes