Most Nigerians old enough remember the famous quote of late Umaru Dikko when he said we did not appreciate Nigeria: flowing with Wara and Honey. We cursed him for even thinking of any Nigerian eating from garbage. We have come to realize today that those living in Nigeria: Free Education, Industrial and Housing estates, regardless of ethnic or nationalities. Especially in Western Region (First In Africa): lived in Paradise then better than the Western world today.
Africans in general and Nigerians in particular have many challenges on their hands right now, these are trying times. Many went from 0-1-1 to 0-1-0 and 0-0-1 to 0-0-0 in terms of hunger. Some of us went back to the same curse of Umaru Dikko. We have Nigerians crying out loud that they are hungry: searching garbage cans for food while unpredictable elements that are also suffering and running out of the country gloating.
The hunger Nigerians face today is manmade, not lack of arable land. The soil is blessed and anything that can feed us can be produced on our farms. So, how can we be surprised that Nigerians are hungry, running away from terrorists and bandits while the powerful and privileged class enjoy their lives in peace and security. We have more than food but powerful countries invade to cart away uranium, gold, diamond etc. sold by unscrupulous retired Army Generals.
Africans have too many albatrosses to fight at the same time, apart from hunger. Nigerians are fighting terrorists and bandits all over the country demanding land for peace; kidnapping people for money in disguise for the spread of Jihad to the sea. The Christian Crusaders seized upon it as an opportunity to invade and save Christians. Islam and Christianity are not indigenous African religions. It is some African tolerance of every greed that got us into multifaceted wars.
We must wake up. If we do not know where we are going, we know where we are coming from. Indeed, foreigners claim we do not make use of chances we have in Nigeria, where they see opportunities to make a great deal of money. This is why old warriors like Winston Churchill used their Oriki called panegyric or eulogy to wake up the British soldiers: Once More Unto The Beach Once More. Oriki is very important, if anything, to remind you of past accomplishments.
The governments tried all they could to bring down the price of common commodities so that everyone could afford necessities. The more supply of food the governments in all the states provide, the more middlemen hoard foodstuffs so that they can sell at higher prices later. Even manufacturers tried to flood the market as the Federal Government allowed importation again Yet prices never went down anyway.
When the Central Bank stopped backing the naira and let it float, there were cries that imports became dangerously expensive. The importers of toothpicks, pencils, used electronics and clothes cried that their businesses were targeted. Some traders would dare make money at any cost when the naira exchange rate was getting stronger compared to foreign currencies. The Moneybags brought out their hoarded naira from file cabinets, burial grounds and bullion vans to flood the black market, sending the naira value tumbling down again.
You wonder who loves Nigeria. If it is not businessmen hoarding food, it is retired Generals buying AK47 for poor Fulani to become terrorists and bandits. But their children are sent abroad to expensive schools draining our Foreign Reserve. Remember now, the Orkah coup complained about those who collected ten percent as bribes. A much better situation than we have now as militrician’s cronies collect 100 percent and more to secure the next contract.
We become big spenders like rich children in a toy store locally and famously known as conspicuous spenders around the world. Nigerians are so proud of our token successful children overseas that we forget the majority who are equally talented but whose skills are wasted or underemployed abroad. Many professionals left well-paying jobs abroad to come home and lecture in the universities or start their own business. More is needed to transform Nigeria, not less.
Yet, stalled educated Nigerians abroad cannot use all their talents to develop Nigeria at home. So, we beat our chests out loud as if Asians are not accomplishing more than us outside and reducing poverty at home. One of the Niger Delta activists who used the genuine suffering of his people to collect ransom. He now displays his beautiful house and cars on social media while his people are poorer than ever in debilitated environmental communities.
The three leading Presidential candidates reflect decadence. Nigerians in Diaspora must stop complaining about home if they cannot fix the problems. If you leave terrorists and bandits in charge, it will be sheer hypocrisy to complain that they ruin your country. If you do not like how it is run. Form a quorum with those sacrificing and getting arrested daily for contesting and running for election. What do you expect if you get stunted abroad leaving vagabonds to rule?
Actually, the world has lost sight of value, replaced by Nuclear strength for disadvantageous relationships with countries without Nuclear power. We are witnessing the return of the Cowboys and the Indians. The difference between the old centuries, acting them in movies and this century present is the impunity to come out “gun a blazing” on poor weaker countries. While no super power would dare other poor countries with nuclear power like North Korea.
Chairman Mao was right: Nuclear Bomb development before hunger. Bomb devastation is much worse than hunger! They will rather starve developing nuclear power as a deterrent than allow another country to kill their people. We cannot deny realities in the face of poverty created since the incursions of Military leaders we thought were going to solve most of our problems as China.
Nigerians were living on past glories of their grand fathers and mothers’ achievements. As a result of all play and little hard work, they relied on free money or became daylight armed robbers. Even the Treasury and any allocation were not safe from greed of money snatchers.
Monetization of trade by batter has created billionaires based on speculation and arbitrary trade but no creation of values to build on substantive products.
It is still unbelievable that Nigeria, the world depended on as a potential Regional Power, has lost its blessings out of greed for a few who go gun blazing for power. They are encouraged and supported by Western and Eastern countries’ banks and offshore accounts. By the time they get old or die of sickness abroad, their accounts are lost. Even when some of this loot overseas is recovered, another set of looters is waiting to collect.
Farouk Martins Aresa @oomoaresa1
