Is Nigeria getting worse? That is a very provocative
question. I have found that most people that hate Nigeria are very eager to
agree that Nigeria is getting worse, while a lot of those that love Nigeria are
very hesitant to admit that Nigeria is in decline. Well, I am proud to be a
Nigerian, but I cannot lie to myself or tell you that Nigeria is doing just
fine. The evidence is undeniable. Our economy is ill and is rapidly getting
worse. God handed us the resources to be one of the greatest economic machines
in the world and we have wrecked it. But until we are willing to look in the
mirror and admit how bad things have got, we won’t be ready for the solutions
that are necessary. The truth is that there are things that we can do to
reverse the decline. It does not have to be permanent. We have got away from
the things that made Nigeria great, and we need to admit that we are on the
wrong path and start fixing this country.
question. I have found that most people that hate Nigeria are very eager to
agree that Nigeria is getting worse, while a lot of those that love Nigeria are
very hesitant to admit that Nigeria is in decline. Well, I am proud to be a
Nigerian, but I cannot lie to myself or tell you that Nigeria is doing just
fine. The evidence is undeniable. Our economy is ill and is rapidly getting
worse. God handed us the resources to be one of the greatest economic machines
in the world and we have wrecked it. But until we are willing to look in the
mirror and admit how bad things have got, we won’t be ready for the solutions
that are necessary. The truth is that there are things that we can do to
reverse the decline. It does not have to be permanent. We have got away from
the things that made Nigeria great, and we need to admit that we are on the
wrong path and start fixing this country.
But if we choose to continue down the road that we are
currently on, it will lead us into the darkest chapters in Nigerian history.
currently on, it will lead us into the darkest chapters in Nigerian history.
If someone had written a story about what is happening now
in Nigeria 20 years ago, people would have laughed and said “Wow that is a good
story, but it would never happen here, not in our Nigeria.” But now, the joke
is on all of us. Nigeria has turned into one big comedy club where the audience
is wearing a frown as they listen to the president cracking his “Change” joke.
The president speaks of change from the same mouth that he nominates those
purported to be ministerial nominees. He should tell us what change he expects
from the list. How do you achieve this change doing the same old things with
the same old people? Some governors on the list are still entangled in
corruption allegations levelled against them by their successors. What happened
to your zero tolerance to corruption mantra? This whole change thing is
becoming a gargantuan joke that is not funny at all.
in Nigeria 20 years ago, people would have laughed and said “Wow that is a good
story, but it would never happen here, not in our Nigeria.” But now, the joke
is on all of us. Nigeria has turned into one big comedy club where the audience
is wearing a frown as they listen to the president cracking his “Change” joke.
The president speaks of change from the same mouth that he nominates those
purported to be ministerial nominees. He should tell us what change he expects
from the list. How do you achieve this change doing the same old things with
the same old people? Some governors on the list are still entangled in
corruption allegations levelled against them by their successors. What happened
to your zero tolerance to corruption mantra? This whole change thing is
becoming a gargantuan joke that is not funny at all.
A devastating economic collapse has left the country in a
stagnant decline, where Nigerians are still sleeping under bridges, ghettos
like Ajegunle are overfilled, while almost all houses in Victoria Island and
ikoyi lie vacant with ‘for sale’ banners hanging on almost every gate, the kleptocratic
politicians openly steal billions of dollars, and remain free, while people
charged with petty thefts go to jail and have no bonds, protests break out and
are quickly stifled by an authoritarian police force, media houses are getting
shut down and becoming government controlled and relay repeating news stories
that have little to do with real events, and are more focused on propaganda and
nonsense, a politician takes several multimillion dollar vacations at taxpayer
expense, while ordinary Nigerian families cannot afford the skyrocketing food
costs, the senate is hopelessly unable to pass any kind of legislation that can
benefit average Nigerians, but easily pass legislation benefitting themselves
and usurping the constitution, prisons are built and manned waiting for those
who dare to speak the truth against to power, the roads in estates built by
politicians and their rich cronies are tarred over and over while the areas
occupied by the poor masses are left in ruins, terrorists are granted amnesty
and pacified with fat monthly allowances while law abiding citizens are
gnashing their teeth. Whew! Did I miss anything? What about a hero? Maybe a
small glimmer of hope. Maybe Buhari? hopefully. I would like the next paragraph
of this article to read, “At Nigeria’s darkest hour, the people defied the
odds, and ignored the experts and elected a man of character and convictions to
the office of the Presidency, and the said man restored the constitution,
defeated boko haram, brought back the missing Chibok girls, brought justice to
the people by arresting the evil men and women responsible for years of death
and debt upon this nation.” Now I like that ending. Will it happen? I hope to
God it can be so. If I told a story 30 years ago that Nigeria will be worse off
at 55, would you have believed me?
stagnant decline, where Nigerians are still sleeping under bridges, ghettos
like Ajegunle are overfilled, while almost all houses in Victoria Island and
ikoyi lie vacant with ‘for sale’ banners hanging on almost every gate, the kleptocratic
politicians openly steal billions of dollars, and remain free, while people
charged with petty thefts go to jail and have no bonds, protests break out and
are quickly stifled by an authoritarian police force, media houses are getting
shut down and becoming government controlled and relay repeating news stories
that have little to do with real events, and are more focused on propaganda and
nonsense, a politician takes several multimillion dollar vacations at taxpayer
expense, while ordinary Nigerian families cannot afford the skyrocketing food
costs, the senate is hopelessly unable to pass any kind of legislation that can
benefit average Nigerians, but easily pass legislation benefitting themselves
and usurping the constitution, prisons are built and manned waiting for those
who dare to speak the truth against to power, the roads in estates built by
politicians and their rich cronies are tarred over and over while the areas
occupied by the poor masses are left in ruins, terrorists are granted amnesty
and pacified with fat monthly allowances while law abiding citizens are
gnashing their teeth. Whew! Did I miss anything? What about a hero? Maybe a
small glimmer of hope. Maybe Buhari? hopefully. I would like the next paragraph
of this article to read, “At Nigeria’s darkest hour, the people defied the
odds, and ignored the experts and elected a man of character and convictions to
the office of the Presidency, and the said man restored the constitution,
defeated boko haram, brought back the missing Chibok girls, brought justice to
the people by arresting the evil men and women responsible for years of death
and debt upon this nation.” Now I like that ending. Will it happen? I hope to
God it can be so. If I told a story 30 years ago that Nigeria will be worse off
at 55, would you have believed me?
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