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THE FATE OF NIGERIA
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By Yahaya Balogun
June 12, 2008
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The last general elections in Nigeria have further exposed the ineptitude of
our leaders to the civilized world. The government of Obasanjo will go down in
the history of Nigeria as the most corrupt, deceptive and callous
administration.
When Olusegun Obasanjo was elected in 1999 presidential elections, Nigeria
wanted a change from the claws of military dictatorship. The masses were full of
high hopes and expectations that Obasanjo would deliver the dividends of
democracy,(a deceitful slogan of People Democratic Party PDP). Obasanjo
succeeded in presiding over the dehumanization and impoverishment of the masses.
So steep was Nigeria economy and infrastructures decline during the 1999 to date
that it became known as the ‘lost years’. Government claimed to have recorded
huge success in the revitalization of the economy but the masses continue to
wanton in abject poverty with dilapidated infrastructures. In one state after
another standards of living plummeted. The lower class continues to be poor and
poorer than they had been at the time of independence. The economy was crippled
by debt, mismanagement and a complete collapse in social amenities, Power,
water, railways, roads deteriorated. Schools, Universities and hospitals were
starved of funds. Scientific facilities and researchers in various Universities
became casualties.Energy sector has collapsed and the whole nation has been
plunged into total darkness. The Universities witnessed the incessant strikes by
lecturers over Obasanjo’s nonchalant postures to their demands. He ran the
affairs of government like his private estate. The clergymen and religious
leaders were insulted by Obasanjo publicly without due respect to their
positions.
Nigeria drift to the position of a failed state due to callousness and
hedonistic ways of our leaders and the massive disconnect from the needs and
welfare of the people. The People Democratic Party PDP wanton in self-delusion
and self-glorification having used the state apparatus and resources to launch
and reengineered propaganda to the enlightened and civilized global community
over the situations in Nigeria.His administration witnessd the most wantom
distruction of lives and properties.Political assasination and deliberate
massacre of the people of Odi community and other communities were ugly events
that will continue to traumatise the psychic of the affected surviving families
and Nigerians. The parlour and degrading state of the people of Niger Deltaa is
a big embarrassment to Nigeria as the six largest producers of crude oil.
The post independence of Nigeria has witnessed a massive retrogression in our
socio-political lives. The economy still wantons in doldrums and depression. The
past and present leaders celebrate mediocrity. There is a huge disconnect
between the leadership and the masses. In spite of the substantial returns from
the sales of crude oil in the international market, and the country position as
one of the leading members of the oil producing countries, and number three
supplier of crude oil to the United States, the basic structural foundations of
the country continue to be in a state of disrepair.
The pertinent question is: Why is Nigeria in spite of its endowment in human and
material resources continuing to wallow in political turmoil and economic
depression? The answers to this question are not far fetched. Firstly, the
political class innate and corrupt tendency to amass illegal wealth at the
expense of the hapless and deprived masses. The last administration of Olusegun
Obasanjo in spite of its pseudo-economic reforms and the deceitful
anti-corruption campaign, the hedonistic lives of the Nigerian political class
were exposed. Governors of some states could not account for the periodic
Federal allocations running into billions of naira. Governors in some states
reportedly met empty treasuries. The hapless citizens are always at the
receiving end. Nigerian roads continue to be death trap. The educational
institution in all ramification is near collapse. The prices of essential goods
in the common market are beyond the reach of the common man as they continue to
wanton in abject poverty. It is disheartening and nauseating that the deprived
citizens are made to pay for the inefficiency of the government.
The present administration started on the right footing but it is derailing
fast. Yar’Adua’s symbiotic relationship with Obasanjo might be an impediment to
his taking good decisions. The recycling of those who battered and made the
economy epileptic and prosrate is a signal that Yar’Adua might after all be a
surrogate of the last administration as claimed by his critics. Nigerians in
diaspora are not happy with the comatose nature of the country economy.
Something must be done fast to alleviate the suffering of the masses.
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