Nigeria is a blessed country with huge rich human and natural resources,as well as exquisite fuana and flora. The People of Nigeria are however some of the poorest in the world ,while the Government is one of the richest in the world .The Gulf of the squalor of the people and the splendour of the Government is tied to the unconscionable callousness, with which those that run the affairs of state ruin the State with mindless corruption and mind boggling greed.
Those that run the Nigerian Government at all levels have one thing in common by what ever political party called: *AVARICE* .
When they want to build housing schemes ,they will build houses that the poor can not afford and mortgage same to themselves who already have houses .When Nelson Mandela of blessed memory became president of South African ,he built about one million units of room and parlour self contained apartments for the poor .Nigerian Government Officials will build duplexes, which the poor can not afford and sell same to themselves and cronies .The wealth of the Country keep revolving around the same people and their children.
During the Pandemic ,a client from the United States sent me money and I asked her how she got the money amidst the pandemic ?She said it was from her covid-19 relief package given to her by the American Government,not as a Citizen ,but as a resident ,which was paid directly into her bank account.The Citizens of the United States sure got higher payments.What did we get from our Government during the Covid-19 : Curfews ,lockdown, arrests, arraignment in mobile courts and some times ,detention ?Forcing people to wear facemasks ,when same were not provided for by Government.
Billions of Naira were allegedly looted under the guise of giving out Covid-19 packages. covid-19 in Nigeria was code named covid-419 ,because the Rulers looted the common wealth dry ,doing school feeding programme ,while there was a national lockdown and all the children were at home .You wonder whether they fed the children in their dreams .Some times ,these “execu-thieves” think we are fools or that we do not reason !
These Rulers purportedly shared cash in a cashless society, where almost every one has a Bank Account and a Bank Verification Number.We did not see whom they shared the cash to,while many Nigerians were dying .
I will illustrate the heartlessness of Nigerian Rulers with this story. I run a Platform on whatssAp and our Members in all donated just around a million naira to give Palliative to the needy.With that we reached out to 105 People ,who got one small bag of rice ,one small bag of beans ,5kg oil ,indomie ,face masks and hand sanitizers and some persons even got cash .Imagine what we would have done with a billion naira ?
The ENDSARS protests exposed the callousness of the Nigerian Ruling Class ,who will bring a carton of indomie for a building of 10 Households ,while they have starched away,lorry loads of palliative,that were eventually looted by the ENDSARS Protesters
There is no social security system in place in Nigeria.In other parts of the world ,we hear of food stamps ,soup kitchens ,credit cards ,out of job benefits ,the elderly benefits ,care givers provided by Government ,etc.Here in Nigeria ,when workers retire after 35 years of service or attaining the age of 60,which ever comes first, instead of paying them their benefits ,they will screen the pensioners severally ,until half of them are dead!
90 Percent of debt owed to Banks are owed by less than 1 Percent of the Population .The same people who owe the debt are the billionaires you hear of, on a daily basis.If you that does business wanted a loan ,they will frustrate you ,while giving the same loan to those who already have .
The Nigerian Poor are like National Orphans, with no provision for them ,if there was no money for them to feed .So,some of them resort to crime .The Law tells them not to commit crime ,but the Law does not tell them not to be hungry.Providing basic necessities of Life to your Citizens brings about a more peaceful society.
The Nigerian Government Officials should spare a thought for the poor and formulate policies that will favour the poor as opposed to the elitist policies that accentuates the gap between the rich and poor .
Dr Franz Frannon ,the Algerian Revolutionary Leader said ‘
*When consciousness power meets powerless consciousness ,the result is double tragedy*
About the Author:
Douglas Ogbankwa @ douglasogbankwa@gmail.com is a Benin Based Lawyer and Writer ,who is the Founder of the Benin Writers’ Society.