Twenty-Three Days To Go: Nigerians and Nigeria in Stupor
Updated on : Thursday, 02 February, 2023
Released on: Thursday, 02 February, 2023
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By: Femi Ojikutu
Nigeria and Nigerians are haemorrhaging. Politicians have succeeded in using two most mundane but consequential issues: new naira notes exchange and fuel shortage to distract our attention from the blandness of the campaigns of our political gladiators. They just want us to consider only those two issues to annoyingly cast our votes in protest while larger and most excruciating issues rest in the back-burner. At this juncture in the Nigeria’s Electoral Time Table, Nigerians should be very busy dissecting the candidates presenting themselves for elections to understand their antecedents and what they can offer going forward. Instead, what are we doing? Spending several hours in the fuel stations and discussing the issue of unavailability of the ‘re-painted’ naira notes. Couple days back, I called one of my very good old professional colleagues around 5.00am in the morning when I thought he would still be in bed, he said, ‘Femooo, mo ti wa ni fuel station’ meaning he was already at the fuel station. That early? I asked. He said: Haaa! I know the Manager, he said I should come very early so I can get 50 Litres Jerry Can. This was a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants. What a waste!
Today is February 2, 2023. Thirty-three days into the New Year, there has been no day that I have not been informed of the passing of someone known by me directly or indirectly. 80% of them without any patent ailments or known causes. Just dropping dead! Yet, we are all out there posting videos of Tinubu sleeping. Our issue is not whether Tinubu is sleeping or Atiku is snoring or Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian tickets. It is more of chasing inanities. Must we vote for Tinubu, Atiku, Obi or Kwakwanso? Are they the only candidates standing in the 2023 Presidential Election? There are other fourteen (some highly qualified and outstanding) candidates. But Nigerians, as the Happiest People in the World, like the status quo. I have been deeply involved in the Nigerian Political process in the last four years at every level and my unfortunate conclusion is that Nigerians are very, I repeat, very and extremely happy and obsessed with PDP or APC. There is nothing, no matter how politically beneficial (except bribe) you can offer Nigerians that they would consider, if it is not coming from the stable of a PDP or APC candidate. From my experience interacting with Nigerians from all the Regions, if you are not a PDP or APC man and running for an elective post, then you are considered a clown. How many Nigerians know any other Presidential Candidates apart from the ones aforementioned?
Nigerians do not care about the antecedents of candidates. In a normal clime, should Sanwo-Olu be gunning for a second term following his abysmal showing in the last four years? For example, the Revenue accruing to Lagos State in 2021 was N754Billions, what does Sanwo-Olu have to show for it? Bad roads, dilapidated school buildings, unequipped hospitals, etc., except hosting the Presidential Candidate of APC in Abuja after winning the Primary Election. For God sake, what is the business of Lagos State Government hosting a victory party for the candidate of a political party, if not insanity? The public fund expended on that event could fully equip up to forty secondary schools in Lagos. That is not even the issue at hand. My concern is that despite the abysmal performance of Sanwo-Olu in Lagos, no candidates or Parties are putting up a credible challenge to his re-election. If a Governor under-performed during his first term in office and no one challenged him to his second term, obviously he would do nothing in the next four-year term.
I hope to be proved wrong. The only time Nigerians, as a people, will confront our problems and take the gauntlet is when the system has totally collapsed the way it is in Venezuela. For those who do not know, Venezuela has the highest deposit of natural gas in the world and endowed immensely with crude oil. Today, the system has collapsed there because the past political and military leaders behaved like our recent and current leaders in Nigeria, where looting and corruption were the order of the day. Nothing works in Venezuela today. The major industry there now is crime. The rich men there cannot enjoy their ill-gotten wealth. Everyone is endangered and emigrating to the USA as refugees. The current ‘japa’ syndrome in Nigeria is a harbinger of what is in the offing.
If we keep voting the way we had always done, we would be getting the same leadership we always had. I know Nigerians are not ready for a change at this time. I know this is not what the ‘obidients’ want to hear, but it is the naked truth. We should be looking towards 2027 or 2031 when every Nigerian would have recognised his or her folly and would be desperate for a change. My position is not that of despondency but reality of this time. Nigerians, we are in trance, let us wake up. Nonetheless, let us go out there and vote during these elections. I rest my case.
Femi Ojikutu is a Chartered Accountant and Public Analyst.
BOOT Party! @TheBOOTParty
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The BOOT Party is a cooperative-like political leadership system.
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Twenty-Three Days To Go: Nigerians and Nigeria in Stupor
Updated on : Thursday, 02 February, 2023
Released on: Thursday, 02 February, 2023
Read (487) |
Join BOOT Party
By: Femi Ojikutu
Nigeria and Nigerians are haemorrhaging. Politicians have succeeded in using two most mundane but consequential issues: new naira notes exchange and fuel shortage to distract our attention from the blandness of the campaigns of our political gladiators. They just want us to consider only those two issues to annoyingly cast our votes in protest while larger and most excruciating issues rest in the back-burner. At this juncture in the Nigeria’s Electoral Time Table, Nigerians should be very busy dissecting the candidates presenting themselves for elections to understand their antecedents and what they can offer going forward. Instead, what are we doing? Spending several hours in the fuel stations and discussing the issue of unavailability of the ‘re-painted’ naira notes. Couple days back, I called one of my very good old professional colleagues around 5.00am in the morning when I thought he would still be in bed, he said, ‘Femooo, mo ti wa ni fuel station’ meaning he was already at the fuel station. That early? I asked. He said: Haaa! I know the Manager, he said I should come very early so I can get 50 Litres Jerry Can. This was a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants. What a waste!
Today is February 2, 2023. Thirty-three days into the New Year, there has been no day that I have not been informed of the passing of someone known by me directly or indirectly. 80% of them without any patent ailments or known causes. Just dropping dead! Yet, we are all out there posting videos of Tinubu sleeping. Our issue is not whether Tinubu is sleeping or Atiku is snoring or Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian tickets. It is more of chasing inanities. Must we vote for Tinubu, Atiku, Obi or Kwakwanso? Are they the only candidates standing in the 2023 Presidential Election? There are other fourteen (some highly qualified and outstanding) candidates. But Nigerians, as the Happiest People in the World, like the status quo. I have been deeply involved in the Nigerian Political process in the last four years at every level and my unfortunate conclusion is that Nigerians are very, I repeat, very and extremely happy and obsessed with PDP or APC. There is nothing, no matter how politically beneficial (except bribe) you can offer Nigerians that they would consider, if it is not coming from the stable of a PDP or APC candidate. From my experience interacting with Nigerians from all the Regions, if you are not a PDP or APC man and running for an elective post, then you are considered a clown. How many Nigerians know any other Presidential Candidates apart from the ones aforementioned?
Nigerians do not care about the antecedents of candidates. In a normal clime, should Sanwo-Olu be gunning for a second term following his abysmal showing in the last four years? For example, the Revenue accruing to Lagos State in 2021 was N754Billions, what does Sanwo-Olu have to show for it? Bad roads, dilapidated school buildings, unequipped hospitals, etc., except hosting the Presidential Candidate of APC in Abuja after winning the Primary Election. For God sake, what is the business of Lagos State Government hosting a victory party for the candidate of a political party, if not insanity? The public fund expended on that event could fully equip up to forty secondary schools in Lagos. That is not even the issue at hand. My concern is that despite the abysmal performance of Sanwo-Olu in Lagos, no candidates or Parties are putting up a credible challenge to his re-election. If a Governor under-performed during his first term in office and no one challenged him to his second term, obviously he would do nothing in the next four-year term.
I hope to be proved wrong. The only time Nigerians, as a people, will confront our problems and take the gauntlet is when the system has totally collapsed the way it is in Venezuela. For those who do not know, Venezuela has the highest deposit of natural gas in the world and endowed immensely with crude oil. Today, the system has collapsed there because the past political and military leaders behaved like our recent and current leaders in Nigeria, where looting and corruption were the order of the day. Nothing works in Venezuela today. The major industry there now is crime. The rich men there cannot enjoy their ill-gotten wealth. Everyone is endangered and emigrating to the USA as refugees. The current ‘japa’ syndrome in Nigeria is a harbinger of what is in the offing.
If we keep voting the way we had always done, we would be getting the same leadership we always had. I know Nigerians are not ready for a change at this time. I know this is not what the ‘obidients’ want to hear, but it is the naked truth. We should be looking towards 2027 or 2031 when every Nigerian would have recognised his or her folly and would be desperate for a change. My position is not that of despondency but reality of this time. Nigerians, we are in trance, let us wake up. Nonetheless, let us go out there and vote during these elections. I rest my case.
Femi Ojikutu is a Chartered Accountant and Public Analyst.
BOOT Party! @TheBOOTParty
Because Of Our Tomorrow
The BOOT Party is a cooperative-like political leadership system.
Send Feedback
WhatsApp: +234-705-774-9595
Signing up is free.
Join BOOT Party and Get Involved!
Download BOOT Party App to
Vote in BOOT Party Election Primaries
Donate Because Nigeria Matters
