I have listened to many Nigerians, especially non-Ibo Nigerians that say over their dead bodies that an Ibo man will become the president because they will practice the worst form of tribalism and take our land. I ask them, what of a Fulani man - has he not taken your land, has his kinsmen not killed your people - my people? And no one, I mean no single Fulani man has been prosecuted to the full extent of the law since Buhari became the president. "Ibo man will take your land," what of Fulani man who has taken it, and is plotting to take more lawfully through RUGA or whatever law he is trying to get the House to promulgate before he lives the presidency? If after 55 years and we think we cannot live past the civil war, then we should let the Ibos go...... PERIOD! If the Yorubas are the ones in the position the Ibos find themselves, would we stay in Nigeria? If the other ethnic group says we cannot produce the leader after 55 years, would we stay in such union.....? Let us be empathetic. DISCLAIMER .... no one should misquote me, I am not advocating for any candidate and I do not intend to. My goal is to speak to the conscience of Nigerians. If we want the country to remain one beyond 2023, the rhetoric that one ethnic group cannot produce the president because of who they are is the textbook definition of RACISM, and I believe strongly the rest of Nigeria is not racist, are we? If there are proper checks and balances, no president should be able to get away with tribalism or nepotism.
I am first a Nigerian before I am a Yoruba man or a citizen of other countries. That informs why I write about happenings in the country as I observe from the news, and interaction with Nigerians at home and those in the diaspora. I try as best to be objective because there is only one thing I want in my lifetime, a Nigeria that is prosperous for all citizens irrespective of their color or hue - ethnicity or religion. A Nigeria where there is a true rule of law, that is safe from all forms of banditry and bullying from law enforcement agencies. A Nigeria where you can invest and be sure you will not lose your money overnight because of unstable currency and untrustworthy partners who will cheat you with impunity, and where you do not need to bribe anyone before you do your business. And most importantly, where you can earn an honest living through hard work and not because you know a politician or one powerful person. That is why I write, and that is Nigeria of my dream.
It is over 18 years since I left Nigeria, but the country has not left me. Most of my family members are in the country; I send money home to support many initiatives, which I believe are contributing to the economy of the nation. I speak my ethnic language fluently and I pay taxes every year to the governments of Nigeria at various levels. I have been told by many friends and family that I do not have the RIGHT to talk, that I am clueless as to what is going on in the country because I left about two decades ago - the truth is that there are no more invested Nigerians than those living abroad. If you find a Nigerian living abroad that still engages in talking about the country, know they still love the country, and they pay more attention to what is going on than what they read online. I have Nigerian friends here who do not talk about the country, have not visited in close to their decades, and do not plan to visit any time soon... they call the country "ANIMAL KINGDOM". They have lost hope that the country can be better. Those of us who talk/write still have families at home that we talk to regularly - these family members feel the pain of hardship in the country, hence we feel the same pain. We engage because we still love the country and want it to be better.
Nigerians eligible to cast their vote in 2023 should know they have an enormous responsibility on their shoulder. We must get it right, or else, we will not have a place called Nigeria anymore. Right now, Nigeria's debt payment is MORE than its generated revenue. Meaning, what we are earning is not enough to pay the minimum on all our loans let alone take care of recurrent expenditures and capital projects. We are in big trouble. This happened under the watch of the current president and party, APC. President Jonathan's government was "fantastically" corrupt but he left a surplus, we could service our loans and still had money to pay other bills. This is what the legacy of President Buhari is - under him, all indices of growth went south, from the poverty index to the return of eradicated childhood diseases, to the record number of children being out of school, to universities being closed for over 8 months, to unemployment and inflation. Many more Nigerians have dropped down below the poverty line from the middle class since Buhari's ascendancy. President Buhari is not the only problem, the system is, but his incompetence and disengagement from the reality of the state of the nation has created monumental chaos and further compounded the situation..... The last time the economy was this bad was during Buhari's first stint as the leader of Nigeria in Army Khaki. Can we see what he has done again? He promised heaven, and he delivered hell.
It implies that it is difficult for an ungodly man to change his ways. If he/she behaved in a way in the past, let him promise you heaven and earth, if you let him again, he will be worse. As we choose leaders in 2023, let us look at their (candidates') stories and decide. How did they lead when they had the chance previously - did they steal to stupor and leave us with crumbs, do they continue to suck the system dry years after they left through bogus pension and government contracts given by stooge they installed, can they explain the source of their current stupendous wealth, what is something impactful and enduring they left that is still prospering people after them? It is close to 70 years since Chief Obafemi Awolowo led the Western Region of Nigeria, and we still see the impact of his legacy projects - TRUE free education created generations of educated Yorubas, investment in educational infrastructure (OAU structures are still 2nd to none in Nigerian Universities - public or private), roads from the 1950s are still in good conditions in 2022, industrial investment (remnant of Odua Investment - Tribune Newspaper among others).., etc. What did these people do when they had the chance that last and is still changing lives, years after they left office.....? What is the state of their health? Who are in their team? Do they have money in banks where we cannot trace like those revealed in Panama papers?
We will be happy if we choose right, and will regret it if we let ourselves be deceived again in 2023 because it will be another 4 years of stealing and suffering for ordinary Nigerians instead of four years of prosperity.
Long live Nigeria!
Communism died, and capitalism survived. Capitalism is a supposed system that allows freeness in an economy - market forces in the hands of private owners control what happens to the economy with minimal influence by the state. Capitalism has produced enormous wealth in the West. There are so many millionaires and billionaires. The question is, what is the ratio of the stupendously rich and those who are just scraping by - living from pay check-to-pay check? The gap is huge between the rich and the poor in most capitalist states. When President Trump was going to deliver his tax reform, it favored the rich with about 80% of the tax benefits going to the top 1% richest people in America. The argument was that they create jobs, they should benefit more - money is being given to those who really do not need the extra cash but those who need it the most, aids is been taken away from people who are at the bottom of the ladder because of a few who lie on their social welfare claims. I h...
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