The majority of Nigerians knew that this would be a tough year. Perhaps, they only underestimated the toughness that the year will bring. For many years, our economy was based on assumption that all was well and when an economy is built on unrealistic economic indices, it is just a matter of time before the bubble will burst. So, in our case, the shit has hit the fan and we are all in a mess. Help is not even in sight and we can only hope that the messy situation will not get messier.
The last three weeks have been particularly hectic. Almost everything has been ‘dollarised’. From sachet water to staple foods, groundnut oil, palm oil, beef, fish and all consumables are beyond the reach of the ordinary man.
In the past, workers complained bitterly that their pay could not take them home but there is no pay to even take home due to non-payment of salaries as and when due. Enthusiasm of the average Nigerian worker has waned and his level of productivity has been severely affected.
Beyond the harsh economic situation, the weather condition is also harsh. The intense heat in the day and night is killing and electricity that would have provided soothing relief is now a scarce commodity.
Yet, the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration thinks the time is ripe to increase electricity tariff so as to make it a beautiful bride that will attract suitors from all over the world. The absurdity of asking the masses to bear the brunt of government inefficiency is the height of irresponsibility and unexpected of a government that raised our hopes and expectations but now sees nothing wrong in altering its electoral promises.
There have even been cases of outright denial that now see a distinction between what President Buhari promised and his party manifesto. Our political elite have turned us into scaremongers.
Governor Tanko al-Makura of Nasarawa State has said that the president is free to review his electoral promises as it relates to the payment of N5, 000 to unemployed youths. This was part of the electoral promises touted with great relish by the then candidate Buhari during electioneering.
One hopes Al-Makura’s narrative is not suggesting that the president could break his electoral promises. Contrition and not rationalisation will do our president a lot of good if there is need for him to review his electoral promises. When promises are made, the expectation is that they will be kept.
A honourable man will not break his promises willfully and still face the public with surprising calmness. Some of the promises made by President Buhari include a drastic reduction in price of fuel, free and qualitative education up to Senior Secondary School 3, two million houses yearly for the next four years, free meal for pupils in all primary schools, zero tolerance for corruption, strong naira, significantly improved megawatts of electricity generation among others.
Nigerians are yet to see compelling and convincing signs, meaningful and inspiring changes that will assure them that the decision they took on March 28, 2015, was right. This government can only be meaningful if they get good governance or dividend of democracy in return for entrusting Buhari with their votes.
It does not require rocket science to engender good governance. Nigerians are tired of lousy services, lethargic approaches to critical national issues, unemployment, power failure, insecurity, lack of quality education, monolithic economy, pervasive corruption among myriad of socio-economic problems that have been antithetical to the development of a nation endowed with abundant human and natural resources. It is our right to have a fair share of the national cake.
The expectation is that the president will create an economic team that will bail us out of the wood within the shortest possible time. Expecting that our conundrum can be quickly fixed is a tall dream but my worry is that the government appears to be overwhelmed by the present challenges.
There are no indications that the government is moving in the right direction and hope of a better tomorrow remains forlorn. I was at a filling station last week at the peak of the fuel scarcity. I was lucky to get fuel for my car but couldn’t get for my jerry cans. I was devastated and frightened by heat that will accompany the night.
I knew there won’t be electricity at home and I won’t be able to power my generator since the fuel attendants won’t dispense fuel in jerry cans based on the instruction of their manager. On a day like this, fuel attendants are kings. Some even display unbearable arrogance and unruliness. A frustrated man yelled at no one in particular:
‘Se bi na una want change? ‘Sai Buhari’, see the change you people have brought now.’ As if that was what others were waiting for, it sparked a debate as to whether the change mantra promised Nigerians is already manifesting or not.
Dispirited and weary, the majority of them expressed disappointment that they now buy a sachet of water for N10 and a bag of rice, which they bought N6, 000 last Christmas is now N13, 000. They could not fathom why dollar was running like Usain Bolt and how naira was moving at snail speed. They were not interested in the economic indices that led to this. Their only interest is how to get food for their families.
Their concern is just about basic things that make life worthwhile. This is the thinking of ordinary Nigerians. I could see mischief in some of their argument but I have no doubt they were right that Buhari has not met the expectations of Nigerians.
Electioneering rhetoric is yet to reflect in policy implementation. We have no idea where this Nigerian ship is heading. Nigerians knew this ship was rudderless before bringing Buhari on board to steer it to a safe berth and this we expect him to do largely because he also assured us of his capability.
Nigerians are beginning to agonise over whether they took the right decision and that’s the price the president has to pay for being too populist during electioneering. We do not need a circuitous route to get to the Promised Land.
Our past journeys were tense, tedious and tortuous. We are weary of unfulfilled promises. The truth is: some Nigerians are already thinking ‘better the devil we know than the angel we don’t.’ Let’s see if our President can dispute this idiom.
