“An Educated, Healthy and Confident nation is harder to govern and Control by the Few, hence these sectors have continued to suffer in the hands of past and present Governments…”
To appease the masses, the Government of the day have perfected the art of dishing out peanuts of piecemeal projects and programs every now and then…
The idea of giving people cash assistance every month to last for three or six months, cannot be called Economic Empowerment, especially with the present economic realities in the country… And it is not sustainable…
Nigerians need to be empowered to create wealth for themselves, and be independent of the Government…
According to Tony Benn, speaking on how people are controlled, he noted the verifiable fact that: “I think there are two ways in which people are controlled. First of all, frighten people, and secondly, demoralize them. This is because an Educated, Healthy and Confident nation is harder to govern. And I think there is an element in the thinking pattern of some people that, we don’t want people to be Educated, Healthy and Confident because they would get out of the control (especially of those in government). The top 1% of the world’s population own 80% of the world’s wealth. It is incredible that people put up with it. But they are Poor. They are demoralized. They are frightened. And therefore, they think perhaps, the safest thing to do is take orders and hope for the best.”
There is nothing as profound and real as the above statement, when it comes to the dynamics of most societies across the world, especially within the African continent, and how the majority of the populace are usually left in abject poverty and lack by a population of few. This explains why the Federal Government of Nigeria do not invest in the country’s educational sector as it should, to meet international standards. This explains why the nation’s Health Sector has always been in a deplorable state, and left to rot by the Government, who then prefers to access and patronize the good health care in developed countries. And lastly, this explains why the insecurity situation in the country has continued to get worse rather than improving.
These are the sad realities that have kept the Nigerian nation in its present despicable status, especially under the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration. And when the citizens decide to speak against the Federal Government, and protest against the ills in the society, they are either arrested, harassed, threatened and imprisoned by the same Government that swore to protect the people and respect their fundamental human rights. The Buhari-led Federal Government in its dictatorial reign, has succeeded in muscling down the people. To the point that most people have given up on the nation, and no longer complain or protest about the things going wrong in the country – for fear of being victimized and labeled by the Government of the day. So, the majority of the Nigerian people, rather than being Governed by the Government of the day, are being Ruled by the few in power without regard to what anyone thinks.
To appease the masses, the Government of the day have perfected the art of dishing out peanuts of piecemeal projects and programs every now and then. As if they are doing the people a big favour by carrying out some of these projects and programs in the name of governance. Aside the fact that most of what the Government do are very abysmal and a like drops of water in an ocean, which they usually claim is for the benefits of the masses, some of their actions, especially that from the Buhari-led Federal Government, are also considered as an insult to the people.
For instance, recently, the Federal Government said one million Nigerians impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic will receive a misery N5,000 cash for six months. And the government explained that a pilot scheme commenced earlier this year with 3,115 beneficiaries in Lagos and Abuja, saying the intervention will be up-scaled nationwide and beneficiaries will start receiving their stipends soon. Minister of Humanitarian Affairs Disaster Management and Social Development, Mrs. Sadiya Farouq, who stated this during a briefing to give update on the National Social Investment Programmes (NSIP) of the government in Abuja, said a Rapid Response Register (RRR) has been put in place as a shock responsive intervention register, specifically targeted at the urban informal workers impacted by COVID-19 pandemic. The minister also said plans to on-board the second batch of beneficiaries under the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) are nearing completion and will be made public soon.
The question is, what will N5,000 actually accomplish in the life of an individual in the present economic realities in the country? The idea of giving people cash assistance every month to last for three or six months, cannot be called Economic Empowerment. With the present economic realities in the country, that amount will not bring about any change in the lives of families. And it is not sustainable. GIVING PEOPLE PEANUTS TODAY TO CALM THEM DOWN, AND CREATE THE IMPRESSION THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS WORKING, IS NOT HOW TO EMPOWER PEOPLE ECONOMICALLY. Nigerians need to be empowered to create wealth for themselves, and be independent of the Government. Some of the Nigerian youths today that have taken to cybercrime as an occupation, went into it because there are no job opportunities out there, and starting up a business is not easy in the country.
As I noted above, those within the Government space have themselves ‘Masters and Emperors’ while the citizenry they are supposed to SERVE, have become slaves. And to keep the majority of the people in that state, which apparently favour them more, they DELIBERATELY refuse to invest heavily in vital sectors like Education, Health and Access to basic infrastructure, which would have greatly improved the living standards and state of the minds of the populace. These few, whose ‘maintenance yearly drains nearly all the nation’s resources with their recurrent expenditure, prefers that the majority of the Nigerian people remain IGNORANT and living in Fear, without questioning their actions. In other words, they want the majority of Nigerians to remain frightened and demoralized, so as to keep the system in their CONTROL.
Former Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi once said that: “tribalism and religion are artificial problems created by selfish leaders for their own personal interest.” In other words, there are only two major tribes in Nigeria. The Elites and the Masses. Once you make lots of money (especially from stolen public funds), you belong to the ‘elite tribe’. When you are a commoner, suffering or struggling daily to make-ends-meet, you belong to the tribe of the masses. If you are an elite, and you need more power, or elective position, you sow seeds of tribalism and religion among the masses, so as to sway their emotion for your personal victory. This happens at both the national and State level. Unfortunately, after the election when they have won and joined their “sworn enemies” to drink and party, the gullible masses continue to fight each other. Even smart people who belong to the masses, sometimes will sow seeds of tribalism and religion among the masses, and then the masses will carry them up until they belong to the elite class. It is a classic strategy used over 3000 years ago in the art of war.
That means, a commoner who aspires to sit with the elites, could stir up powerful tribal or religious sentiments, such wave if properly utilized either by shedding blood or destabilizing the elites, carries the commoner to the elite class. But once there, he immediately mingles and makes peace with the elite tribe and turn his back on the same masses that helped him get there. Youths are the worst victim of this powerplay, they kill each other, call other tribes unprintable names, do terrible things and sometimes, even lose their life, thinking they are fighting for their right, not knowing that they are fighting for the personal welfare of someone, whose own children are probably safe in America, London, United Arab Emirates (UAE) or any other place in the developed world.
The Nigerian “big men” are known for only eating and dining with those that are connected as they are, all of which is intended to forge their united front of ‘causing economic havoc’ and ‘hardships’ on the common masses. These set of Nigerians only meet and relate with each other behind the cameras, and then they act the exact opposite in public to mislead the common masses. They are partners in business, who like socializing and hanging out in the secret. They have soft spot for one another because they act the same way, and they are birds of the same feathers. In other words, we now have clear divide amongst the Nigerian populace – the rich elites and the poor masses. You are either in one or the other. That is the summary of the speech by Sanusi.
So, the best advice I can give to our youths is that they should not hope on the Nigerian government if they really want to make anything meaningful with their lives. If you do not have a job, create one, but just ensure you do something legitimate with your life. There is abject poverty in the South as well as the North, whether Ogoni or Maiduguri. At the same time, there is massive wealth in Lagos, Onitsha, Nnewi, Aba, Kano, Abuja, irrespective of the zone. In other words, whatever your hand finds to do, do it well and never remain idle. No job is too low for an idle hand, or else the devil will find work for you. however, as you become independent, and grow your capacity, do not lose hope in Nigeria.
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