Every right-thinking Nigerian is in a political muddle since the APC assumed power in 2015. They find it hard to think things out. It’s like thinking yourself into cotton wool. How can you reason out what the present Tinubu-led federal government is doing or has done with loans taken under one year running in trillions of Naira? We’re commanded to pray for our country and our leaders.
But having prayed, God expects us to act. We have seen the importance of electing the right people into political offices. And there’s no scalability of governing policies for the present government. A crash of rhinoceroses is more organised than the present turbulence in the country. The army, legislators, and judiciary have been held to ransom by the Mammon spirit. Still, the munitions of war are not produced in the trenches, but that procedure has been the economic and social malaise that has held the country bound.
The present administration cannot picture any propinquity to the “Canaan” heritage Nigerians should feature in. Therefore, it becomes glaringly clear that the leadership of the federal government lacks vision in its entirety. Once the mind is empty, life is empty. The media and public outings may not showcase all ideas or nothingness in an influential personality, but the mendacious lifestyle of the present officials of government is an ilk, leading millions into the doldrums of despair. Nigerians should not be deceived by the mouthing that there’s a master plan to revamp the economy. They are extempore speeches made while parrying themselves from the situation on the ground.
The government should first of all renounce secret and shameful ways; stop the use of deception. The government should embrace transparency and accountability. Yes, anyone that comes to the highest political office in the country should be vitiated from every limitation, be it financial or spiritual. However, every promotion and entitlement go with responsibilities. Being crafty with the obligations of governance will not and doesn’t help anybody. Cunning arguments raised by party members to deceive hungry Nigerians is a waste of time. The I-me-mine-myself philosophy is not just subtle but overtly displayed by the present government. The APC works like a cult whose motto indicates, “Have it your way.” “Do yourself a favour.” “You owe it to yourself.” “You deserve a break today.”
Workers have not committed any sin by choosing to work for their country. And why should someone in a position of trust increase their yoke and heighten their burdens, making life unpalatable for everyone? We normally speak of time in three tenses: past, present, and future. But with every tick of the clock, the present becomes the past, leaving us only with the past and future. As time passes, the past gets longer, and the future gets shorter. If you have ever been betrayed by an unfaithful spouse, you may have lost trust in marriage. If you’re a victim of the mortgage crisis, you may have lost your home and your trust in the financial industry. If you voted for someone you believed had integrity only to discover they were in the pocket of special interest groups, you may have lost your trust in government.
Strategy is the backbone of success. In every facet of life, strategy serves as the cornerstone for decision-making, goal setting, and effective management of resources. The business realm is where strategy is useful and pivotal, ensuring we stay on course towards long-term goals amidst competitive environments. Anyone in government is in the business of mending lives and changing fortunes through strategic principles and policies. Nigerians should stand up and make their impacts felt because everyone counts. The government of Tinubu has been tempted to clobber citizens, and he is actually doing that. As ornery as corrupt Nigerians could be, it’s never a justification to treat them that way. It’s often quoted: “If you think you have arrived, you aren’t going anywhere.”
The acrimony in the hearts of Nigerians has made the name “Tinubu” acronym for death, hunger, frustration, and oppression. It’s time for all of us to take stock of our failures, blunders, and costly mistakes. Yet, the more confident ones are gloating not just for anything but for success in taking over power and amassing the Commonwealth of the nation. Churchill puts it well: “Wars are not won by evacuations. Battles are won in the trenches, in the grit and grime of courageous determination… not by a violent jerk now and then but a prolonged pull, day in and day out.” What has travelled around the world, removing subsidies, taxing every small individual venture, and milking the citizens dry done to the daily struggles of the common masses?
Finally, all eyes are on Tinubu to do great things concerning the economy, finance, politics, insecurity, and constitution within the few years he will be in the government. Whether he succeeds or fails is left to him. Like Peeper, everyone calls on the person whose turn it is to give more meaning to life and existence. Besides, unlike the great redwood trees that can last for a thousand years, most other things come and go quickly. ‘Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.’
Obiotika Wilfred Toochukwu; St. Patrick’s Catholic Church Awgbu.
