One Year After: Nigerians, How Market? How ‘Chanji’?, By Ahmed Oluwasanjo

Taking a critical look at President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration one year after Nigerians expectantly elected him in the 2015 general elections, and randomly sampling opinions on what and how Nigerians presently feel about his leadership would elicit divergent views from different quarters.

Of course, in spite of the harsh economic realities, many of us still have great confidence and hope that things would eventually change – for good – in the course of time. However, that would not deter us from expressing our fears, worries, disappointments, frustrations and raising questions with regard to some unpleasant prevailing circumstances in Nigeria.



Similarly, critics are asking sarcastically: “how market?” “How chanji?” “What kind of change is this?” “Did APC promise Nigerians change or chains?” And those saying, na God catch una, shebi we warn una when una dey shout sai Baba, sai chanji, like say una don see messiah, are not wrong. Some of us ascribed the improvement in power supply and fuel supply shortly after President Buhari came on board to his “body language”. So, criticisms should be tolerated now that things are not working as expected.

In fact, it is good that these questions are raised. It tells that we are getting over the euphoria of the 2015 general elections, as we now face the bitter reality of nation building, which goes beyond just voting “change”.

By extension, blaming the immediate past administration a year after it was voted out is trite and insignificant. However, looking critically at what this administration is doing to resolve the problems it inherited and raising necessary queries should be done objectively by all, regardless of our differences.

Laudably, the fight against Boko Haram has taken a better dimension under this administration as our soldiers have taken the fight to the insurgents. However, we need to ask the government what it is doing about kidnapping that has become rife in the country and, as well, remind the government about the over 200 abducted Chibok girls.

One year later, the war against corruption has uncovered several mind-boggling revelations of reckless looting of our national treasury by VIPs – vagabonds in power! In my opinion, the chains that “change” brought are exclusively for these bandits. However, the delay of this administration in reinvesting the recovered funds to stimulate the economy is not a perfect idea. And, who knows what the value of the recovered loots would be capable of achieving in a continuously sliding economy.

No doubt, our economy is in shambles as a result of global oil price. That said, the fact that President Buhari has chosen to run our economy without a clear direction complicates issues. I agree that change is gradual and it comes with some pains, but the pains should not overwhelm the masses. Besides, if Nigerians must bear the present economic hardship, we need to know where we are heading in the first place.

As far as Nigerians are concerned, the government could preach patience, hope and perseverance to the masses from now until President Buhari ends his junketing – which we hope would turn out huge benefits sometimes in the near future – but as long as things remain the way they are, soon the “sai baba” slogan would transform into ‘shame baba’; I’m afraid…

The realities today are: One, skyrocketing prices. Nigerians are paying more for virtually everything, while their earnings have not increased. Two, states, local governments and private companies are struggling to pay salaries. Three, Nigerians are losing jobs and unemployment is on the rise. Given these circumstances, how do we expect the unemployed and those who have lost their jobs to cope?

The last time I checked, the jobs created by this administration were exclusively created for Buhari’s nephew, children, and relatives of his ministers and other political bigwigs; I’m talking about the Central Bank of Nigeria illegal recruitments which has no salutary effect on the prices of commodities anywhere in Nigeria, but rather smacks of abuse of public office and privilege.

These aforementioned should worry ardent supporters of President Buhari, because there are no explanations to counter or prove them otherwise. The government expects us to read “body language”, forgetting that some of us are blindfolded by economic hardship and hustling to attempt any deciphering of this.

As far as Nigerians are concerned, the government could preach patience, hope and perseverance to the masses from now until President Buhari ends his junketing – which we hope would turn out huge benefits sometimes in the near future – but as long as things remain the way they are, soon the “sai baba” slogan would transform into ‘shame baba’; I’m afraid…

Let’s face it. The fact that Nigerians now queue for days to buy petrol at black-market price, spend more on transportation and also pay more for poor/no power supply should worry us regardless of our differences.

The fact that one year after Nigerians voted change, virtually all the gubernatorial elections conducted by Independent Electoral Commission (INEC),have either turned out to be inconclusive or marred with violence should equally worry us.

This piece might fail to appeal to those who have deified President Muhammadu Buhari. In fact, they could rashly tell those complaining to go hug the nearest electricity transformer. But unfortunately, “zero megawatts” cannot hurt a fly.

For President Buhari, failure is not an option, he must perform to avoid the ground-swelling rage of the masses.

Ahmed Oluwasanjo writes from Abuja and can be reached at ahmedoluwasanjo@gmail.com

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Linkedin
• Pinterest

Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday


Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users

You Might Also Like

Opinion

« PREV

NEXT »