There’s no doubt about the palpable presence of two emotions in Nigeria today: hunger and anger. Hunger and anger are widespread across the country, with a significant number of the nearly 230 million population going to bed on empty stomachs. This shouldn’t be the case in a land so abundantly blessed with mineral resources.
Only the self-styled leaders, who, through their selfish and self-serving behavior, act more like rulers, live in obscene comfort at the expense of the larger majority. This excludes the successful and verified businesspeople who remain non-partisan and unaffiliated with government employment.
The hunger could explain why many who were once thought to be close friends, acquaintances, or colleagues now ignore phone calls or refuse to respond to text messages, mistakenly assuming that such contact is a plea for help.
I used to have little regard for social media, likely because I was raised and deeply rooted in traditional media before the advent of the internet, which eventually brought the new media into existence. In the early eighties, I read extensively about the future “INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY.”
Its arrival, however, was met with resistance by some, including powerful figures and myself, mainly because we feared it would be abused. And indeed, it has been, and continues to be. Yet, the benefits are numerous and so overwhelming that the internet has become indispensable in today’s world. Information now truly travels on the “AUTOBAHN,” another fitting description of this digital age.
My appreciation for social media was completed by the *Brekete Family* program, a human rights initiative that champions the common person. This stands in stark contrast to my initial skepticism. The program serves the interests of everyday Nigerians, who are often denied a voice in the elite-dominated society Nigeria has become.
An episode of this popular program, which is broadcast across electronic, social, and print media, highlights the pervasive hunger and anger in the country due to the prohibitive cost of living. This crisis, however, seems not to concern the ruling elites. Top politicians and civil servants, particularly at the federal and state levels, constitute a largely unproductive and insatiable class.
The indefatigable producer of the program, known as the “Ordinary President,” expressed this frustration directly to Nigeria’s President, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT). He voiced his anger, asking the President what he thought of his first term so far.
Standing before the crowd in the program’s “court,” the Ordinary President challenged Tinubu, saying, “Ask yourself, sir, are you a success or a failure, or a success in the making? If it’s success in the making, how far along are we now? We are almost two years into your tenure. By the third year, campaigning will begin.”
He continued, “If no one will tell him the truth, someone needs to. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, if you don’t perform well, forget about 2027. Nobody will vote for you. If you like, distribute beans, rice, or soap. I used to tell Nigerians to take it but not to vote for them. Now, I say don’t even take it. The hunger that didn’t kill you won’t kill you now. Don’t belittle yourself by taking the handouts they come to distribute during campaigns.”
What frustrates many Nigerians is that after 64 years of independence, and despite all the hype about the country’s potential, later-day leaders have stunted Nigeria’s growth through their insatiable desire to enrich themselves from the nation’s wealth at the expense of the people.
This ugly reality has led to a super-rich minority existing alongside a super-poor majority. In this environment, where being a “mere” billionaire no longer carries much weight, the new trend is to be recognized as a trillionaire, partly due to the continuous devaluation of the national currency, the Naira.
Many salary-earning politicians and government employees now count themselves among the ultra-wealthy, thanks to widespread corruption, which is no longer seen as a blemish but rather as a common phenomenon. It’s a land where, for some, “making” money by any means necessary is seen as preferable to staying “poor.”
One observer noted that if China, which began its journey toward agricultural development in 1946, is now a leading nation in agricultural excellence, there’s no reason why most Nigerian farmers are still using the same tools and methods passed down through generations.
Is it mere coincidence that most former governors are dollar millionaires, many of whom entered office with much less wealth? Or is it, as Dan Bello would say, “Don’t be stupid, this is Nigeria”?
If yesterday was better than today, then it makes no sense to repeat today. Applying the same ineffective solutions to our problems won’t yield results, no matter how often they are tried. If, after 64 years of independence, motor vehicles, constant electricity, running water, quality education, and good healthcare remain luxuries that only an insignificant few can afford, then Nigeria certainly fits the description of a “failed state.”
May God intervene in our affairs and bless us with good leaders who will work for the success of the country, rather than the self-serving rulers we are currently burdened with.
Labaran wrote from Abuja.
