During President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Independence Day Speech, I expected him to highlight the ‘strides’ Nigeria has made during his 16-month-old administration. Fortunately for him, his few supporters (including members of his immediate family) and the rented cheerleaders, he avoided doing so — and with good reason.
By Abdu Labaran
Not only was the speech devoid of concrete evidence of his administration’s achievements, but it also focused on arcane issues such as the traditional conferment of the nation’s second, third, and fourth highest honors—GCON, CFR, and CON—on officials who have added little value to the country but themselves and their immediate families. There was also the usual promise of a money-guzzling conference, this time purportedly for the Nigerian youth.
While youths are said to be the leaders of tomorrow, in this country, tomorrow NEVER comes for them to take over its affairs. The older generation always clings to power, using money and state apparatus to maintain control.
A young woman, claiming to be the daughter of the President, appeared on a television program acknowledging the hunger and anger in the country. She stated that her father (Mr. President) had brought some ‘wrong’ people onto his team. She alleged that the country was in its current mess because these people did not share the President’s vision of moving Nigeria forward but instead sought to enrich themselves. She specifically named the Governor of the Central Bank, Mr. Cordoso, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chairman as two such people.
I am not inclined to criticize speeches made by Presidents or other leaders, as evidenced by my response to the last speech made by Mr. President. In my previous intervention, I applauded the President for not giving in to the demands of the so-called ‘end bad governance’ strike. Among these demands were the unconditional release of the terrorist Nnamdi Kanu and the unilateral abrogation of the 1999 Constitution.
Nnamdi Kanu has repeatedly ordered ‘unknown gunmen’ to shoot and kill state officials, particularly the police and military, as well as ordinary northerners living in or passing through areas controlled by his group. Yet, his unconditional release was one of the demands of the protesters, which was why, among other reasons, I wrote an article before the commencement of the protest titled ‘Count Me Out of the Planned Nationwide Strike’. Moreover, Mr. President was somewhat pressured into making that speech.
However, the Independence Day celebration is an annual event for which your speechwriters had ample time to prepare. The fact that this was all they could produce says much about how little you were prepared to say or had to say. The speech seemed primarily aimed at massaging the egos of a few people and justifying celebrations by a rented crowd, who were either paid or promised payment. Otherwise, there is little to celebrate 64 years after Nigeria gained independence and the freedom to manage its abundant God-given mineral resources.
Unfortunately, apart from the revered leaders of the First Republic and a few patriotic military leaders, most others were nothing but self-serving rulers who prioritized themselves over the rest of Nigerians, most of whom brave the elements to cast their votes for them.
Recently, I read that 40% of Nigerians now enjoy up to 20 hours of electricity daily, with the current generation capacity at 5,500 megawatts, according to the Minister of Power, Mr. Adebayo Adelabu, in a statement reviewing his ministry’s activities over the last year.
The minister seems to be trying hard to save his job, as there are reports of an imminent cabinet reshuffle. Mr. Adebayo, whom I previously described as an ‘Unserious Power Minister,’ seems in no hurry to leave the cabinet.
That only a mere 5,500 megawatts are produced for a country with an estimated population of 230 million people, with only 40% of that population enjoying up to 20 hours of electricity per day, is nothing to boast about. Rather, it is something for the so-called ‘Giant of Africa’ to be ashamed of. Nigeria, richly endowed with abundant mineral resources, should not have its citizens living in such abject conditions. Yet, the country is burdened with unfeeling leaders who, rather than improving the people’s lives, selfishly use the nation’s resources for themselves.
South Africa, with a population of 64.3 million, produces 44 million megawatts of electricity and aims to reach 77.2 million megawatts by 2030. Egypt, with 117 million people, produces 35 million megawatts. Even Ghana, with a population of just 35 million, produces around 4,756 megawatts.
Furthermore, both Nigeria and Brazil launched their Defense Industrial Corporations in the 1960s. While Nigeria’s defense company in Kaduna produced furniture and outdated firearms, Brazil’s counterpart is now competing with the U.S.’s Boeing and Western Europe’s Airbus, manufacturing the successful Embraer aircraft for military, commercial, and business use.
Similarly, while Nigeria was a wealthy nation at its independence in 1960, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were poor desert nations. Today, our elites flock to Dubai for leisure and business, while many Nigerian Muslims visit Saudi Arabia annually for pilgrimage. Ironically, Nigeria once ‘donated’ a plane to Saudi Arabia to help start its airline, which now boasts a vast fleet, while Nigeria’s own airline exists only in name, with no aircraft to its credit.
Moreover, while Saudi ARAMCO is the world’s largest oil company, valued at $1.4 trillion, and Malaysia’s PETRONAS is among the biggest, Nigeria’s NNPC, established earlier, now buys fuel produced by a businessman rather than producing its own.
As for electricity, it remains a luxury enjoyed only by a select few in government, wealthy individuals, and top politicians. In my home state of Katsina, electricity may be available to government offices and the wealthy, but the majority of the population lives in darkness.
The ordinary Nigerian, struggling daily to make ends meet, cannot afford such luxuries. He is left to fend for himself by any means necessary, which sometimes includes illegal activities — a reality that helps explain the rise of “do-or-die” behavior among some elements desperate to make it big, even at the cost of lives.
The Federal Government has repeatedly declared it illegal for electricity vendors to charge customers for transformer installations or to disconnect them from the grid for non-payment. But these directives are often ignored, just as the “No Bail” posters at police stations are treated with contempt.
I have written about the electricity situation in this country many times without significant results. Sometimes I feel like giving up on the issue, but I persist because I am advocating for the ordinary and often voiceless Nigerian. It’s not about me; I am no longer of the age to be one of tomorrow’s leaders.
In a previous article, I quoted Ghanaian lawmaker Honorable Ibrahim Murtala, who advised his colleagues to stop rampant corruption, fear God, and be mindful of the day they will account for their actions before their Creator. His words could easily apply to the Nigerian National Assembly (NASS).
Pastor Enoch Aminu of the Pure Fire Miracle Ministry in Accra, Ghana, recently declared that Nigeria is the most corrupt country in Africa. He stated that West Africa is the most corrupt region, with Nigeria leading the pack, led by people “who have no brains for anything but to steal money.”
Nigeria cannot continue like this, where yesterday is better than today, and tomorrow may be worse. If we are not careful, the situation could deteriorate further — a possibility that is terrifying to imagine. Nigerians must declare ‘Enough is Enough’ and choose leaders in the next general election who genuinely fear God and are mindful of the day they will be held accountable for how they govern this nation.
Labaran wrote from Katsina.
