THE PROBLEM THAT'S NIGERIA

To say that Nigeria has a problem, is the greatest understatement of the century. To begin to enumerate them may actually pointless. Infact, it may be easier to take on the world than to attempt to solve the problem that's Nigeria. Still we must persevere and try our best. It is our country afterall. How do you solve a problem like Nigeria? In musical tones, you remember the 1960's classic movie "Sound of Music". This week has really been a very hectic one and that's the reason for this late post. Also I don't write news or entertainment. I take the news and analyse it, bringing out my own views on the matter and how solutions may be conferred. Most other times, I criticize the country.

On Tuesday night, 3 days ago, my phone beeped and the message read "former ASUU president, Prof. Festus Iyayi killed in a car crash". The next day, as I drove to work it was the issue been discussed on the radio. Apparently the former president of ASUU was ran over by the convoy of the Governor of a state (Kogi) in Nigeria. Lot's of people called in to send their condolences to the family, others called in to reign insults on the governor and its reckless convoy. What a great loss indeed! 

At that moment a thought crossed my mind, this question begged to be asked. "If the deceased was not a prominent member of the society, would we have heard the news?"  I have experienced a similar incidence some years ago while on transit on one of the eastern roads in Nigeria. A convoy conveying another prominent member of the society (usually they are the governors, local government chairmen, commissioners e.t.c.) ran into a by-standing. The main person been conveyed without regard continued on his journey and the last on the vehicles in the convoy stopped to rush her to a nearby clinic. The entire people in the bus reigned abuses on them. Nobody knows if that individual made it out of the hospital alive, in his previous state of physical health (or eternally maimed -crippled). If his hospital bill was taken care of and of course no one heard that  about news.

Another set of questions; 

• "Why do they drive like they are drunk? 
• Is it a particular driving style been taught to them before they are employed or a criteria for their employment? 
• Are they afraid of been harassed by the citizens? (they should be, since they refused to carry out their duties).
• Why must they turn on their sirens even when on a trivial duty as going to buy water?
• Must they beat the traffic (red light)? and why aren't they caught and punished for this violation of the law by the so called traffic wardens.
• Why can't they be orderly and stay in the queue during a traffic jam?
• Why do they go about with canes flogging people on the road to make way as they drive by like the people are slaves.
• Most of them, uneducated by the way.

The second gist came by when I heard that more than a 100 million Nigerians live in abject poverty. First of all I think we are in poverty not "ABJECT" poverty. 

My question; "Whose fault?" 

Their reply; "The government" 

I concur but this is not true always

• You want the government to give you business ideas?
• Should they also keep the front of your house clean after giving you roads (when they can)?
• Are they responsible for your poor attitude to your job, hence no promotions? 

I'm not on anybody's side here, definitely not the government who have promised heaven and earth and disappointed us times without number, leading to desperation and leaving some youths with the vision of how the make quick cash no more what. The other half, uneducated despite having completed their university education.

Before I end this post, I'd like to say;

• Do unto others what you want them to do upon you
• Strive to be the very best you can be
• Don't be waiting for the government and that white collar job that may never come. You are a graduate, create jobs too
• Start a business if you weren't afforded the opportunity to go to school
• Traffic wardens and other government bodies stop being irresponsible and collecting bribes. Do your jobs.

Cheers....