Letter to the Government

Another election is around the corner. We have started hearing all sorts. In Nigeria, a country I call and most people call the “The Israel of Africa” – election time is characterized by failed promises, betrayals, accusations, assassinations, blame shifting, name calling, decamping and the negative list continues. This is so sad, I remember how as a Nigerian, I looked forward to the last American elections especially the period before the election (3-6 months pre-election). This period you witness the most sophisticated debates and promises/ itemizing the plans/ objectives of the administration. A society where you know what parties stand for.
Pause …………..
Uhmmmm. In Nigeria, during the military administration, we knew it was a boss and servant relationship (clearly defined). In the civilian rule which involves party systems, you can’t pinpoint what the parties stand for. This is a very pathetic situation. I ask myself what does PDP stand for? What does APC (amalgamation of CPC and CAN) stand for? What does APGA, SDP, LP, NRC etc. all stand for?
Am sure, there would be answers provided by the various leaders. The issue isn't the answer provided but what is exemplified in the various administrations/leadership tenures at various local, state and federal levels.
Pause …………..
My mind is very busy once again and this time its thinking in the direction of what an average Nigerian expects from the Government. To this end, it has drafted a mail/letter to the government.
Pause …………..

THE LETTER TO THE GOVERNMENT
 

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content1'); });

The Inner Chambers,
Of the average Nigerian Heart,
Every day, Every Month, Every year.
The Government,
Local, State and Federal levels

Dear sir/ma,

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: OUR EXPECTATIONS 
It is a rare privilege to be given the opportunity to communicate the pains of many hearts to the government of the country. My heart/mind weeps daily and this has been affirmed by other Nigerians I have had communications with at various times. To this end, my heart/mind has taken the mantle of communicating the relatively obvious/pronounced pains on the heart/mind of various Nigerians both home and abroad.
Pause …………..
Time travel reminds me vividly of the campaign in 1993, at a point when we had two prominent parties SDP (Social Democratic Party) and NRC (National Republican Convention). The two candidates MKO Abiola (SDP) and Bashir O Tofa had a presidential debate which was heated and it felt like there was hope for Nigeria. They stated and talked about plans to do a lot of things such as education, electricity, health etc. ……
Pause …………..
Take a deep breath and this is 2014, the government and various candidates of the parties have the same plans as that of 1993 (21 long years after). This is very sad and pathetic. However, our needs haven’t changed and there is a need for constant reminder to people in leadership/government.
Pause …………..
Its 54 years after independence and we are still called a “Developing nation”. I actually feel this should be changed to “Underdeveloped” because we aren’t static instead we are getting worse. Look around. We cannot boast of excellent roads or better still roads devoid of potholes/ death traps. I have journeyed across various states and it’s the same in almost all part of the nation. Once, I asked who was responsible for the construction of a road and the response provided was “The road is a Federal Road”. As a citizen, I don’t want to be concerned with whose responsibility it is. State, Local or Federal government are supposed to offer service to the entire populace. Another pathetic response we don’t want to hear is the fact that the state is governed by PDP, APC, CAN, APGA, SDP or whatever nomenclature the parties have, we just want functional motor-able roads as opposed to existing death traps.
Pause …………..
I watch the news and in my journeys to other parts of the world, I see light trains, trains, water jetties, structured road transport system. I ask myself the question, don’t our leaders see all these when they travel. I and so many other Nigerians want to be able to sit at home and book a train ticket because I don’t want to drive. Please give us functional alternative sources of transportation.
Some years back we could boast of being a peaceful country in the midst of the multiple terror and violence that exists in the world. Right now, we are swarmed by TRIBAL and RELIGIOUS conflicts, which were the trademark of primitive societies in past eras. From one group or the other, (I am trying not to mention any group’s name), we lie miserably in the grip of terror, unsure of when the next bomb/explosive will go off or when the next machete will be swung violently/disastrously. Violence/terrorism has now become a typical part of the day in Nigeria, we have gotten so used to the news of bomb-blasts – very pathetic situation. Kidnapping is another major issue. The number of young girls, and people generally that have been captured/kidnapped cannot be provided by any one. A situation that is appalling.  These insecurity issues are too much, we just need a safe and secure society.
Pause …………..
My heart and mind stops and skips a bit at the rate in which the questions and issues of the country just keep increasing. Then my mind/heart instructed my hand to check Google – “the great oracle that knows a lot” and search for Nigerian problems.
Uhmmmmm. So amazing, the list of problems as stated by various individuals and groups. However, my mind became attached to a write up by one Nigerian which I chose to add to this write up. It states:
And so, why is Nigeria like this? Ask a million Nigerians and you will get a million reasons. Nigerians, it must be said, are very good at identifying problems. We’re all experts at discussing “the trouble with Nigeria”. Nobody can take that away from us. The only setback is that we usually don’t proffer solutions. Ironically, you hardly find Nigerians who are ready to accept that they are part of the problem—or even part of the solution. (Olusegun Adeniyi wrote recently that everybody is fighting corruption—at federal, state and local government levels—and that leaves you wondering who is actually doing the corruption. I’m still laughing.) It stands to reason, however, that your perception of the problems will influence your choice of solutions.

Pause …………..
Public schools are a study in deterioration. Our hospitals are like an incurable disease. Our international airports are a journey into chaos. We have an airport in Nigeria currently with faulty conveyor belts. I imagine a foreign investor coming into the country and this is the first experience he/she gets. This is really sad.
Civil/Public service is a gutter of decay, the epitome of inefficiency and extortion. We wear corruption like an adornment and exhibit various loots like a gold medal from an Olympic. You can hardly get anything done in the private or public sector without partaking in corruption. We need our amenities fixed. As for corruption it starts with you and me.
We need good schools that function with the right amenities in place. We are tired of a situation where private education and the need to send children abroad for educational purposes become paramount in the hearts of parents. A venture that is so expensive and also encouraging the exportation of our national talents. I sit back and think of the number of Nigerian talents sent away due to lack of so many things in the nation. A saying I am familiar with points to the fact that “the people are the greatest asset of a society”. We ask that the government to invest in Education and research. Give us a good educational system.
There are a lot of things to talk about but I am trying so hard to keep it short for the sanity of my mind and to avoid sounding too negative.
Pause …………..
In the cause of my thinking, I get a debit alert from my account and my heart skips. I am sure you are wondering why the heart is skipping.
It skips solely because I felt the amount left in my account won’t be sufficient to buy fuel for my generator for the week. I sat back doing a mental calculation of the amount spent on fuel on a weekly basis. I get home and meet darkness. It is a norm to hear from the gate of my estate till I get to my place of abode, various sounds and melody of generators as the welcoming sounds. I can’t remember when last I saw light. I only hear from neighbors that there was light in the afternoon when I make a public complaint. The heavy investment on inverters has come as a succor to some homes. However, this shouldn't be. My mind races to the various TV programs where you see some countries generate electricity from various sources and I ask myself: Why can’t Nigeria do this? This question was asked at a forum once and gist has it that a top government official said “The generator business is a multibillion Naira investment that cannot be touched”. If this statement is true, then there is fire on the mountain.
I personally believe the solution to most of the problems in the nation is POWER GENERATION/ ELECTRICITY. I once heard the statistics of the number of manufacturing companies that folded up in 2013 in a state. The number was put at over 400.
Pause …………..
Let’s do some mathematics and draw inferences.
Employment: Let’s imagine each of the companies had a minimum of 5 staff. That gives us a total of 2000 unemployed people.
Health: From the calculation above, it means you have approximately 2000 people who have at least 5 family members. This increases the number to 10000. Now you have over 10000 people who are unhappy and indirectly have health issues.
Crime: Now imagine the number of jobless people, because the numbers keep increasing. The unhealthy people can no longer work at optimal levels, hence they lose their jobs.
Corporate Social Responsibility: Imagine the companies exist and every organization is saddled with a corporate social responsibility which revolves around water, health care, roads etc.
Pause …………..
I guess you can relate to my point that electricity / power generation is key. It solves Unemployment, reduces health issues and allow provision of good health facilities, roads are constructed, education is available and affordable, and research is promoted.
It has been very easy stating the needs of Nigerians. However, the challenge/ agitations I have are centered on: How do we make sure we are led by the right people at local, state and federal level?  How do we ensure we move from individualism, name calling, and blame shifting to solution finding, collective governance, and patriotism?
At this point, my mind has grown so weary and chooses to take a rest.
Looking forward to getting a positive response to the needs and a time when we would transit to the status “A DEVELOPED NATION”

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content2'); });

Yours faithfully,

Nigerian mind(s).
 

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('comments'); });