For whatever reason, one must wonder if people around the world would have any cause to envy Nigerians. The implication is that the majority of Nigerians have been living in servitude since democracy belted in 1999. They have endured genuine sufferings from poor leadership and every turn of their lives is a sigh and worry about how to survive.
The poverty of vision among the political leadership defines the tragedy the people are going through. Somehow, it appears that only incompetent people get the public office jobs. Right from the grassroots of political leadership, the local government area, to the state and federal levels are incompetent political leaders. It is pretty sad that the trend may not wane anytime soon going by the way and manner elections are conducted in the country.
At every election, the godfatherism role is played more than the electorate’s power to vote the people’s choice into office. Few ordinary folks, who are capable and think they can change things, are never given the chance. If nothing else, this will continue to hamper economic development of the country just as the masses will remain impoverished.
Over the years, poor leadership makes the path of the masses murkier and miserable. The inability of our leaders to make a tough but clear choice and change the course of history for the good of the country remains a tall dream. Many among the citizens are caught in a crossroad of decision to either flee the country in search of greener pastures abroad or stay back and salvage it together.
For about seven years running, the people found themselves saddled with a condition they never imagined and certainly not enjoying. The people are constantly adulated to believe that the problems they face are not only insurmountable but that it cannot be solved within a democratic period of four years. Even a two-term rule is considered insufficient as the people are cajoled to re-elect the underperforming party and individuals back to power.
Real democracy is where there is a true culture of service to the people. In this part of the world, the people are made to serve and worship the political leaders. If one may ask, why are today’s political leaders tied down by the incapacity to generate meaningful possibilities that would transform the lives of the people? It is common to see political leaders support their forthrightness in parading poor leadership, the people are constantly fooled as the government peddles the preposterous fib that the problems facing the nation were created by previous administrations. But, come to think of it, what is the essence of government if there were no problems to be solved and challenges to be tackled? Anyway, to save face, the anthem for the better part of the ruling government has been ‘give us more time to fix the nation’.
By procrastinating, and by giving one excuse after another, the people suffer all sorts of deprivations. The so much talk about job creation has refused to see the light of the day. A cursory look at the country today reveals that unemployment has become the potent-induced factor for banditry, kidnappings and killings in the land. The failure of leadership to provide basic human necessities and guide the people like a good shepherd to success is lacking.
As we all know, the President Muhammadu Buhari led government came to power with good intention, which of course is never in short supply in politicians’ blueprint. But the inability to walk-the-talk remains the ever elusive variable. Real democracy is where there is a true culture of service but such remains a far cry in Nigeria. Nigerian politicians only serve their greed for the spoils of office and forget about the people. During the election period, the people are usually reminded that the cause of their sufferings is the previous administration.
The other day, if you listened to the Minister of Labour’s recent rhetoric, you could be forgiven for thinking that the Buhari’s government will never come of age from the blame game and finger pointing. While receiving a delegation of the French candidate for the office of the Secretary-General of International Labour Organisation (ILO) the ministry’s spokesman, Charles Akpan, maintained that Nigeria’s social security system is poor and the nation needs help to improve it.
According to him, the scourge of massive unemployment and under-employment is so huge for the government and the ILO’s intervention will be a drop in the ocean. One is tempted to ask if such intervention could bring light at the end of the tunnel for Nigerians. Knowing that, most employers do not have the ILO’s provisions in the employment contracts for their employees. Also, as Akpan noted, our social system is poor and for the ILO to make meaningful intervention, it needs to shape up and align with other global agencies for impactful assistance. Undeniably, if we do not make efforts to correct the circumstances that create this difficult path for the people, there is no doubt that they would continue to create more problems.
