Nigeria is akin now to a poultry farm

Sir: Few days ago, the Federal Government began distribution of 42,000 metric tonnes of assorted grains to Nigerians in the Northwest. Weeks ago, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had directed Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to facilitate the immediate release and distribution of grains to residents. He said it was to mitigate the effect of the hardship.

It’s not really strange from a President who promised us an abundant supply of ‘agbado’ in his manifesto. He knows there is hardship and has chosen to scatter grain for fowls – Nigerians to pick.

Weeks ago too, the Nigeria Customs Service had also shared the confiscated bags of rice to the same Nigerians they banned it from, just that it was cheaper and branded. The stampede the free rice shared caused, showcased the misery and bondage of the Nigerian masses.

Nigerians are human birds who are caged. We are discouraged to fly and japa but encouraged to struggle for the grains scattered for us while trampling upon each other to get at least one corn in our beak.

It won’t be unexpected when this government starts sharing ‘bowls’ to Nigerians in the name of softening the hardship and Nigerians will be found saying the legendary beggar word – BambiAllah, while they put money in our bowls to vote for them while they give us more agbado for the remaining years they stay on the throne. Truly, hunger is a weapon.

If education is the bedrock of our nation, Nigeria is an exemption. It’s unfortunate for a country with millions of schools, practising a grain a day, keeps the anger and hunger away – the anger of a failed nation and the hunger of a failed economy. It won’t be surprising if this President gives us grains for his remaining tenure and that’s if he doesn’t run for another tenure. Like what were we expecting? His manifesto said it all.

Even a blind man knows that the problem of Nigeria is long term and needs a long-term solution but greed has blinded our leaders’ eyes that they can’t see that we have enough resources to redeem Nigeria from debt and the atmosphere of poverty suffocating us.

Is it Agriculture? Is it tourism? Name it, Nigeria has it except leaders with common sense or maybe they don’t just love the country, they love themselves and their generations only. Or maybe the sadistic pleasure of seeing the masses suffer and picking the remnants from what the corrupt officials loot, like dogs that are abandoned but still living.

I believe that for Nigeria to have this amount of grains being shared to its citizens, we have potential in exporting grains for increased revenue and strong stand in the international market. Apart from this, many well meaning journalists and experts have provided various solutions to the biting economy but the usual saying of “speaking to a wall is wasting your spit” is applicable here. What this government has come for, is to share grains for the masses because the owner had the blueprint of a poultry farm in his head.

• Felicitas Offorjamah.