Each day in Nigerians throws up different scenarios either from neighbours, society or from the government they claimed they voted into office to improve their lives. Painfully, each day they wake up from sleep since independence and democracy were introduced by our political fathers, they are oblivious of what would be awaiting them.
They think of how to feed themselves and their families, they think of taking their children to school and how to also transport themselves from one point to another nearing the high cost of transportation due to fuel hike by government, who, instead of concentrating on exploring the abundant natural oil resources prefer to import foreign oil thereby aggravating corruption in the oil sector.
Even while still bearing the brunt of the transportation pain, they are confronted with the news of a proposed tariff hike in communication. They wonders with other passengers in the car what hard time has befallen them as Nigerians. As they discuss issues unfolding around the country, behold the vehicle started wobbling and the driver announces that the tyre had picked a nail and punctured the tyre. The vehicle stopped by a bush near the road and as the four passengers alight from the vehicle, two rough looking young boys accosted them pulling out a pistol and demanding that they all cooperate by surrendering every money, phone, lpad and ATM cards with the passwords. While the operation was ongoing a motorcycle arrived and both hoodlums escaped with the motorcycle. They were all dazed and confused.
That is the experiences many Nigerians confront each day. It is either armed robbery, bandits who kidnap for huge ransom or Boko Haram terrorists who kill and main innocent citizens including security personnels. The pain of living has become very escrutiating and unbearable to the extent that both civilians, students and uniformed personels commit suicide by hanging themselves. Most homes are in disarray because the center can no longer hold due to scarcity of resources. Tension everywhere and the people are frustrated. Should it be said that the government is fraustrated as policies churned out seem unimplementable. Starting from security, where terrorists seemed undefeated for over twelve years claiming lives of thousands of Nigerians and uniformed personels and destroying several Private and government structures. Also economically, policies churned out seemed to end catastrophically thereby worsening the pains of the people and drastically reducing their purchasing power.
Must we mention electricity which as a school pupil we would scream “Up Nepa” each time electricity was restored after a long period of darkness. Such ecstasy among children living in the cities became a norm and the government would still be proud of providing the needs of the people despite the abysmal inherent failure when compared with other countries whose government provides round the clock electricity power for their citizens. No wonder many companies have folded up their activities and relocated to other countries. Yet the government is not worried neither is it perturbed over the “DEATH” of industries across the country. Should we mention roads which unfortunately had claimed over a million lives since lndependence yet lawyer once appointed as minister for works Mr Fashola would beat his chest of rendering good road service while in office spending billions of Naira over unidentifiable constructed roads.
Everywhere you turn to, there is absolutely nothing to be proud of in the country that is why more Nigerian youths are changing their nationality and openly denouncing their country, yet the government seems not perturbed as it continues to dance like the mad man whose trouser was torn while dancing and refuses to step down due to shame believing that his dancing would continue to cover his shame.
Indeed, perilous days are visibly noticeable every community in the country and foreigners are capitalizing on our predicaments by either using or demanding their country currency for educational fees, creating exclusive institutions like schools, supermarkets, clinics etc yet our detectives look unperturbed. Even when radio callers bombard radio programmes with complains and offering positive advice and suggestions on burning national issues as they affect the citizens, the government blocks their ears from listening to such suggestions as they regard the voices as irrelevant.
This is how we as a country had continued on this shameful path not minding what other countries think about us as a country. Here is a country blessed with enormous human and over abundant natural resourses both tapped and untapped, yet we are yet to pick a leader who would selflessly lead the country to the promised land like biblical Moses, so that the world would appreciate the work of God who created Nigeria and richly blessed her with many potentials. Yet she had continued to “ wombble and fumble “politically, economically and recently security wise. How can foresighted people back noble idea like the establishment of state police, an idea already flourishing in many African countries and across the world yet elites whom we had thought their thinking faculty is correct, but the way they reason upside down, baffles many. It is encouraging to hear pastpolitical leaders like lbrahim Babangida, Abdulsalami Abubakar and Goodluck Jonathan, these leaders who have seen it all and had weighed the pros and cons of the state police idea and had unapologetically supported the move to introduce state police system. It was rather unfortunate for a serving lnspector General of police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun to object to the idea because he enjoys supervising a federally controlled police instead of decentralizing the system for the overall interest of the country.
According to a senior police officer , “We are not ripe enough ,”So, we are not developed enough” for State Police…How much insult can some people inflict on Nigerians…Yet we are “ripe enough” to use the sophisticated mobile phone, to own and drive all the modern cars…to fly in modern aircraft and private jets, to live in mansions with hanging swimming pools, to manipulate computers to embezzle billions of dollars and naira, to turn social media into magic land…and so on and so forth.
But when it comes to State Police that will bring Security down to the grassroots, benefit and protect the poor, and helpless farmers keep our highways, towns, markets and forests save from heartless mauraders and sundry criminals and above ALL provide massive employment for our teeming Youths..we have all suddenly become “unripe” mangoes..What an insult.!. Those against State Police have other hidden reasons reasons/agenda..They are selfish, slave drivers, oppressors and hiding the actual reasons..
Lets see how they will stop an idea whose time has come..Time will surely tell.”
Truely, this is perilous days we are facing around the country.