I have heard heart-breaking stories of ordinary Nigerians. Some have to resort to trade by barter. Epileptic online banking systems have refused to complete many initiated transactions or refunded the owners, thus leaving them stranded. Others now queue and fight at bank halls and ATMs to withdraw their own money.
Fuel scarcity. Forex scarcity. And now, Naira scarcity. Nigerians are going through a lot at the moment. Unfortunately, those who are supposed to mainstream these issues are hoping to profit from it.
The problem, for me, is the tendency of many Nigerians to explain away or accommodate hurtful policies they hope to profit from, while denouncing them aggressively at the turn of events.
In the present circumstance, a section of Nigeria’s Twitterati who used to be the loudest critics of Buhari’s government are no longer profoundly moved by his hare-brained policies. They now seem to have an abiding faith that evidences of bad governance may not be all that bad after all.
Enticed by the prospect of their favourite candidate winning the general election, some are now certain that the brutalities of the recoloured Naira notes, and its near punitive implementation, are an unfortunate burden the poor must gladly bear.
I have heard heart-breaking stories of ordinary Nigerians. Some have to resort to trade by barter. Epileptic online banking systems have refused to complete many initiated transactions or refunded the owners, thus leaving them stranded. Others now queue and fight at bank halls and ATMs to withdraw their own money.
We see all these things. We hear all these stories. Yet our consciences remain untroubled!
The night will yet get darker.
And then, Africa’s morning will come.
Chima Christian