Any solution away from restructuring will only crush the poor citizens of this country the more while the rich and privileged swim in affluence at the expense of the poor. Finally, I expect the Nigerian citizens – of which I am one – to look closely at the restructuring templates that have so far been in the public space since 2014 as we maintain the combative mindset of protest.
There is no doubt that the current administration inherited a badly battered government from its immediate predecessor; a system that was riddled with garnishee judgments, terrible and shady transactions like the Nigeria Air last minute fraud, the mind-blowing corruption at the ministry of humanitarian affairs and; the anchor borrowers loans amongst other very stinking, sordid and highly offensive actions and landmines of corruption.
Tinubu indeed inherited a situation so riddled with landmines that one wouldn’t be wrong if one had said that it’ll take a spirit perhaps to correct in 4 years all the rot that was perpetuated by the government before. That said, president Bola Ahmed Tinubu easily comes across as a very courageous man when he insisted it was his turn to lead Nigeria (during the campaigns in 2023) despite the obvious signposts of brazen mismanagement by the Buhari regime and the herculean task whoever will clean the mess must face.
And Nigerians even took him seriously for promising more than enough agbado and ewa! Unfortunately, he hasn’t been that courageous or would I say, smart in dodging the systemic landmines that his immediate predecessor and ‘friend’ – Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari – set up in order to gain cheap popularity at the expense of this government. It is on record that almost all the presidential aspirants in last year’s general elections did promise to remove the corruption machine also known as fuel subsidy. However, they all differed in how.
So, we weren’t surprised that the current president came on board and immediately expunged the fuel subsidy which in all fairness; had been partially removed by the Buhari administration since provision for it was only for a six-month period in the 2023 budget. For me, the problem was not in the subsidy’s removal as it were but in the attitude of government after the removal; for the government simply behaved as though it did not anticipate the harsh economic realities that will ensue.
Imagine the laxity and brazen manner in which they delayed before deeming it fit to talk to Nigerians and, attempt to provide a cushioning? And this is a cushioning that they would’ve achieved by putting a call through to Dr. Innocent Chukwuma of Innoson Vehicles Ltd without delay if they really cared about the masses’ plight; for an immediate release of CNG vehicles to consolidate what was coming in as immediate gains of the removal of subsidy. This, they never did nor were they in any hurry – as in the renovation of the VP’s residence – to do.
Now, for me again; even though they failed in responding with an immediate cushioning plan; there still wouldn’t have been much damage in the aftermath of the subsidy removal if they hadn’t foolishly – I would say – gone ahead to also float the naira at about the same time! I must say this, that if the floating of the naira had come perhaps, one year after the subsidy was removed; we may not have had things this ugly. Unfortunately, all my views are now only an analyst’s memoir.
Based on all that I have just said, the current government therefore legitimately angered the ever resilient citizens of Nigeria and hence earned themselves this very ugly protest and; I say this to counter folks who refuses to agree that this protest is due to this administration’s inhumane policies. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s style of governance is not what Nigerians need and, to be honest; Nigerians must brace up for a government-citizen relationship that will be laced with endless protests.
I say this because, for a president that thinks that all he needs to put Nigeria in his pocket is simply to stuff the mouth of the political class, traditional rulers, military chiefs and judges with money; leaving citizens in the cold; it will be wrong to expect anything much from him. This is president Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s style of governance for you. And the earlier we get this personality correctly figured out, the better for us as a country. Now, let me touch on some issues. Have you not noticed that it is his pied-pipers that have been in frenzy since the protest?
What are your views about his belated speech? What’s your thought about the carnage in the Northwest and Northeast; a region that applauded Buhari’s madness for 8 years? One thing is obvious and, that is that the speech said nothing new. But that is because the president and his minders knows that restructuring is the all-purpose therapy that Nigeria desperately needed now. There are indications too that the belligerent north also knows that restructuring is the needed remedy BUT which they’re not mentally ready to acknowledge; hence the carnage instead of a peaceful protest.
In the end, the real problem in today’s Nigeria is simply that of LACK of a widely accepted solution to collective problems! Looking at the over twenty demands on the protesters’ list for instance; one is tempted to say that restructuring or true federalism appears as the strategy that best suited as solution to not just those demands but to the myriad of other problems that bedevils the country at the moment. Interestingly, most of the protesters know this – especially those who have tasted political offices before.
Why do I insist restructuring is the way to go? And How? Good question. Nigeria’s major problems today are as follows: hunger, systemic corruption, periodic ethnic cleansing, illegal mining, unemployment, illiteracy, insecurity and a mono-economy. So, with a restructured Nigeria where monthly subvention to states disappears and, where the law permits the respective states to control their resources including the so-called federal roads and generate their revenue; there will be economic diversification and surely, systemic corruption, periodic ethnic cleansing and illegal mining will be first to die. And with that also comes the death of hunger, illiteracy and crime.
With a restructured Nigeria where the local government and the legislature together with the police and the judiciary are independent of the executive arm; surely insecurity will vanish, with the quality and sacredness of life greatly improved. A Nigeria where the central government devolves political power to the respective states as is the case in the USA; surely unemployment will be ceased by the throat! And with that come also death of religious crisis and the rise of a system where a state that disallows operation of liquor businesses will never get a dime of VAT that come from states that permitted liquor businesses.
Therefore, president Tinubu’s errors so far – in my honest opinion – are given to the fact that there’s no seeming consensus across Nigeria either before or even now on a possible solution or on the potentials of restructuring as a solution! But we must be fair to ourselves in acknowledging that it is only the strategy of full-scale restructuring as solution that will truly affect the rich adversely (in line with what I highlighted above) and the poor mildly; as government addresses the years of systemic rot, inequality and social and economic deprivation.
Any solution away from restructuring will only crush the poor citizens of this country the more while the rich and privileged swim in affluence at the expense of the poor. Finally, I expect the Nigerian citizens – of which I am one – to look closely at the restructuring templates that have so far been in the public space since 2014 as we maintain the combative mindset of protest.
Amb. Ifeanyichukwu George; Executive Director, Self-Awareness for Suicide Prevention Initiative, Africa writes from Abuja. 08062577718