Find below a sample of the reactions that followed my column with the above title. One thing I know for sure cannot be taken away from...
Find below a sample of
the reactions that followed my column with the above title.
One thing I know for sure cannot be taken away from you is
the passion with which you have analysed our country's problem both in the
Jonathanian days and now. I applaud you for being consistent and humanist, at
least so it seems, in most of your articles.
I do share in many of the observations raised against the
PMB's administration. But I seek to differ with you in the rush to judge the
administration given that, it is only in office for less than a year. Even more
so, one thing I, you or anybody else cannot take away from PMB is his sincerity
and integrity. But these alone, although important, I must admit, are not
enough to translate into viable policy options. Worse still, is also the bereft
nature of the personae surrounding PMB, who, in fact, are subtly behind many of
the policies that have continued to raise eyebrows and condemnation.
But I can sure you, there would still be Nigeria for all of
us to speak of only if we, I mean all Nigerians, sincerely and continuously
appreciate government's efforts (this is an area I find lacking in most of your
engagements), this is in addition to remaining on guard against action or in
action of government that hardly could serve the collective interest.
Once again, keep it up!
Abubakar S Ahmed Ph.D
I agree with you that things are generally bad in Nigeria
at the moment. The economy is in a bad shape. Many of our people are suffering
severe deprivation. However I also think we are seeing the efforts being made
to improve on the quality of governance and at the same time enhance integrity
in government business.
Of course most Nigerians accept the hike in petrol price
because of the promise of eventual stabilisation of the supply with the
possibility of a lower price in the long run. While most of our political
leaders may not have a proper or healthy political/ideological orientation,
some are committed and hopefully in this dispensation, many more will emerge on
the national stage. I don't agree with you that the government is witless,
incompetent and irresponsible. Rather, I see a new commitment to the agenda for
national redemption.
As for the middle class, it may be selfish but is neither
docile nor self-satisfied. Of course it has factions and the dominant faction
is sold on a neo-liberal framework built on market orthodoxy. The class has
tried to embrace democratic logic in its struggles. There are complex socio-economic
and political problems to resolve and I want to believe we are making some
progress.
Warrisu Alli
I read your offering this morning with mixed feelings. Mixed
feelings because on one hand, you brilliantly dissected the Nigerian state and
the short comings of its selfish middle class and on the other, you kept
hammering needlessly on the issue of the recent hike in petrol price, blaming
it as the trigger for the hyper-inflation we are presently contending with.
I don't know when government or governance ceased to exist
in Nigeria. But since the coming of the military in 1985, there has been a
gradual and systematic descent into 'No Government'. Public services and
utilities began to degenerate and continuously got from bad to worse. The
entrenchment of corruption as state policy by the military further worsened the
situation. The souls of Nigerians were completely destroyed as people no longer
see any difference between what's wrong and right. And no society can function
in such Hobbesian state.
I shade tears anytime I see kids sitting on bare floors, in
some cases without roofs, in public primary schools. The teachers are barely
qualified to teach. And you wonder what knowledge is being impacted on this
youngsters. Public utilities like electricity and water supply are epileptic.
Virtually every household has become a local government (apologies to Wole
Soyinka). So I completely agree with you that government has no meaning or
doesn't exist in the lives of so many citizens. In fact, I support the idea
that the national budget should be shared to all Nigerian citizens annually.
On the fuel price increase, prof, you are continuously
getting it wrong. President Buhari inherited a near bankrupt economy. I'm sure
you are following the mindboggling revelations of the unconscionable thievery
of the last government. As at today, I doubt if 5% of the looting between
2010/2015 have been uncovered. Secondly, since PMB took office, oil price has
been fallen except for some marginal increase in the last few month. Currently
it's about $42/ barrel.
You should know that, it's the revenue we get from oil sales
that we use to fund petroleum products importation. Don't forget there are
other commitments which government must keep, like payment of salaries, payment
to contractors and settlement of international obligations, etc.
You should also take into consideration the sabotage by
Niger Delta militants. Their activity is reducing the volume of crude oil
export. So it's under this difficult situation that president Buhari had no
choice but increase the price of petrol at the pump.
Sanusi Maiwada
We have already lost hope. Buhari, the seeming Messiah of
Nigerian masses, has joined the class of lickers either consciously or
subconsciously. A man of proven integrity is circled by highly corrupt
political sycophant who keep telling him all is well with his erroneous
policies. He addresses us saying he feels our pain, but he can’t imagine our
plight.
Today if an average Nigerian is earning 50,000, that amount
has reduced by half due what you call hyperinflation. Gradually the middle
class is being eliminated with the rich getting richer and the poor getting
poorer, and the government has no palliative on ground. Verily Allah is
saviour.
Yusuf Anas, Kano Poly.
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