The recent media report that
Nigeria is now holding the enviable
record of a country with the highest
private jet ownership in Africa is
unarguably rankling.This untoward
development has brought into
sharper focus the paradox of a
nation that is endowed with huge
oil resources but where only a few
privileged individuals are wealthy.
In a country where the average
citizen or over 70 percent of the
population lives on less than $1 per
day, it is astonishing that there is a
super rich class of business moguls,
bankers, preachers, politicians and
oil magnates whose private
ownership of jets is more than that
of any other country in the
continent.
The report has it that ownership of
state-of-the-art jets in Nigeria has
increased to over 200 in 2012 from
50 in 2008.
It also indicates that N1.30 trillion
may have been spent by Nigerians
in the last seven years to acquire
jets. The cost of a jet ranges
between N2.4 billion and N9 billion.
Though successive Nigerian
administrations have generously
dubbed the country as the “Giant of
Africa,” the reality on ground
indicates that Nigeria does not
deserve to be so called.
Ours is a system riddled with
systemic corruption and officially-
sanctioned profligacy. Over the
years, we have not fared better in
any index of development by any
African and global ranking bodies.
While it is the prerogative of
individuals to decide what to do
with their money, we think that the
rush by wealthy Nigerians to acquire
private jets is fast becoming an
obsession that should be curbed.
The new craze among public office
holders is unnecessary show of
power, prestige and personal ego.
Acquiring a private jet has now
become a status symbol for a few
privileged nouveau riche Nigerians
including members of the political
elite.
Given that some oil-rich states of
the Niger Delta region can afford
the luxury of a private jet for their
chief executives, the same can
hardly be said of other states of the
federation where basic necessities
of life are still a campaign issue.
Even among the oil-rich states,
some environmental challenges
occasioned by years of oil
exploration and exploitation are still
begging for attention that
acquisition of jets cannot be a top
priority.
The recent havoc caused by flood in
many parts of the country shows
the enormity of environmental
problems facing most of the states.
Besides, every state in the country
is bedevilled by the blight of
unemployment and poverty. The
country is still battling with general
insecurity occasioned by armed
robbery, kidnapping, terrorism and
other social ills.
Moreover, the nation’s education
and health sectors are in a shamble,
yet we parade the highest number
of jet owners in Africa. We decry
the new craze to acquire jets among
Nigerians, especially the public
office holders. In fact, public office
holders should seriously face
governance and other
developmental issues and do away
with the tendency to buy jets.
Apart from being an avoidable drain
on the state’s resources, there is no
need and justification for such ego-
tripping. This overt and stupendous
consumerism culture epitomizes
poverty of ideas and misplacement
of priorities. It should be stopped
forthwith.
While there is nothing basically
wrong with private individuals
owning jets, we should not bring the
Nigerian factor to bear on it so that
it does not become nauseating.We
urge Nigerians to moderate their
taste for ostentation and curb the
new craze. We appeal to state
governors to channel those
resources to the enhancement of
democracy deliverables to the
people. Let them compete on
developmental issues and not on
jets. Above all, government should
regulate the acquisition of luxury
goods including jets by increasing
taxation on them. Efforts should be
geared towards improving the
nation’s aviation industry.