NIGERIA IS STILL IN DARKNESS (I)
BY: PETER, Ekemini
Email:ekeminicephas1@outlook.com

The earlier we realize that we are not actually progressing in the manner and direction that we ought to, the better for us and generations to come. We are in a country where almost nothing seems to go in the right direction and yet we close our eyes, silence our consciences and claim that we are on our way to the promise land: a land where unemployment will be reduced to minimum, a land where the problem of power failure will be reduced or completely eradicated, a land where our parents, brothers and sisters will be diligent and committed in executing duties in their places of work (especially government establishments), a land where our youths will shun violence and the so called leaders would refrain from sponsoring them, and so on. I am talking about the Nigeria we see in vision. It is high time we stopped looking for who is wrong outside our immediate environment, organizations and team and see things in a different way. We should start by accessing ourselves, parents, brothers, sisters, wives, husbands, friends and relatives. Whether (or not) these crime and errors can be attributed to someone is not my concern in this paper and better still can be deliberated upon by someone who cares to make his feelings known, as I am not willing to join in the blame game.
Exploitation we know was the major cause of agitation for Nigeria’s independence in the late fifties and early sixties. An achievement some define as a premature and an untimely harvest (without source). Our fathers as at then shouted “we want to be free and control our own things…The exploitation is too much…Stop keeping us in the dark”. But the question is: has the exploitation they fought against been eradicated? I say NO with my reasons. Some of our leaders left the period of darkness and slavery with some sediments, traits and traces of darkness. They could not for some selfish reasons and interest leave everything that has to do with exploitation. They could not shun greediness, desperation for wealth and the likes. These characters were passed on to their children, friends and relatives who circulated them. The evidence is what we are seeing today. When allocations are made for specific purposes, our corrupt leaders embezzle the fund. Each one of them (the corrupt ones) takes a portion until little or nothing is left. This is the reason why most infrastructures set up by government are never used just a day after commissioning. Why would contracts not be awarded to people who cannot carry out their duty when some members of committee that has to do with infrastructural development and project supervision has a share in the “proceeds” from the contract.
Our education system is another problem we must solve. The standard associated with learning is dying daily and yearly, even on occasions when we say we are developing it. Some of the corrupt senior staff of our universities, polytechnics, colleges, secondary and primary schools will not want the government’s effort to yield any or better results. In my secondary school, I never knew that WAEC scratch card was free for every candidate until 2011 and 2012. Candidates were given scratch cards alongside their examination numbers. Why will I continue to pay for the facilities meant for a particular level even after I have left the stated level? In certain instances, they say it is for maintenance but yet the place is filled with furniture devoid of routine maintenance. Some of these facilities are even very old. What about the ones you pay for and are not provided or installed the way it ought to be? One will pay for a facility which will only be provided at a time they know majority of the students will not be able to enjoy it. It is now very common to hear “we will not go deeply into that area of the topic, you will be taught in the university” in secondary schools. And in the university you are told “we will not deal much on that, you learnt that in secondary school”. Sometimes you are lucky to have actually learnt it in secondary, sometimes not. We believe these topics were in our secondary school curriculum, but do some schools have the necessary facility and required skilled-manpower to teach their students as required? In addition, some students and pupils belonging to some schools that are blessed with good and sound teachers will not want to study. A lot of us (students) waste our precious time on meaningless and harmful things (I do not want to count them) and forget about our aim of being in school. As a result, indulging in “sorting” of lecturers and bribing lecturer’s assistant to pass examinations in common. Some of us intentionally waste our study time and wait for examination time with the mentality of “it is just to cram and pass”. It is true that you will graduate but how will you solve problems? How sure are you that you can solve one out of a million problem? I know you will point to a lecturer in your school that does not (want to) teach when he should until periods close to examination. Nigerians, let us not deceive ourselves, we will continue to produce half-baked graduate if we do not access ourselves and ‘debug’ (permit me to use it) the errors. We must change our life style, behaviour, mentality and mindset towards things.
Another thing I do not understand is the grounds on which the political appointments given to our politicians are based. Is it based on expertise in the individual’s carrier? Is it based on acquired skill? Is it based on experience to be acquired? Maybe it is based on just compensation and recommendation. I wonder why the position of the Minister of power should be given to someone who studied neither power and machine nor Electrical/Electronic Engineering. Do Nigerians not excel in the field of transport management technology? Let us say we do not want to use just graduates, Doctors and Engineers. Do we not have Professors? I am sure that our present Minister of Works did not study engineering. In this respect, what has the Nigerian Society of Engineers done? I am yet to find out. If you feel you are clever, try NBA and NMA.
How about our economy? Do you realize that inflation rate in our country normally grows geometrically? If you do, who is to be blamed? Is it the government or private sector? To me, it is the private sector. Some individuals who in their spare time criticizes government and leaders, police and fake religious leaders will be waiting to take advantage of inflation in order to increase the price of a commodity. You will discover that handkerchief within a period of two days will be sold at N70 from N50. Those who have fuel stations can sell a liter of petrol at N150 from N120 within 24hours or less. Even at a time like this when there are lot of enlightenment messages preached almost everywhere, some of us do not want to shun the act of vandalism. Some citizens are still stealing armoured cables from electrical power substations and transformer unit.

all this long article you put up there won't make PHCN to give us steady light.

you would've use that time to do something meaningful like watching porn or doing something more better #My2Cents