It’s no longer at ease… It never was and we are reasonable enough to understand this. Those of us who knew it already are giving birth to those who would come to understand this when they attain the age of reason. Together with them, we would all be expressing hope for a better tomorrow for our country while some people would remain bent on frustrating this beleaguered journey to happiness. In the mix is a realisation that some would always be in a position to lead, and being at the driver’s seat confers certain privileges and responsibilities. Unfortunately, most of these Nigerians take more as privileges compared to what they give as responsibilities. Based on this, what continues to beat the imagination of the people living in the land of hope is the perennial pretence by those in authority to solving Nigeria’s numerous socio-economic problems by employing the same tools – the tools that planted them, nurture them and are propagating these troubles.

Since it came upon us on May 29 last year, Nigerians are doing their best by worming into the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The administration is also worming into Nigerians, but trust is not a common commodity in this strained intercourse. The administration came with what its supporters refer to as a promise to make things better. Its promises are so far still unclear but, as Nigerians are wont to, they are giving their best in terms of support even as many others are lamenting the turn of the economy. Millions of Nigerians had thought that by now, the administration of a very knowledgeable Tinubu would have moved beyond rhetoric to get a firm grasp of the cascading economy. Many others also had thought that by now, all those oil subsidy thieves Tinubu had always talked about would have been named and brought to book. A school of thought had also expected to see proper action in the country’s messy oil sector. But so far, it’s been just plain meanderings and sophistry.

It reminds one of a hilarious contention on punishment for erring Nigerian public officials. By ‘erring’, it is intended to mean regular public servants who have transformed into behemoths. They err and are untouchable and when their error turns out to be so much of a moral burden on the principalities and powers, they get a slap on the wrist.

It’s no longer at ease… It never was and we are reasonable enough to understand this. Those of us who knew it already are giving birth to those who would come to understand this when they attain the age of reason. Together with them, we would all be expressing hope for a better tomorrow for our country while some people would remain bent on frustrating this beleaguered journey to happiness. In the mix is a realisation that some would always be in a position to lead, and being at the driver’s seat confers certain privileges and responsibilities. Unfortunately, most of these Nigerians take more as privileges compared to what they give as responsibilities. Based on this, what continues to beat the imagination of the people living in the land of hope is the perennial pretence by those in authority to solving Nigeria’s numerous socio-economic problems by employing the same tools – the tools that planted them, nurture them and are propagating these troubles.

Since it came upon us on May 29 last year, Nigerians are doing their best by worming into the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The administration is also worming into Nigerians, but trust is not a common commodity in this strained intercourse. The administration came with what its supporters refer to as a promise to make things better. Its promises are so far still unclear but, as Nigerians are wont to, they are giving their best in terms of support even as many others are lamenting the turn of the economy. Millions of Nigerians had thought that by now, the administration of a very knowledgeable Tinubu would have moved beyond rhetoric to get a firm grasp of the cascading economy. Many others also had thought that by now, all those oil subsidy thieves Tinubu had always talked about would have been named and brought to book. A school of thought had also expected to see proper action in the country’s messy oil sector. But so far, it’s been just plain meanderings and sophistry.

The last civil servant convicted of fraud, theft, corruption, graft or anything bordering on any of these crimes against the society was Obi Okonkwo. We should remember Obi Okonkwo in No Longer at Ease. Remember that it is a book written by Chinua Achebe? In it, Obi Okonkwo is a civil servant. He erred as we see them do today and he was tied and convicted for corruption. Obi Okonkwo was also duly sentenced. During his trial, there was no Professor Pondei drama and there was no Olisa Metuh show. It went smoothly. By the way, it was a colonial government!

You recall that No Longer at Ease is a work of fiction right? Good. So, what the joke is saying is that in Nigeria, the only civil servant ever that has fallen under the proper hammer of the law for corruption is a fictitious character. We are waiting for the first real life civil servant in Nigeria that would be brought to book for corruption in Nigeria. Maina? Okay, dey play…

To add verve to the joke, we have brought our brothers in Ghana with us too in this fartened room. In his own record, Ayi Kwei Armah in his debut novel, The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born, presented a character, Koomson, which is similar in sleaze and kleptomaniac in nature to Nigeria’s Obi Okonkwo. The notable differences in their circumstances notwithstanding, Obi Okonkwo is not as lucky as his colleague Koomson, the corrupt civil servant that escaped arrest and the hands of the law. The rich, well-to-do Koomson, somehow, had to manage to squeeze himself through the latrine he had despised when he refused to use it earlier. It is always bad for the bad boy when they come for him.

Meanwhile, bad people run at all times, but they actively run more and better at two main periods of their existence: When they are being pursued by the legal authorities, and when no one is pursuing them. The second reason for this running is scripturally-prescribed. Their mind will never find the space or wherewithal to settle down. For instance, you may wonder what is pursuing our political leaders and top public servants when they are going on the road. All kinds of security – known and unknown, seen and unseen – would be part of their entourage. In addition to these, they would be looking unsettled even while ensconced in expensive fortified vehicles, which are tinted so dark like vampires’ enclave. Yet, they are our ‘servants’ and are paid from the sweat and blood or these people they are running away from.

Indeed, it is no longer at ease. It is no longer at ease for the Nigerian and the Nigerian rulers. The rain pounding the slave is the same rain pouring on the slave master. The chicken has perched on the rope and there can no longer be peace for both the chicken and the rope. That, kind of, explains why our dear First Lady, beautiful Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, has joined in the quest to keep hordes of Nigerians off the line of the Japa syndrome. She knows why she wants us to shelve the Japa idea because we end up doing menial jobs in the white man’s country. We drive cabs; we become caregivers and happily take up cleaning jobs over there. These are jobs we despise and cannot touch with even long poles here at home in Nigeria.

Mummy Tinubu spoke as a mother indeed. She is worried that we are not helping one another to climb out of the vale of pervasive poverty but she spoke like one who didn’t get the script. She spoke like a worried mother who didn’t check what was pursuing her hysterical child before she plunged into the pool of diatribe against the child. Nigerians who are emigrating out of the country see better opportunities in all those countries they are heading to. Beyond the better currency which gives hugely better value for their efforts, they also enjoy sundry amenities which make life more meaningful and enjoyable. There are good roads, stable electricity, functional hospitals, and they wouldn’t need to dig wells or boreholes to be able to get water.

Mummy, you know that those who japa have escaped being their own government as we have here, and this is in addition to their being paid as and when due. They will pay tax and they “pay bills” but you are sure that they get value for their money. Nigerian nurses are currently in court to challenge the government of Madam Tinubu’s husband which is trying to deny them their rights to travel abroad for greener pasture.

While the matter rages like a bloodless war, why should we not think about what is at the root of the misnomer? For minders of our country and the citizenry, it is no longer at ease. But do they really care?

https://tribuneonlineng.com/madam-tinubu-it-is-no-longer-at-ease/