As I watched the events of the last 36hours
unfold, I have had to explain to my wife and
children why I am so silent, so angry and so sad
at the same time?
My silence comes from being in awe as I witness
the unprecedented yet amazing collaboration of
MILITARY and MILITANTS in accomplishing a
common goal, to silence the voice of the
people.
I am so angry that precious lives have been lost
as ordinary citizens protested against an unjust
policy that was clearly not thought-through and
yet, our President describes these fallen heroes as
the "adverse effects" of the protest.
I am angry that our President made so many
open-ended promises without clear deliverables
or deadlines and thought we would be gullible and
simple-minded enough to say OK.
I am so angry that in a hard-earned democratic
dispensation, our elected officials went into the
barracks and cantonments to invite the very same
soldiers (who we fought to return to the barracks)
unto the streets against unarmed protesters while
armed bandits, militants and terrorists express
themselves freely without being muzzled by the
military might of our government.
But then I am also very sad because I've watched
this charade play out itself many times before
(without the novelty of the military and the
militants.)
Like I articulated in my facebook message (of
January 5, 2012,) on this issue of fuel subsidy
removal, this script has been acted out too many
times for us to have forgotten how the charade
ends.
Act 1 Scene 1:
Government (hints but) suddenly announces the
increase in the pump price of petroleum
products.
Act 1 Scene 2:
The people are angry about Government feeble
excuses and explanations asking people to pay
more because they can't confront the corrupt
system that makes it unsustainable to keep fuel
prices low .
Act 2 Scene 1:
Organised labour and trade union sense that it is
time to bring out the capes and harken to the
people's cry for super-heroes.
You know the rest of the story, don't you?
Government gets a court injuction restraining
labour from embarking on a strike.
Labour disobeys the unjust injunctions and go out
to exercise their constitutional rights to call an
unemployed populace to mass action.
The youth, the homeless, the poor and the
unemployed come out en-mass and protest.
Labour makes public declarations of the position
of the people.
Government invites labour to closed door
meetings. Something (we call negotiation)
happens behind the closed doors.
Labour emerges from closed door meetings and
declares a deadlock.
Govt goes ahead to REDUCE but NOT REVERSE
pump price.
Labour suspends strike. Employers are happy to
get their staff back to work. Everybody gets back
on the Rat Race (All motion, No Movement, I
think the better way to put it is win-win!!!
The only people that lose and suffer are the poor
and unemployed who we all said would lose more
if we continue the struggle against pump price
increments.
We never go 'backward' to collect our stolen
funds from the corrupt officials and the cabals
well known to the government.
Rather, we choose to go 'forward' to rob our
poor, feeble and voiceless forever and forget
them until its time to bring them out to
'negotiate' another unjust policy.
So we are back to where it all began,
ASUU continues its strike and no one notices the
degenerating young minds wasting away in our
homes and on our streets.
LASU school fees still increased by 900% and
admission now costing 250,000 Naira for newly
admitted students seeking an education to
prepare their minds for the future.
The Nigerian Medical Association and doctors
must now return back to their death centers
(oops, I meant health centers) and continue to
watch helplessly as hopeless patients die from
preventable systemic decay rather than the
diseases that brought them to the hospital.
Some of us will now go back to the LEKKI TOLL
GATES and continue to pay toll, since we now
have protest-fatigue. In any case, no one
remembers why we were fighting against the
unjust tolling of a road that was built by
LKJakande with tax payers money and now
refurbished by concessionaires. What's the big
deal? Let the government continue to collect our
taxes to build other roads and we continue to pay
tolls to drive on our own (sorry, LCC's) road.
Really, I am sad and angry because after all said
and done, nothing has changed, Except for the
price of fuel from 65 to 97Naira per liter.
Still no refineries, no good roads, no power, no
portable water, corrupt officials still in office as
they continue 'partnering' with their cabals.
Investigations without conclusion. Accusations
without prosecution. And the world keeps going
round and round.
So when is real change going to come?
As I stated in my earlier message on Jan 5, 2012,
the change we need is not just policy. It is in the
quality of mind and persons at policy making
positions.
Without a doubt, our change will come the day
our Brightest and Best minds silently RESOLVE
that Enough is Enough of mediocrity in policy-
making positions and begin to prepare to occupy
positions (and not just parks) through the
electoral process.
So how will we effectively deliver sustainable
desired-change?
WE NEED A CRITICAL MASS OF NEW NIGERIANS
TO TAKE HOLD OF EVERY LEVEL OF POLICY
MAKING POSITIONS BY 2015. Not a few good
men and women whose voices will get drowned
in the cacophony of mediocrity.
Let our brightest and best brains begin serious
preparations NOW. Don't wait till 2014 to decide
you want to make a change by running for office
in 2015. It will be too late if you don't start
NOW!!!!
As we keep up the pressure for good governance,
let another set of emerging leaders (with a heart
for the nation and a love for the people) arise and
begin to prepare for 2015. We must encourage,
train, mentor and empower the right people to go
where few dare.
I have committed my life to raise and prepare as
many exemplary leaders of excellence to take
over the various policy making positions at all
levels of governance (federal, state and local)-
executive and legislative.
This is only the beginning of a long and arduous
journey. The real Nigerian spring is going to be in
April 2015.
Until we change the quality of people in policy-
making positions, we won't yet have real and
lasting victory.
Don't get it twisted, The 2015 elections is going
to be the opportunity for the real Nigerian Spring.
The real question is , Will we be ready to bring
the real change we've always desired with the
same zeal and fervor as we show now?
Please don't let today's passion die tomorrow.
The struggle continues today, tomorrow and
forever. We WILL deliver the future!
God bless you and God bless the Federal Republic
of Nigeria.
FD