By: Buwa Meldrick Memeh

It is true that when a man stays in the dark for too long, he begins to see clearly and this is the case with most Nigerians living in poverty. It is no news that 69 percent of Nigeria’s population leave in abject poverty but painfully a lot have accepted it as a way of life to the extent that they regard wealth as the prerogative of a selected few.

Take a look at the last election; I found it ludicrous seeing Nigerians struggle for face caps and T-shirts. Some political contestants shared tin-tomatoes, rice and other items but I must admit that these petty items successfully bought the conscience of some electorates. It is in this country politicians claim heroic status by customizing sachet toothpaste and with guts throw biscuits to people on the streets while they wave two fingers in the air from their open roof stretched cars and in excitement people fall over each other to pick biscuits from the floor. In appreciation, the people chant songs in local dialects to celebrate a man who has virtually done nothing for them but has temporarily solved their hunger problem.

Unemployed youths and other low income earners are not exempted as they would do anything to spread a false gospel of a thieving politician as long as they are compensated with data bundles and little cash to feed for the moment. It was just two weeks ago one of the popular internet warriors confessed to me that during the period of the election, he was given 5GB weekly and N20,000 each month he participated in responding to messages that will affect the credibility of his candidate.

Poverty is like a plague and its endless manifestation on our people gets so scary that one is forced to believe that the present economic reality is a deliberate attempt by the ruling class to sustain the gap between the poor and the rich for selfish motives.

How do you describe the Kaduna State Beggars Association who recently threatened to pull down the government of Gov. El-Rufai? It indeed goes a long way to show you the danger of poverty especially when a human being finds dignity in begging. How do you describe the large crowd that come out in protest when the EFCC arrest public officers? How do you describe the shameless display by the women who came out naked to protest the arrest of a former governor of Delta State in 2010 despite poverty ravaging the land? How do you describe the protest by some Igbo youths in Enugu to prevent the sack of Stella Oduah despite the miracle she performed with the huge amount spent on purchasing bullet proof vehicles or even the shameless Bayelsa youths warning the EFCC against prosecuting Sylva? In all of these, politicians enjoy the loot alone but when called for interrogation, they are quick to give as little as N500 each to the poor who carry placards with warnings in attempts to stop the EFCC from doing its job. The people are mentally imprisoned and the politicians capitalize on this fact by depriving them of basic necessities.

Last week there were fears over cholera outbreak in Udu Local Government of Delta State and with special thanks to God, our fears were allayed when the Delta state government debunked the claims but the reality on ground is the fact that despite the huge allocation received by Delta State, many communities do not have portable water. Residents of Udu Local Government fetch water to drink from the well while some go to the stream to get water to drink but these are the same people who come out to sing praises of their representatives and stage massive protests at any mention of probe. A probe is simply a thorough investigation into a matter and even though former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan is an itsekiri man like me, I’ll be most delighted to see him probed. I have not accused him of anything but Nigerians must stop ethnic bigotry and demand for good governance.

As Nigerians we must ask ourselves, how has the government impacted on the common man on the street? Has the government made life easy for me by providing basic amenities like portable water, accessible roads and hospitals among others? Do I have value for the taxes I pay? If your answer to any of these questions is negative, your governor can be considered a failure. You will agree with me that it certainly calls for deliverance when youths lacking access to these basic amenities spit fire over social media in defense of the same governors or representatives who have stolen from common patrimony.

Let me use this opportunity to remind the bigots and the poor men used as touts during elections that these political thieves they defend fall sick and are flown abroad for immediate treatment. Let me also remind these bigots and poor men used as touts that the children of our public office holders attend Foreign Universities where the academic calendar is uninterrupted but the poor men can only see pictures of these foreign universities on blogs. Let me also remind them that the life in developed countries and life in Nigeria can be described as day and night. It is deliberate wickedness on the part of our leaders who tour developed countries and find it difficult to replicate what is seen abroad in Nigeria.
It is time to demand that children of public office holders school in Nigeria maybe then Nigerian Universities will get the needed attention from the government. It is also time to demand that public office holders receive treatment in Nigeria maybe then the government will focus on building a state of the art facility that will measure up with foreign standards and issues of striking medical workers will become history.
We must remind ourselves that the effect of bad leadership is not necessarily felt by the leader but the citizens and this explains the rising insecurity. Painfully that poor policeman who cannot fend for his family is given arms to protect the overfed politician. Painfully that poor policeman who resides in the barracks with dilapidated structures is made to beat up poor men in the name of protecting his Oga. We must remember that people who died in the last elections were all children of the poor.

You must remember that the peanut received from politicians will take care of a meal for a short period but the gains of good governance are everlasting and this explains why politicians will bid you farewell after the expiration of their tenure to relax in countries that are properly planned by sincere leaders.

As I open your eyes to the truth, kindly pray that the Former Petroleum Minister recovers fully and God should give her strength so that she can hurriedly come back home to account for her years in the Petroleum Ministry.
God bless Nigeria


Buwa Meldrick Memeh
Political Analyst and Social Commentator
Twitter: @buwamemeh

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space booked

A thought provoking article soon to get watered down once it hits frontpage.

blame clueless gej

Hmmm.
Nice one Op.


Front Page material.

cc Lalasticlala this na front page material

Those Nairalanders like Ena and Omojuwa will disagree with the poster. They soil my timeline with their numerous worthless praises of one political party or the other after receiving cash from them. We say we want a better Nigeria and the poor people are not helping issues at all.

Nice writeup

I don forget wetin I wan say sef
Na to book front page b my prioritypriority

Somtymz i wonder if d black race hav deficiency in somtin da white hav....pardon my submission.
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The mentality is shallow, da heart is most desperately wicked, da mind is occupied with pull down syndrome, da brain is always calculatin how either to circumvent d system or anoda person...Kai!
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Poverty is eaten people up while some are stil stealing in billion dollarz...without any remorse
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We' ve gat à long way 2 go

CAUSES OF POVERTY IN NIGERIA

1. Unemployment
2. Bad leadership/Poor governance
3. Corruption
4. Poverty is also resulting from Africa’s excessive reliance on foreign culture and products.
5. Poor economy
6. Illiteracy

ELIMINATING POVERTY IN NIGERIA AND AFRICA

The very first step in eliminating poverty and tactically reducing armed conflicts in Africa is good governance and leadership. This is key to addressing the problem of poverty in Africa. A government that will critically tackle the issue of unemployment, welfare, social infrastructures and corruption. These are key issues in resolving conflicts in African. The truth is that most of the people been used by the influential untouchables to carry out criminal acts, are jobless or are into a job that cannot buy them daily meal. Europe is where they are today because of effective and efficient leadership. Of course Europe has its own problems too, but when you walk in the streets of countries in Europe, you will have a feeling of perfection because they have good leadership. Good welfare packages must be provided.

African leaders must invest heavily in agriculture. Industries should be set up. This would provide jobs and also reduce our much reliance on European products.

Education is also very important in solving the problems of armed conflicts and insecurity in Africa. Financial poverty is part of cultural poverty, for which education is the only antidote. If you cure cultural poverty with education, financial poverty will be cured too. Education enhances productivity and creativity. Most schools and Universities in Africa are in poor shapes. This accounts for a large number of Africans trouping into American and European universities.

Importantly too, government must make very serious efforts to enlighten people on family planning. This for me is key in addressing poverty in Africa. The various family units are very important to the state and in the positive transformation of Africa. How can a man who lives with less than 30 dollar per day have seven children, believing that one would grow up to be rich? This belief is archaic and senseless. It is true that children are blessings from God, but it is also true that God never told us to bring children that we cannot cater for. This is a big issue in Africa. It is so because these children will become part of the larger society in the future and if they lacked the necessary education in life, they may likely become nuisance to the society at large.

- See more at: http://www.poverties.org/eliminating-poverty-in-africa-the-most-viable-solution-to-conflicts.html#sthash.dRXzNom0.dpuf

True, poverty has really messed up the physche of Nigerians. The Elections were pathetic... The so called leaders and sending their stupid children to foreign universities while the masses suffer really makes me furious

What does the government have to do with people born into poverty who then have several children, also born into poverty? That is the greatest cause of poverty and an overwhelming security risk.

Is that a government responsibility or is that personal responsibility?

I would venture to add that without polygamy and the subsequent poverty as a result, there would be no Boko Haram.

What of the ignorant religious leaders who advise their flock to go forth and multiply knowing that many in their congregation struggle to take care of themselves?

Ok

Mcheew.... na today una know Aproko people

That's why now the am young fresh and strong am trying to workhard bcus if poverty holds you when you are in youth u might escape but in your old age you can't escape poverty

Hmm


The dude above me get sense gon!

Well said.

This is just the plain truth,and nothing but the truth... And to the e-warriors,hope y'all take note

That's why now that am young fresh and strong am trying to workhard bcus if poverty holds you when you are in your youth u might escape it but in your old age you can't escape poverty.

Nice write up. @op I've never understood our Nigerian situation. Being of the same origin of our former senate president, D.B. Mark, I've witnessed some truly mind boggling events.
Terrible roads doesn't even come close to our problems and yet scores of youth and elderly ones rush to "welcome home" their son whenever he comes home (in his helicopter) before dashing off to play some rounds of golf with other "sons and daughters" of the land.

However, with the electorate gradually being enlightened and observing the trend of the last elections, Nigerians are beginning to wake up from our deep sleep, we might need a few more shrugs (maybe a few slaps) but one things is sure, we will overcome.

Nairaland has become a joke. You can never read any reasonable comment here anymore. It is all about space booking and smileys. You see an interesting post and you expect to equally see educative comments or meaningful contributions, but no way! It is either 'ok', 'oi', '.' or 'true', 'well said', 'i'll be right back', 'space booked' etc.

True. Nigeria is a very rich nation but we're ranked amongst the world's poorest nations. The way that we live,reason and behave got me feeling and believing that we're living in a "psychiatric nation". So long as our leaders keep playing God in our lives and we keep giving them the opportunity to do so,we'd continually live as slaves to them.

There's also a silent epidemic ravaging Nigeria today,which most people haven't taken note of. There seems to be an upsurge in the number of silly and gullible Nigerians being developed daily. Nairaland and the last elections,has afforded me the opportunity of knowing that for a fact. The way some people vehemently defend some politicians and political parties with all their being even when they are sounding very stupid,could be quite amazing. The two things that I personally see as destroying the psyche of most Nigerians,are "poverty of the mind" and "stupidity and the constant act of being gullible".

nice write up

Our leaders always want to keep the masses poor so that during electioneering period, 200 Naira or 1 tin tomatoes can easy buy them 3 votes lol....the sad thing about it is that those who takes these monies or tin tomatoes feel that's their own national cake.

[img]https://www.nairaland.com/avatars/ngpqy14me9hk5qty8uc53ap8iowc4elq1111115[/img]


The above may help alleviate the poverty MENTALITY amongst us.
Thanks shidof