THE NIGERIAN PROBLEM



Right from 1960 to date, our bane as a country has always remained the same. It is not corruption as the Nigerian President thinks, it is not stealing as Dr Jonathan asserts, it is never unemployment, it is not the failure of leadership as the late literary giant, Prof Chinua Achebe concluded.
Nigeria's problem has never been as a consequence of the lack of resources- be it human or capital or mineral. Of course, we have these in abundance. It is for this sake that we are construed as the giant of African.
The problem with Nigeria, is never PDP or APC. Yes, PDP met Nigeria in a pariah state and reintegrated her into the global community. Yet under the PDP, some officials of the state corruptly enriched themselves to the chagrin of millions of Nigeria, yet the problem Nigeria is facing can not be attributed to the PDP. It is true that under the APC, our dear country is in a recession, but I daresay the APC is merely a victim of the Nigerian problem.
What is this Nigerian problem, you'd ask? This problem, is everybody's problem. Though, I might have very robust ideas about how to better lead my state and country, when I get elected, I find myself been entangled in the same mess. This problem even an Imam, a pastor or even a traditionalist can not escape no matter how he tries to. This is to what extent our society is enmeshed.
This problem is prebendalism. Prebendalism is the situation where elected officials make appointment based on party, religious and ethnic considerations. Employment opportunities are usually given to cronies, church members and relatives instead of to the best qualified.
It was not strange to have a President who appoints his cabinet from amongst members of his political party. I did not find it strange either when the CBN made surreptitious recruitment recently because prebendal tendencies are inherent in our society.
Only a few days ago, the APC led federal government started a fresh singsong tagged "Change begins with me". This new singsong would have achieved its desired aim, had its heralders exemplified it by their appointments and stance towards issues of national concern. Had the government pursued the anti corruption crusade on neutral grounds instead of shielding some. Had the famous quote by the President, 'I am for everybody and I an for nobody' been practiced as preached.
The good thing however is, we ain't entirely lost, we can turn things around if we elect to shun our old ways and entirely embrace the mantra of CHANGE without been hypocritical about it....

People should also stop voting sentimentally. Just because i'm an APC supporter and the person who wins primaries isn't even capable of ruling the country, just because I don't want power to shift to the opposing party, i'd turn a blind eye and vote for him because of selfish interests.




Well, it always will get worse everyday.