Zain Asher (CNN Anchor): “How much is Nigeria’s total debt?”
Udo Udoma (Nigeria’s minister of budget and national planning): “I can’t tell you the exact figure. I will have to get back to you on that.”

It was someone who used to always remind me that “the little things that don’t matter, would one day become matters arising.” Men, I have never gone a day without adding something to my information bank. I still feel very empty when I am confronted with questions and my reserve can’t muster any sensible or tenable answer.

Nigeria is a country where being too careful or precise is almost becoming a crime. It is not uncommon to have conversations like this:
Oga (to his driver): “How much would it cost to fill up the car?”
Driver (to his oga): “Sir, Oga e go dey from x thousand upward.”

What becomes worrisome is when it advertised on national TV. Remember the $50bn/$12bn/$10.8bn missing NNPC refunds saga and the conflicting reports presented by DPR and NNPC and MoFA on how many barrels of crude oil was produced daily in Nigeria? Those events were all televised on national TV along with their attendant drama with no shame or remorse by the players involved.

Heck, even the president feels that he is more obliged to serve the interests of the 98% that voted for him while the 5% that didn’t vote for him should look elsewhere. Damn, even the minister of finance thinks 16bn + 6bn = 24bn. Shame!

There’s no need to even begin examining the graduates Nigeria is producing. We are treated daily to a fair dose of their gaffes on social media. The truth is simple, the little things we ignore today will obviously hunt and embarrass us tomorrow. The devil they say is in the details. We must begin as youths to be thorough in the discharge of our responsibilities. The Holy Bible enjoins us to “do with all our might whatsoever our hands find to do.” There must be no room for shoddy jobs or haphazard preparations. That way we can hold our politicians accountable and counter their claims using sound analytics. If we however fail to do our homework, we lack the confidence to confront these rascals in lofty places.

As I conclude, I am reminded of the motto of a faculty at the University of Ibadan – questions and not answers create knowledge.

For previous posts:
https://www.nairaland.com/3868704/celebration-fathers-day
https://www.nairaland.com/3857554/revolt-against-constituted-thinking
https://www.nairaland.com/3855295/search-common-sense
https://www.nairaland.com/3855288/thank-sir-brain
https://www.nairaland.com/3851707/excuse-me-sir-look-stupid
https://www.nairaland.com/3851270/youths-might-sense

CC;
lalasticlala
Mynd44
OAM4J