We have been subjected to series of nerve stretching stories and trials such as no government would dare to dream of except the Nigerian government, which is superintending over the happiest people on earth; a people who are never aware of their rights, a people whose love for suffering is phenomenal. A queer breed of doves who, like the tortoise, would start shouting ‘give us our rights now or……’ and never complete the statement.

This is tribute to the most docile people on earth. It is here in Nigeria that a people can be happy for six days without power and they would be happy to shout “up NEPA!” anytime the lordships deem it fit for their serfs to have power. This doesn’t come without cut throat bills, where people pay for power not consumed. It is not unusual to see government institutions behaving like spoilt children and openly boasting about it. Some days ago, a man in Karu, Abuja, lamented the treatment meted to them by officials of the Power

Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).  The man, Mr. Ameh Enema, disclosed that for six months, last year the area where he lives was thrown into darkness without any explanation from anyone. Yet, a week after the problem was fixed, PHCN came calling with bills for the six months. They were forced to pay. Now they are being asked to pay for poles and all sorts of levies.
The government just sits by and watches the people being flayed and the people themselves seem to be comfortable with these aberrations.

Until Nigerians learn to be serious about their rights they would be in this master- servant relationship with the government. No wonder no one cares to visit the communities they went to campaign until four years later when their tenure needs to be renewed. No wonder there are no hospitals and the government is sitting tight, not giving a hoot about the people. The man that started the saying about a people deserving the kind of government they get probably had Nigerians in mind.

Taking a trip round Abuja would tell you the pitiable situation of Nigerians. A lot of man hours are being lost in the queues in various filling stations daily as people struggle to fuel their cars. For some inexplicable reasons, prices of petroleum products skyrocketed overnight and transportation costs doubled accordingly. Yet my people would still laugh and sit at beer parlours, drinking and making merry.

Our nation, Nigeria is in dire need of salvation; we agree. That’s why a lot of charlatans have sprung up to proffer solutions to the myriad of problems we have, or have allowed ourselves to have.
Youths are jobless, first class graduates and holders of second class upper roam the streets while the mediocre get government jobs, because they have one connection or the other. This is while the charlatans dotting the length and breadth of the country see phony visions of some old woman behind the jobless man’s house in the village causing delay in the economic growth of the young graduate.

All manner of prophecies abound nowadays. These charlatans have caused many troubles in families, pitching mothers against children, men against uncles, nephews against aunts and uncles, et cetera. Reason,? They were all accused of casting one spell or the other on the job seekers.
Nowadays, it is commonplace to hear ‘go and develop yourself, don’t wait for government’’. And I ask: How many people have access to government loans? If I want to start a small scale business, which requires the use of electricity, how do I get power? That’s the duty of government, at least.

Government sits on the people’s ignorance, which exactly explains the shouts of ‘Up NEPA!’ as if it is not the people’s right to have electricity they pay for. Roads, street lights, water, recreational facilities etc are the people’s rights, but since we do not know, we can’t hold anyone accountable. Rather these men in government present some things as their achievements and Nigerians would say ‘governor Lagbaja de try’ and I wonder what try means in Nigeria.

Until we learn to know that the money the steal isn’t theirs but ours, we can not stop hero worship and our Esau mentality. Asking a politician for money during campaigns is the most annoying display of weak mindedness.

We need to act and stop lamenting in our closets. We need to speak out and not whine. The government of APC promised during their campaigns to change that. Can they do that? Only time will tell. They need our prayers but that’s not all,they need us to cooperate with them and also tell them where they are wrong, and that we shall do.

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