OH YEAH NIGERIAN MASSES

Hope as the motivating factor that keeps the Nigerian masses going as usual , today is giving them the courage to withstand the present hardship which has to do with exorbitant prices of food stuff and materials needed for their daily use. Inflation is on the move like wild bush fire consuming and destroying whatever stands on it's way. Worse still, income of Nigerians is not increasing in propotion to the inflation rate, if they are even lucky to have something doing as a means of livinghood.

Insecurity is on the rise.With all security operations, this and that going on in most states of the country . Armed robbery, assasination and thuggery are on the rise and the situation is so bad that in some parts of the country, where in previous years, armed robbery was alien especially on the roads, has now become order of the day , as armed robbery could occur at any time of the day.

Health, which is one of the responsibilities of goverment has been left under funded. If the Nigerian mass is unfortunate to be sick , he/she is in deep trouble as there is a berlin wall of naira between him/her and the hospital. The cheap source of medication to the common man is the traditional concoctions which he can afford. And if the sickness is so bad that there is need for an operation or expensive drugs, it is either- if they have the connection- to seek for public assistance through the media or lie down at home and wait for death. Due to goverment attitude toward provision of basic health amenities which is not forth-coming , it has led to providing booming trade to private hospitals and traditional medicine sellers.

Qualitative education is beyond the reach of Nigerian masses. Public schools now cannot compete with private schools in providing qualitative education as even children of our leaders wards are not attending the schools. Education provides many oppurtunities in life which is even the reason today that children of the poor and downtrodden are able to have the good things of life and even become leaders in their societies. The Elites of today have used their positions to deny the children of the masses the oppurtunity they need to obtain education through implementation of anti-people policies. They have also succeeded in segragating our societies through provision of different schools for the poor and rich from primary schools to universities as their ways will never cross in seeking for knowledge and the quality of jobs after school.

Unemployment also remains one of the problems affecting the Nigerian masses. The trade they are into is congested due to the number of those involved in the trade such as barbers, okada riders, petty trading, selling of recharde cards, labourers e.t.c and they cannot even satisfy their basic needs of day to day living. Due to non availability of power supply which has led to closure of many industries, Nigerian masses have been sent into labour market. Even those employed presently in public and private sector are not comfortable as they can lose their jobs any time in the name of reforms.

The Nigerian masses' votes no longer have any value as those they elect are different from those declared as winners.During election period political , traditional and religious leaders summon the masses to go out enmass to cast their votes, which sermon they oblige to as masses do come out enmass , men and women, to cast their votes. Unfortunately the elections are often rigged and those leaders will come back and lecture them that power belongs to the Almighty! Due to the behaviour of votes stealers and manipulators the masses are now having a second though on future elections as they would not want their times to be wasted.

For a very long time to come Nigerian masses will be taken for a ride as far as they cannot distinquish between justice , tribalism and sectionalism. The elites use the tricks of power shift and rotation to continue to confuse the masses as they mostly have one common agenda of protecting their political class and their intrests.

If Nigerians will allow themselves to be deceived with the issue of return of power to their region or those they share the same faith affiliation with, even if they came through the back door closing their eyes to their ability and capability to lead the nation , it will take a long time for us to have dedicated leaders.

The Nigerian constitution is clear on what are the rights of the Nigerian people , the Nigerian masses should not allow their rights to be infringed on and be turned into second class citizens in their own country. The Nigerian masses should never believe in the propaganda spread that things will never be alright in their country. That there will never be a free and fair election, that corruption is in their blood, that those in authority cannot be quetioned e.t.c. The masses should believe that things will one day be better in their country and they should collectively strive toward this attainment.

It is well known that the Nigerian problem lies in lack of dedicated and good leadership. Any day they are lucky to have a leadership with people's intrest and concern at heart, a focussed leader that attains power legitimately, fearless and not a cohort or errand , surely the country will be on the path of progress and greatness.

Tricks used by the political elites should be understand by the masses as they (the masses) are to be discouraged from democratic process so that they can have a free hand to do whatever they want. The masses should come out enmass during future elections and try to make sure that their votes are counted as they are as it happenned in some states during previous elections . If they refuse to come out to cast their votes in future elections, they should be ready to continue to live under civilian dictatorship in the guise of democratic governance.

It is a duty on all Nigerians to ensure that we have good governance. If they allow themselves to be bought with as little as two hundred naira and some toilet soaps, they are not being fair to their contry. All over the world countries are fast developing especially those with petroleum resources, where food stuffs of the common masses are rice, milk and chicken. But in our own Nigeria with all the billions of dollars gotten from petroleum products , food stuffs like gari, amala and tuwo are not guarentteed three times a day. our politicians lack development ideas to lead our country to greatness, as building of water wells , drainages and distribution of motocycles are achievements they can boast of while in office.

Oh yeah the Nigerian masses when shall you strive for your nation to attain the greatness it deserves in the comity of nations ?


Shehu Mustapha Chaji
shehuchaji@yahoo.com