Nigeria has become a scam. It has lost sight of its social contract. The only factory that is working in Nigeria is corruption industry. We’re marching toward the end game of democracy.
It’s not difficult to see how interconnected things are, the performance of our legislators at all levels of government especially those at the National Assembly to the culture of corruption. Our legislators believe they don’t need the governed. They are not worried that the citizenry is left behind in all spheres of life. They are not concerned about decline of industry and lack of meaningful work for the unemployed Nigerians.
Our legislators are not disturbed that the youth are unprepared for the technocracy of modern economy. The young ones are being taught by the example of the political leaders that the only viable economic base in the country is the multi-billion Naira corruption trade.
The tragedy of the political situation is that our legislators are not even biting off a small morsel of the real problems that we face. We have nothing to show or depicts institutional progress in Nigeria in all sectors of human endeavor. We have become accustomed to the professional practice of our political stewards from legislators to ministers and the president. As soon as they invent statistical figures and other bizarre bogus claims, they will go overdrive trying to make it look as if there is progress when in reality no progress is occurring.
The corruption of our political leadership in all the three branches of government combined has become a market based culture wherein majority of our people now fights over scraps to survive. Nigerians by the actions of their own elected representatives have become a permanent underclass. We have no manufacturing base. We don’t build anything. The factories have disappeared. And so with meaning of life that has value with Nigerians who were once employed by the factories.
Nigerians are under assault. The elite ruling class could care less as long as they placate enough people and as long as they throw enough scraps from the table that enough people get a little bit to eat, change will not happen soon. But, Nigerians are now being pushed to the starving point and very soon they’ll be willing to fight. And I believe that’s the only time when change is possible. When people are finally threatened to the root of life and just couldn’t take it anymore. When they reach the point, then it will signal a critical juncture in our history – when the long awaited change happens.
The legislature is one of the institutions that is supposed to serve Nigerians. It is supposed to care for them. But look at what they are doing to us – complete betrayal of the trust and social contract.The National Assembly is a beautiful metaphor for the hollowness at the core of Nigerian will. How can one explain the complicity and compromise of the legislators for the redundant and ragtag policies and programs of the president? As far as I’m concerned, that’s a failure of will and imagination. This has permeated every institution in Nigeria. The only reason by which Mr. Jonathan can be shaved and shaped into a leader for him to usurp the legislative powers and oversight of a mook and moot legislature.
Nearly daily, Nigeria mass media report political corruption. Government bureaucrats from local to national are exposed for having abused their offices for personal gain. The key checks and balances of our presidential democratic enterprise that could reasonably be expected to reduce political corruption so far attempted have proved a disaster. The EFCC and ICPC and a slew of anti-corrupt agencies have been nothing else than smokescreens. What we have now is a system in which the economy best serves those who can most effectively corrupt and be corrupted.
We don’t need a fictional George Orwell to tell us Abuja is rotten at its core. Reason: Truth is much scarier than fiction. Proven shocking statistics and personal stories of challenge and hardship made even harder by corruption and political collusion that reward the corrupt and criminals at the expense of Nigerians. The horror created by the ruling class has become a manifest of primal fear, loss of will, and helplessness on the part of Nigerians.
The most powerful force in a leader’s life is love for people. The National Assembly at Abuja don’t love our people otherwise how could the government not work for the people? How could evil reign for so long? How could they remain silent and untouched in the face of all the evils that our people contend with daily?
What will it take them to respond to emergency situation that is ongoing in the country? How many babies would have to be killed before they take action? None of their actions or responses show any alarm. It is crystal clear that they have not responded with alarm that the situation deserves. The immigration recruitment exercise tragedy is the latest horror that has miffed the civilized world and seems to be asking “what the hell is wrong with Nigeria?” There comes a time when Nigerians should ask their representatives: how can this be? And now is the time.
Security provides the foundation for strong leadership. There is no question about it that the legislators have no foundation to lead the people. Nigerians feel insecure while the legislators drift from one mission whenever trouble arises. Because we the people do not feel secure, fear will eventually cause the legislators to sabotage their leadership.
The way they handle matters that affect us proves that they are not wise, accountable, submissive, but selfish. Theirs is a tragic case of leadership gone bad. Their greed and graft have greatly influenced their treachery and wickedness. We’re dismayed to learn that majority of the law makers are extreme opportunists and always think the ends justify the means.
The National Assembly is a divided house. A divided leadership eventually produces a divided nation such that we’re witnessing today – a nation of horror show.
Just as every sailor knows you can’t steer a ship that isn’t moving forward, leaders understand that to change direction, you first have to create forward progress!
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Article written by Bayo Oluwasanmi and he can be reached via [email protected]
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