Photo credit: FreeFolo.com
Nigeria is a country of
many contradictions, perhaps strictly situated on the podium of irony. To be
fair, an average Nigerian, particularly of the lower class is a component of
several enviable qualities which nature bequeaths on him. He is highly cultured,
persevering and enduring. He smiles at pains and refuses to recant at any
situation. He hangs swiftly and tightly to any loose string of hope no matter
how hopeless and potentially frustrating any situation might appear be. An
average Nigerian is not a criminal. In fact, by the nature and the rich culture
of the numerous tribes in Nigeria, every individual is well brought up in a
decent manner. They were only corrupted by the thieving rich in the process of
time. In some years past, right in this country Nigeria, farmers exhibit their
wares for sale by the roadsides and return to work on their farmlands. They
only indicate the prices of the different items on them without the supervision
of anyone. Prospective buyers understood by price-indicators, the amount
represented by the objects like some number of sticks placed on each farm
product, representing the amount in different denominations. This buyer buys
the products and places the exact amount on the item purchased even at the
instance of the absentee- seller. Indisputably, the low-class Nigerian was
someone to be saluted anywhere in the world. This was what obtained in the
past.
The spoilers of these
good traits in the average Nigerian are the bourgeoisie: the “strong and mighty
and the unregulated, the untouchables in the society”. Sometimes, one is tempted
to ask if there is a government in the land or at the least even question the
potency of the government in the midst of this confusing situation. While other
nations and their government officials collaborate to ensure the easy life and
welfare of its citizenry, the reverse always seems to be the case in a country
like Nigeria. It is either the government officials siphon public coffers as it
was a blatant practice in most governments of Nigeria or the Nigerian
bourgeoisie (possibly in collaboration
with some government officials exploit the country to the cumulative degradation
of the common man on the street, deliberately diminishing the little hopes that
remained of the citizenry of this great country.
While ordinarily,
Nigerians should be celebrating this yuletide for two obvious reasons; one,
being the end of the calendar year for everyone and secondly, a season for the
commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ to those who are Christians, the
nation is presently sprawled in pains, agony, poor and obvious lack resultant
from inherited mismanagement of the economy by succeeding governments.
Two weeks before the
Christmas, one of the Trade Unions in Nigeria, the Petroleum and Natural Gas
Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) gave an ultimatum to the
government to resolve a pending issue or it would embark on a nationwide
industrial action. The challenge is that this particular union usually waits
for when the public will feel the biting pains of the altercation with the
government and arranges their action in yuletide seasons. This is not the first
time they target the already frustrated public in periods of festivities. From the
past, the yuletide season had been their time of inflicting their pains as if
they are branded sadists. They carried out their threats and quickly called it off
after a day’s industrial action. Since PENGASSAN called off its strike, the
situation of petrol scarcity has worsened. Initially, the fooled public thought
that the scarcity was the result of the Union’s strike, but the harrowing pains
occasioned by the enduring scarcity have soon explained that the contrary was the
public’s conclusion on the matter.
Accusations are being traded
in the deregulated market of deceit starting from the PENGASSAN accusing the
oil dealers who are under the aegis of the Major Oil Marketers Association of
Nigeria, Depot and Petroleum Marketers Association; Independent Petroleum
marketers Association of Nigeria of complicity in the present imbroglio.
PENGASSAN had accused these trade organizations of seeking by all means to
increase the fuel price from N145 per litre to N500 per litre, possibly. But the
Marketers have shifted the blame on Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
(NNPC) of not making the petroleum products available for purchase since it is
the sole IMPORTER of fuel into the country, an oil-producing country!
It is indeed very sad
that Nigeria being a major oil producing nation in the world, of which up to
90% of the government revenue is sourced from oil, is suffering untold hardship
in all ramifications of the its existence. This is an IRONY! As at present,
Nigerians are going through horrifying pains of poverty, high costs of foods,
poor health conditions and massive unemployment. This is a country that ordinarily has more
than enough to cater adequately for its citizens, but ironically Nigerians are
one of the poorest peoples in the world.
The masses are poor. The ‘downstream’
criminals are gotten from the poor masses. These are the kidnappers, the armed
robbers, the ritualists, the ‘black-market fuel-sellers, the rapists, etc. This
is where we have the hardened criminals in the society. The criminals in the ‘upstream
sector’ are the impotent Trade Unions, the Independent Marketers, some of the government
officials who are conniving slippery maggots, and some of the deadly
politicians. The downstream and upstream criminals inflict untold hardships on
the weakened and impoverished masses. Again, ironically, the upstream criminals
appear untouchable.
Where Nigerians ought to
rejoice, we are sad; where we need to celebrate and jubilate, there we shed
tears of pain and agony; where we need to have refineries working for the
general good of the common man, fuel is imported by the rich and powerful to
further impoverish the poor.
Until revolution comes
from the masses, the steel-made podium of ironies will continue to be fester in
Nigeria by the oppressive bourgeoisie. But how, when can strangulated, divided,
weakened and wretched masses conduct a successful revolution?
