By Professor Adeniyi Olowofela
In the year 1984 when Shehu Sagari was the President of Nigeria 1979-1983, and 1984. Awolowo said that ” Nigeria Economic ship is heading for a rock unless steer away from it, it will hit the rock” Characteristically many people lambasted Awolowo as an Apostle of doom, before the military struck and took over the Government. Year 1984 was the time when brand new Peugeot 504 car was N5000 ! Today there is hardly any Graduate that can buy the Peugeot now. When people buy “Tokunbo” vehicle , they go to Church, mosque or shrine to celebrate! How are the mighty fallen!
Successive Governments from Military to Civilian Administration had made concerted effort to rescue the economy without success. I quite agree that all the previous Government had there failures and successes but we were still grappling as a Nation with daugting pressure from comatose economy until the arrival of “New Sheriff in Town” President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who pressed the reset bottom of the Economy.
When Mahatma Ghandi band importation of Clothes into India, he said “if Indian cannot clothe themselves let them walk naked”. Ever since India woke up and became Giant of the world, in clothe making. No pain No Gain.
The recent economic measure been put in place by the administration of PBAT labelled as T-Pain is equivalent to the Ghandi aggressive measure of banning importation of clothe into India.
Currently in the history of Nigeria, No State Government or Local has ever received the amount been shared by Federal Government on monthly basis. Any Governor who cannot perform now, is not for lack of fund but for lack of ideas. Various achievements of the Government has been captured by various spokesperson of PBAT, Onanuga, Sunday Dare etc. But magically long que in Petro station have disappeared, perennial ASU strike has disappeared, Indigent Nigerian Students have hope from NELFUND etc. the cost of bag of rice that rose to astronomical level is coming down. The Cocoa farmers are now “King” PBAT is demonstrating that Nigeria Can be Great Again. We should not forget that PBAT has only spent 24 months on the saddle!
Despite the fact that this Government has paid Nigerian Debt to I.M.F which the likes of Peter Obi did not applaud, when Government is proposing to take some loans recently even one of the avowed supporters of President Tinubu Senator Sanni from Kaduna in his Twitter handle wrote that he doesn’t know why Government wants to borrow money if they are making so much now. He is not the only one in this line, of school of thought, however the simple explanation for the loan is to build more infrastructures within short period of time. This can be likened to the loan collected by the administration of immediate past President, President Muhammad Buhari, to construct Railway lines and purchase of Trains from Chinese Government, used for Lagos to Ibadan and Abuja to Kaduna.Those infrastructures are solid and on ground ,one Professor of Medicine( Name withheld) from LUTH in year 2022 (Buhari era) told me that,one thing I appreciate, about this your Government is the train from Lagos to Ibadan, it makes life easier for me.
In a similar manner the loan been proposed is to further compliment infrastructures for the Nation.
Political Gangsterism or Coalition?
Politically how did we get to where we are, when June 12 election was annulled and subsequent political arrangements were put in place by military, the nation did not rest until the emergence of political structure in 1999, where President Olusegun Obasanjo became the President, it has become an “unwritten Constitution” that whoever becomes the President of Nigeria will do two terms in office. This has been the pattern. Although this almost changed with the death of Late President Yaradua but his Vice-president completed the first tenure and did his second term in office.
Albeit the right of Association is guaranteed in the constitution for every Nigerian, but exactly what does the proponent of Coalition intend to achieve? Send Tinubu back to Lagos. Tinubu will go back to Lagos in year 2031 after his second term. The problem with the coalition is non-linear, If Peter Obi dumps the Labour party he will loose 80% of his followers who saw him as an alternative to both APC and PDP. If Atiku dumps PDP he will loose the opportunity to be the flagbearer of PDP in 2031 which may be his last chance, on account of Age because he is 77 years now. The journey of El-Rufai from APC to SDP to ADC within a period less than four months, tells a story of a man who is grappling for political direction.
There are two Political Parties who have structures in all the wards of the federation that is PDP and APC. The only revelation of 2023 election with the structureless party, was the “Obidient party” which was able to gather over 6 million votes.
The moment Peter Obi begins to dance macabre dance or hobnobbing with the Characters his followers detest, it will be bye bye Peter.
Party structures
is difficult to build which is clear to the Apostles of Coalition been seasoned and experience politicians there best bet is to plan for 2031 otherwise the coalition will be in disarray by 2031 and political climate will return to status quo ” Unto thy tents oh Israel”
Dear President Tinubu at the next meeting of Council of States with all the Governors of various state , encourage the participants to tackle the issue of hunger in their various states (and possibly in conjunction with other states. I don’t know whether Lagos and Kebbi State arrangements, on rice production tagged LaKe rice is still ongoing, if not it can be resuscitated) otherwise the credible alternative is for all the commission created in six zones of the federation, come up with road map and take concerted action of eradicating hunger in the land “Ti ounje ba tan ninu ise, ise buse”, if hunger is removed from poverty, poverty has been conquered
Happy celebration on your second year in office. Agenda for Renewed Hope is on Course.
