THE STATE OF THE NATION :::: AN EPISTEMOLOGICAL GAMUT.

NIGERIANS EXPECT PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI TO WAKE UP THE DEAD!!!!
THE STATE OF THE NATION :::: AN EPISTEMOLOGICAL GAMUT.
Economic development and growth of any nation is highly dependent on constant availability of power and energy. Power in terms of constant availability of electricity for the entire populace, while energy, connotes accessibility of the citizenry to PMS otherwise known as petrol at all times and at affordable prices. Energy also includes both diesel and kerosene.
Let me just point it out here that, I have to write this piece at this period in view of the nasty experience we Nigerians have been facing in the past few weeks within our country. Let us put politics aside and face the reality of the moment as a nation. Imagine people staying at the filling station for almost three days before getting fuel; imagine a nation like Nigeria not generating a single megawatt of electricity for more than three hours for the first time in history………. This is uttermost a systemic failure. Nothing like political idiosyncrasy here; rather, the reality of the moment.
There is no doubt about it that, for an effective change to take place, a price needs to be paid. The present argument of some people is that, after the rigors of pregnancy comes the joy of carrying a baby; at that, should we also say that, because a child must go to school, such child will not eat and have other life essentials……. Because we need change, then we Nigerians must suffer the essentials of life that will propel economic activities…….or what for goodness sake.
Daily, people are been sacked from their places of work while industries are closing down in quantum due to insufficient power and energy supply. I met a middle aged man while trying to get fuel last Sunday, this man has just been sacked in a bank (due staff down sizing) and thus decided to go into fish farming. Now, fish farming needs water to survive but when there is no power and energy to pump water, the farmer will consequently go out of operation. Where then will such a farmer start from again……..due to the laxity of some non performing tax collecting government.
Of what importance is it to the country in destroying and burning down the so called illegal refineries put up by the Niger Delta people; would it not have been better if such refineries were taken over by the Federal government, improve on its operations towards attaining international best practices and standards while also improving their capacity? What exactly has happened to the ‘Modular Refineries’ promised earlier? Honestly, my take is that, there is no single political will as well as policy direction to get Nigeria out of this spate of incessant energy shortages we are facing.
Candidly, while I will not include here that, the 16years of PDP ‘misrule’ should be corrected within the 10months of APC in government, but then, where is the policy direction that all these hullabaloos will be cleared in either 4years or 10years or N?years……….. all we have been hearing till date is blames upon blames of PDP by the Buhari led administration……..for how long are we going to feast on this. PMB, please get another whipping boy man!!!. If as the President and the substantive petroleum minister you do not stay in your office to know first hand occurrences within nor give appropriate and adequate supervision, how do you want to grapple with the day to day events of such office? Our PMB has just arrived from the USA and by Wednesday (within 24hrs) he will be off to China again………..what now…….stay around and supervise sir. Get down to work and do your bit baba………..wetin!
For whatever it was, Mr. Barak Obama did not complain a bit about the decadence the government of Goerge W. Bush inflicted on the American economy due to the unnecessary Gulf ‘mother of all’ Wars. Obama came in, settled down even before swearing-in and brought about real time changes in American economy…………. But what are we experiencing here in our nation wide acclaimed ‘Change Agent’………complaints upon complaints; passing the buck of inefficiencies; government of propaganda and all sorts.
It is crystal clear that Kachikwu cannot hold the two offices given him appropriately. If not, he will not be claiming of not being a magician. Yes he has apologized but at that, Ibe Kachikwu has voiced out what was on his mind…….no matter the amount of apology, what he has said earlier subsists. No doubt about it that he was a first class student but that does not translate his being able to handle public offices like the petroleum ministry and department. Ibe Kachikwu should assemble a team of experts to assist him make decisions that will end this endemic crisis.
Anyway, in all of these, I hope my guess will not become a reality afterwards where, the government intends to adopt the past strategy of creating an industry crisis with a view to increasing the products’ prices. Nigerians are now wiser where any attempt to increase the prices of petroleum products due to prices of dollar and international market will be vehemently resisted by the populace.
Nigerians are aware of the oil swap deal in the industry…….I give you my crude, you give me petrol. The question now is what happens to the other over 10 bye products of the refined crude? What has dollar rate or international market price got to do with what we consequently get from the product of the swap deal? NIGERIANS WANT TO KNOW……….. ENOUGH OF ONE CHANCE…….
The petroleum industry is so big and complex not to have been ceded for a minister/junior minister to handle without any other attaching responsibilities. The present arrangement can not allow for effectiveness and efficiency. To be the president and commander in chief of the armed force is more than many bites to chew talk less of adding the petroleum ministry. Same also goes to combining the same ministry with the position of GMD NNPC…….the result of these infamous combinations is what the country is experiencing now.
Same on going applies to the ministries of power, works and housing. The kind of thinking, by this administration, which calls for all these faulty sharing of portfolios, is what I still cannot fathom. It is baffling that, these enormous three ministries can be allotted to just a single minister. Little wonder, the electricity supply kept on dropping each day while our roads are also getting bad by day. Many of the on going road projects have been abandoned even as they are getting deteriorated.
I am angry; I am angered, livid, irritated, enraged, outraged and infuriated about all these unwanted occurrences in my country that, I have sworn to live the rest of my life for. My brethren, what about you; where do we go from here?........... Chai, we have a president who do not listen to advise, a president who do not take to court pronouncements, a president who flies around like birds (less than 24hrs on arrival from the United States of America he’s off to The China Republic again), a president under whose nose our national budget was padded for the first time, a president who is for nobody and for everybody……..a paradoxical president.
Words of mouth can not fully express for now my view about The State of our Nation but I can assure you that henceforth, my views will always be made known. Please always watch out……….!!!!!
Yours truly,
‘Dayo Kayode (Ph.D)