Opinions
64 Years Of Hunger, Poverty, Injustice, Intimidation, And Harassment Inflicted On Nigerians, By Buhari Olanrewaju Ahmed
If we fail to unite, we have no right to criticize them for how they rule us. We can only solve our problems by joining forces to resist the economic policies of the tyrants in power.
After 64 years of a fruitless journey, the children of Nigeria remain under the spell of indecision. The nation has yet to awaken to the reality that the 21st century has not manifested as it should, still mired in a primitive mindset.
Hunger, poverty, insecurity, intimidation, and injustice have been weaponized as tools to deceive the gullible population. For years, the people have been slumbering, refusing to confront the harsh realities surrounding them.
Nigeria is the only country where citizens sacrifice more than their leaders and display more patience than those in power. Nigerians wake up every day to the grim news of how their political officeholders, both past and present, siphon billions of naira from the nation’s wealth.
They keep embezzling the commonwealth, plunging the country into a serious crisis. Yet, they plead with Nigerians to pray and keep hope alive while they, their cronies, and their families continue to live in affluence and spend lavishly.
The more we celebrate independence, the more the country degrades.
The nation has been intoxicated with the deceit and deception of political pretenders who are less concerned about the plight of the people.
The country’s justice system is in shambles, where justice is sold to the highest bidders. Here, the Constitution is treated as an ordinary book, and judges have become puppets in the hands of ruthless politicians.
Hunger has stripped people of their dignity, with parents resorting to selling their own children to survive. Many, through their actions and inactions, have forced their daughters into prostitution just to put food on the table.
Kidnapping and banditry have become commercialized, with many security operatives colluding with criminals to abduct innocent citizens and demand ransoms. In many instances, they kill their captives if the ransom is not paid.
Our educational system leaves much to be desired. The government, with its anti-people policies, has increased school fees for students, causing many to drop out because they cannot afford the exorbitant amounts set by the Nigerian government.
What are we celebrating when our healthcare system has collapsed? In a country where politicians have deliberately undermined the healthcare system, they travel abroad for treatment even for the slightest ailments.
Thousands have died, and many continue to suffer because they cannot afford hospital bills due to a decade of corruption and the failure of the Nigerian government to revive the healthcare system. Ordinary citizens should have free and adequate access to medical care without needing personal connections to receive treatment.
After 64 years of corruption and mismanagement, Nigerian politicians seem to have become entrenched in corruption. Our judicial system has enabled them, making them bold enough to embezzle public funds without facing any consequences.
The country has been celebrating mediocrity since independence. Millions of people have been killed, and thousands have been displaced from their ancestral homes. Many have chosen suicide as the only option because they are unable to meet their daily responsibilities.
President Bola Tinubu’s administration is one of the most horrific in the history of Nigeria. His anti-people policies have devastated numerous businesses in the country, leading to thousands of job losses. Many local and foreign companies have folded within just one year of Tinubu’s government.
Tinubu’s economic policies have turned many into street beggars. The removal of the fuel subsidy, without considering its implications for ordinary citizens, has driven many to an early grave. Those who earn from hand to mouth can no longer afford to feed their families due to the rising cost of living and high prices of food in the market.
Many female students in Nigerian higher institutions have commercialized hookups as a legitimate business, while the men among them have turned to Yahoo-Yahoo as an enterprise due to the increase in school fees, which many of their parents cannot afford.
We are now experiencing unprecedented economic hardship in the country, where people have sacrificed their dignity just to feed themselves and their families.
Our problem as a country is unique, and we have no excuse if we cannot come together as a united people to defeat the clueless and heartless few at the helm of affairs. If we fail to unite, we have no right to criticize them for how they rule us. We can only solve our problems by joining forces to resist the economic policies of the tyrants in power.
We have identified our issues, and our greatest challenge is the oppressed populace that has refused to awaken from a long slumber since 1960.
They continue to believe that the country will improve under those who have ruled for decades and sold us to imperialists with the help of the IMF.
It is time to wake up from our slumber and take back the country from the clueless individuals who live large off the taxes of the people.
