They say revolution is not a tea party. But it could be very infectious. It could spread like wildfire.
The Arab spring that began in 2012 from Tunisia touched even America and Britain, with dire consequences on their economies. In France, it was a similar incident were the masses rose against presumed neglect. What saved the big powers of the world at that time from the collapse that came with the masses challenging the status quo like in America, Britain, France and even Brazil, was the structure of their societies.
Israel, a closed society Israel, smelt the smoke of the spring. Britain and France are welfare states and America, somehow, structurally cares for the underclass. Brazil at the time of the spring took giants strides to reduce poverty, freeing over 40 million from the scourge. That was not enough. The then Prime Minister of Britain, David Cameron, learnt a bitter lesson for introducing rabid capitalism to the country, which belongs to the morgue of history, to modern Britain. The United States of America, at the time under George W. Bush, smarted under the trickle-down economics of the President which led to the takeover of Wall Street and other finance centres of New York. President Barack Obama, carefully rode the tide and indirectly sided with the protesters, when they occupied corporate America.
The continent Africa is witnessing protests over soaring fuel costs and rising cost of living that has left governments scrambling over how to respond to the crisis, from South Africa to Ghana, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, Kenya, Guinea, Ethiopia and even the giant on the continent, Nigeria.
Although, in Nigeria, citizens are yet to take to the streets to register their dismay, if the conversations in the public space is anything to go by, then it is very obvious this is not the best of times for Nigerians. From the North to the South, citizens are feeling the brunt of the economic pinch.
However, Nigeria will be goading itself on false security to think that it is immune to the currents blowing the gale of disquiet in some countries on the continent. Nigerians are not as docile as it is being bandied by those who did watch and became the beneficiaries of the turbulent past, especially the silent revolution the country experienced through the ballot in 2015, when it was pretty clear, even before the presidential election was conducted, the smell of a winner could be felt in the air.
For the Buhari-led government at the center, no one can foretell how the government intends to address the dire traits of the economy and insecurity ravaging the nation. By implication, no one knows when the misery Nigerians are subjected to will end. However, the Nigerian electorates are barking and will no doubt bite in the election season of next year.
There is an uneasy calm in Nigeria, pregnant with the boding storm that may sing the country’s nunc dimitis; and those who hold the reins still look at events with rose glasses as they loot and vomit their spoils on their shoes.
The recent event that culminated in the arrest of the suspended Accountant General of the Federation and his subsequent arraignment before a court of law by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over a fraud tune to the of over N100 Billion must have really opened the eyes of President Muhammadu Buhari to the discontent of majority of Nigerians relating to the way and manner public officials are stealing the commonwealth of the country.
Such public officials make themselves super rich, as the poor become very poor to the extent that in today’s Nigeria, you are either very rich or very poor, as the middle class has since been deleted from the pages of history.
It suffices to say that revolution stares Nigeria in the face and leaders are yet to appreciate that it is closing in rapidly. Bandits now turn terrorists, rising to challenge the state by taking up arms, in some states, imposing levies and taxes and even giving clear directives that election will not hold in some territories under their firm grip.
Today, these terrorists have become so emboldened and audacious that they even threaten to kidnap the President, a threat media aide to the President described as laughable. And now we have these terrorists’ perilous operations spreading like wildlife across the nation. The terrorists drew their reason for taking up arms against the state from the neglect of the people by the state.
Today, government is losing its legitimacy, as it has failed totally in guaranteeing the security of lives and property of the citizens. There cannot be stability and peace if those who are supposed to be beacons of public good murder the people’s confidence. Nigerians are now captives, internally displaced persons in their country, while service chiefs and heads of other security services dithered on their statutory duties and responsibilities.
Democracy should have availed us the opportunity to consolidate on the structures built by our founding fathers, especially with the country developing its development plan since 1962 and made the state to occupy the commanding heights of the economy on the African continent.
Sadly, however, successive leaderships the country has witnessed have abandonned this golden path to success. Today, Nigeria as a leading member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) relies solely on importation of by-products of crude oil. To worsen it, crude oil theft is becoming the new order of systemic corruption perpetrated by economic saboteurs masquerading as bureaucratic fat cats with the connivance of rouge defense and security agents.
The recent arrest of a crude oil tank loader that stole over three million barrels after spending a month on Nigerian waters without detection speaks volumes as to how the country is deliberately losing revenue for development in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Fuel shortages have become so pronounced for Nigerians, orchestrating spiralling transportation costs and inflation, with the Naira weakening continuosly. One could imagine the plight of the average Nigerian citizen at the moment.
With the recent revelation by the National Bureau of Statistics that Consumer Price Index (CPI) surged to 19.64 percent in July 2022, up from 18.60 percent in the previous month, the highest rate recorded since September 2005, Nigerians will have to either tighten their belts or dig deep into their pockets to survive.
Indeed, another round of silent revolution is very likely in the general elections, as these issues will no doubt shape campaign issues.
It is very evident that Nigeria is burdened with costly subsidy regime and also struggling to finance the deficit in the 2022 budget. However, that should not in any way serve as an excuse for the government not to rise to the occasion, as it is the case with most countries including our neighbour Ghana that has not relented in reducing the suffering and vulnerabilities of her citizens amidst the challenge.
After practicing democracy in the last 23 years, if this is the position of the economy, security and the plight of the average Nigerian citizen, then our leaders should examine their heads and think deep on how to develop a virile economy that is resilient and should guarantee us the desired results even at a turbulent time like this.
Laws, policies and directives developed in the areas of economy and security will be meaningless in the eyes of the citizens if they do not translate into positive outcomes that shape their lives positively.
Abubakar Ahmed, is a Political Journalist with Liberty Television and Radio, writes this piece from Kaduna.
