419, As Prevailing Hardships In The Land, Compels The Masses To Reminiscence “Good Old Days” Of Jonathan -By Isaac Asabor

“And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his bow, and to his girdle”. Not a few people in Christendom are familiar with the foregoing scriptural verse as written in 1 Samuel chapter 18 verse 4, and how explanatory it is in guiding leaders, particularly political leaders in this context, on how far they can go to entrench and demonstrate people-oriented leadership whenever they are in the position of bringing their leadership skills to bear toward the betterment of the lives of the people.

Unarguably not acquainted with the foregoing scriptural injunction, most political leaders in this part of the world look at politics and governance through the eyes of “What-is-in-this-position-for-me?” Unknown to political leaders, particularly those holding sway in various political positions, across the country, there is a special joy that is inherent in sacrificial leadership which they are ignorant about.

In fact, biblical Jonathan as mentioned in 1 Samuel chapter 18 verse 4, knew what it takes to make people happy as he demonstrated people-oriented leadership or how it should be by replacing David’s plain dress with his own royal robes. Without a doubt, clarifications of the foregoing views in this context will no doubt bring reality to dawn on us that since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu became Nigeria’s president on May 29, 2023, the collective plight of the masses has become worse off; and has even found expression in a situation that was musically painted by the late afro-beat maestro Fela Ransome-Kuti in his album “Sorrow Tears and Blood” lyricized thus: “Everybody run run run (Eh-ya!)/Everybody scatter scatter (Eh-ya!)/Some people lost some bread/ (Eh-ya!)/Someone nearly die (Eh-ya!)/Someone just die (Eh-ya!)/Police they come, army they come (Eh-ya!)/Confusion everywhere…” under what Nigerians passed through during the 8 years that former President Muhammadu Buhari ruled Nigeria.

Without resorting to a campaign of calumny in this context, it is not an exaggeration to say that not a few Nigerians are today literally suffering in the proportion that is reminiscent of the biblical Egyptians who suffered under the reign of the Pharaoh that did not recognize Joseph.

Given the meat of this issue, it is contextually expedient to urge Tinubu to literally wear this ongoing government a human face as not a few Nigerians have at the moment resorted to trekking to work, while those that were privileged to have cars of their own when the economy was relatively friendly now abandon their cars at home, even as not a few Nigerians have ceased from utilizing their electricity generators as the price of petrol has unprecedentedly hit the roof, and thus become unaffordable, notwithstanding that some people go to bed in empty stomachs.

Without a doubt, the biblical Jonathan knew what it takes to make people happy as he demonstrated people-oriented leadership or how it should be demonstrated.  Given the foregoing, it is expedient to urge Tinubu to bring back the days of Jonathan to the masses. The reason for this advocacy cannot be farfetched as Nigerians never experienced the kind of hardship they are passing through today in the days of former president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

Without a doubt, not a few Nigerians are grumbling like the Israelites on their way to the Promised Land that is biblically reputed to be filled with milk and honey, and unanimously wailing that it was better during President Jonathan’s days as president.    Mr. Ken Ogbu, in his view, as voiced out to this writer, said, “The prices of food items have gone up, during Jonathan’s administration, we were buying a bag of rice for N7,000, today it is more than N35,000. We want Tinubu to bring back the days of Jonathan as things

In fact, not a few Nigerians are speaking in tandem that the newly inaugurated administration is negatively impacting their lives, contrary to the claim by some experts that the president is on a good note, and assured that all promises made would be kept and fulfilled.

However, Mark Iwegbue says “I doubt if the president will be able to fulfill promises made the way he is going”.

Against the backdrop of the literal bug of reminiscence that has bitten some Nigerians that are yearning for a living atmosphere that is as comfortable or better than that of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s days, it is not expedient to say that suffering has pushed the masses to the precipice so much that they are now proverbially craving for the food they vomited. So sad!

The masses could not have by now begun to be groaning, particularly as the ongoing government is at its nascent stage, but the suffering they are witnessing is unarguably unbearable. Without a doubt, not a few Nigerians began to experience the biting hardship immediately after the pronouncement of the removal of the petroleum subsidy was made by the president in his inaugural speech on May 29, 2023. In fact, since then Nigerians have been groaning in hardship. The transportation fares have jumped by 300%. Fears have also griped Nigerians on the likely hyperinflation in which the price of goods and services will skyrocket beyond the reach of the common man. Although the World Bank approved the whopping sum of $800,000 to be shared with Nigerians as palliatives in other to cushion the effects of subsidy removal, it seems the government has not worked out modalities for the instant payment. While the Buhari administration had resolved to pay N5000 to 10 million Nigerians for the period of six months through the social register, but it has been receiving condemnations as it seems vulnerable to political leaders with itchy fingers.

Without any scintilla of hyperbole, the subsidy removal has also come at a time when civil servants are grappling with inflation and the high cost of living in the country. The N30,000 minimum wage is not decent and appears too small to enable civil servants to meet up with their responsibilities such as buying food, paying rent, and settling school fees for their children. Even with the implementation of the N30, 000 minimum wage, some state governors have not implemented it. One imagines how these frustrated or dejected state workers can cope with the present realities.

Funnily reminiscing over the situation, a social media blog commented that former president Muhammadu Buhari left the price of a liter of petrol at N198 while Tinubu increased the price to 617 and concluded that the difference was 419, meaning that our leaders have scammed the masses the way 419 scammers are wont to do. For the sake of clarity, the 419 angle to this discussion informed the headline.