CHANGE – Travails At The Crossroads as the Nation’s Democracy begins to look like its come of age -By Jimi Bickersteth

The TLG/JPI, the Change agenda of the nation’s ruling party and its freak economy not only typifies, that metaphor that Nigeria is, but, also the horse d’oeuvres of why Nigerians are losing their patience with the PMB administration and the political class in general; with how PMB’s self-image has been screwed up in his persistent, evident low motivation, unqualified dithering and uncertainty; attributes that were not in tandem with what the state of the nation requires to move it forward.

Nigerians, old and young are asking, what is the motivation for living in the nation, and have discovered it is a combination of, prosperity, wellbeing, security and peace, among a people who really love one another. These and much more are the prospects majority expect but do not have in this clime of fear, fascination, insecurity, deaths and frustration.

While a large percentage grew disappointed with the grim realities of Nigerian life, the widespread unemployment and inflation, has, resulted in privations for the majority. The outlook truly bleak, most have become prisoners in their own homes. Today, the happenings in our country show the human capacity for mirth and mischief, is of immense proportion and grand perjury.

It is thus, a chilling irony, that, while men of brilliance devoted lives to the conquest of diseases in humans, others with equal zeal and skills have focused on the conquest of Nigerians by means of incompetence, insincerity, political naivety, corruption and mindless fleecing in high places. I have my fears about what legacies will bequeath on the nation’s psyche.

Nigerians have different reactions to happenings in and around their nation, particularly, during and after the #ENDSARS protests, some indifferent, they try to put the prospects of a ‘better Nigeria’ out of their minds but that does not remove the fear, fascination and frustration. A rapidly growing number of others, releived, have formed survivalist societies, in the hope that those who will survive, have built their Burj Khalif.

As 2021 is winding down and 2023 beckons, this should be a time for soul searching without self-indulgence, as a lot seems to hinge on small things, in a country where nothing works and the average worker earns below (#300) Three hundred Naira a day. The glaring lack of decisive and proper value judgment devoid of politics, has become so infectious thus crippling Nigerians with tension.

The nation appears to have been caught in a snare set by politicians, who expect nigerians to propose cocktail toasts for making being neither here nor there one of Nigeria’s greatest strength. Who, would have hoarded, the beauty of the world around us, the pleasures of love, the joys of taste, touch, sound and smell in a warehouse owned by politicians.

The rots and ruts and the numerous conflicts of right that have our heaven’s overcast in a cancerous growth started like mere sores, superintended by politicians, and have seemingly graduated into festering wounds threatening to consume the nation, if urgent panacea is not administered. It must be stated that there’s no single panacea for the country’s sociopolitical ills, the people must look arduously for the most effective in cost, efficacy and applications.

Come, let us reason together; is a Bible refrain for stocktaking; when and why did Nigeria get to this crossroad? what, with all of our nation’s potentials. Why is our world fast becoming more strange, with more beautiful prayers houses but shorter spiritual lives. A country where we spent more money on things and get less value, satisfaction and happiness. Bigger houses given way to bigger and beautiful mansions but less good homes. More degrees but less sense. More advances in medicine but more sicknesses and diseases. While we all seems to forget there is more to life than increasing its speed.

‘Change’; for crying out loud, Nigerians have a right to be angry against the APC government over its inability to hit the ground running in its change crusade. Afterall, the assurance of the alternative it proposes and vigorously expounded at the campaigns, heightened the peoples expectations, and today, six years gone, the nation’s political class has left the peoples daily existence but an empty shell filled with broken dreams and shattered expectations. 

Nigerians cannot continue to bask in the euphoria of despair, PMB in the remaining days left to complete his two-term tenure should be mild as a maddened adder to tackle the problems inherited, every regime receives the good and bad of the acts of those before it; you don’t need a leap but only a small step. This blanket of pessimism over the future of a people that are hungry, angry, lonely and tired must be removed. APC must initial that picture at the bottom, if we must stop celebrating our limitations.

The good news is that, today, the most impactful changes do not require money – what they require is common sense and political will. Nigerians have done a positive thing by electing to effect change of guards, they cannot be saddled with a regime that smothers rather than rejuvenate their energy, enthusiasm and empathy.The nation has no business struggling for space in the beach of suffering.

Hardwork pays same dividends as prayer. Nigeria’s repairs and reconditioning require guts and balls. This is not the time to go coldly by the book, but a time to forge out the materials needed for a new beginning. It matters therefore, that we must ensure a new path to progress and stability. While doing this, we must ensure our general well being is built not on mere assumptions and academic theories on what might have been, but, what is, that Nigerians could manifest life with glow and vitality.

Epilogue: As an incurable optimist, I know Nigeria would be fine, because I know that she would be. I am not sure how I know but I do, perhaps, when the effects of the anesthesia induced by oil wealth and its false allure worn off. 

Just then the sound of twittering birds broke the noisome silence. Oh! I’ve been working in darkness, got to go!#
Jimi Bickersteth is a blogger and a writer.
He can be reached on twitter @alabaemanuel
@BickerstethJimi
www.Facebook.com / jimi.bickersteth@gmail.com