PROF. ADEPOJU ADESHOLA OLATUNDE

NIGERIA’S SQUANDERED OPPORTUNITIES

DESPITE BILLIONS, POVERTY, TEARS, REIGNS

Nigeria is a theatre of dreams.  Daily, you read of billions approved for various projects, constructions and what have you.  Yet, many years later, there is practically nothing to show for it. The various States in Nigeria remain derelict, almost submerged under crushing self inflicted squalor and defeat.

Last week, I drove to Zaria and booked my stay at a guest House in ABU.  As I strolled through the city, I could scarcely believe my eyes.  Zaria is dilapidated, struck by poverty—a pale shadow of what it was 30 years ago when I first visited as a student Union Leader!  I saw anguish, harsh and suffocating poverty – old, antiquated houses, ancient walkways and impossible filths – everywhere.  And I wondered where all the billions allocated to the State went; may be for settling party bigwigs, political godfathers, etc.  Zaria does not have good roads; prominent supermarkets are shut down, only small time decrepit traders – sweating profusely.

Menial jobs such as orange hawking,  sugar cane sellers, shoe shiners , carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, bitter cola, and not least credit card hawkers are the norm;  You can also find shop owners, whose stocks are no more than bread, butter, sachet Milo, milk, coffee, etc. I am not counting okada riders—who wear grief in their faces-- ubiquitous everywhere. There was a time giving out motorcycles as a means of “empowerment” was the vogue. This perhaps was how unemployment crept into this once bubbling ancient city leaving the indigenes hapless from long years of frustration by their pretentious leaders.

Kaduna does not fare better.  The whole stretch of the popular Mando road is bad and it has been stagnated since 1999.  There is nothing to write about Kaduna bye-pass.  That road has faced steady deterioration since 1991!  Billions upon billions are budgeted yearly for this state and as evidenced by the forlorn structures on ground, the money may have simply vanished into thin air or went into the wrong pockets of greedy leaders.  Could this once beautiful ancient city, the pride of the Ahmadu Bello, Sir, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa be sentenced to a life of imprisonment? Well, maybe; it looks like already. Am ready to bet that this present generation of leaders cannot make any difference; we are all too guilty—and cannot change!

If in the time past, Colonial and early leaders in the mould of Sir Ahmadu Bello, Tafawa Balewa, Nnamidi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo; these men in their collective wisdom were able to build magnificent structures such as the Ahmadu Bello University, University of Ibadan, Nsukka and Lagos, with as little as a few thousand pounds, why not now? They had no financial muscle; they were prudent and foresighted. That was their weapon.

Since 1982, when I last visited Zaria, the ABU University which captivated many, regal and a beauty to behold has been left to rot.  If 30 years nothing was done to salvage the situation, imagine what will happen in the next 30 years! Yet, the now resentful, hardened and indolent people are silent, inclined to menial jobs. This is again is an indictment because those who had the capacity to become doctors, lawyers and architects had they been availed of the opportunity were inevitably condemned to degraded jobs as a result of the lacuna in leadership qualities!

Unfortunately, this is a period of avarice, nepotism, greed and day light looting.  Call it World Bank loan, ADB or Agric loan, IMF, Paris or London Club loan; whether in a macro or micro economy, they are all embezzled!  Staggering sums, unbelievable amounts are pocketed and thrown into counterproductive enterprises.

Listen to this: El-Rufai recently disclosed that 64 billion were squandered to celebrate past Independence anniversary; a denial came saying that it was N333 million!  The second Niger Bridge contract awarded for N264 billion (now cancelled) while the East-West Warri – Port-Harcourt road is uncompleted; the Niger Delta Ministry; NDDC; Amnesty Programme alone, collectively gulped a massive 800 – 900 billion, with nothing to show for it; and now a former Petroleum Minister in the dock for $50 billion heist.  Insanity! Impotent and bizarre administrators!

And what is being left amidst these plundering?  Poverty, despair, tears and death!  From Zaria move to Aduwawa junction in Edo State.  That is a major artery that links the Midwest to the North and the road is in disarray!  The State Governor has just borrowed $200 million. Reports suggested he had stashed away in one unnamed foreign bank the sum of USD638 million—and no one is asking questions; this is how deadened we have become in this country!

Move over, to Okigwe road between Enugu and Umuahia, the road is in shambles.  Instead of facing this gruesome challenge,  the Government, this time around is about to pour billions  into another white elephant,  honey pot project—the Internally Displaced Persons, otherwise known as IDP’s!  So, tighten your seat belt , because as we all know, this is expected to serve as  ice cream to some smart dudes  and soon we shall be hearing of skeletons being unearthed form their cupboards!

Government is sweet – really sweet.  It is impossible to imagine a situation where a nation is looted blind and the culprits go about unmolested – free.

Before I left University in 1985, I had a vivid recollection that this country was orderly; there were amenities, light, water everywhere; not so today.  The generation of politician, Civil Servants and Military apparatchiks that took over merely feasted on the foundation laid by the experienced and prudent leaders of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.  Now, there is nothing left to eat; no cake to share; the groaning in the land is becoming defeaning with misery, tears as icing.

But the surprise:  our modern day officials are experts at holding closed door meetings, workshops, seminars; the administration of the 80’s, 90’s hold meetings till the wee hours of next day.  Of all the Federal Executive Meetings, National and State Houses of Assembly, Local Governments, Private and Public Sector the only habitable result is – empty sheet. Nothing is said of the welfare of Pensioners, retirees, civil servants and the jobless. You get tired reading from newspapers of meaningless affairs in the National Assembly, of how people struggle for leadership position, of President Buhari’s intending visit to New York. Who is still interested?

And another thing, It was announced recently that this Buhari Administration is to receive $2 billion to help IDPs; just as State Governments received “Bail-out” funds to pay salaries; would they use it?  This is the big question.  If the story of the past 30 years is anything to go by; your guess is as good as mine!

With all eyes concentrated on Aso Rock, waiting on Buhari, the rest of the country is now drifting into a somnolent silence: the machines in the factories, industries appear to be grinding to a halt.  Briefcase businessmen, consultants, investors are holding out albeit with caution.  The CBN is implementing TSA; Probe of all shades is going on …. NASS is up in arms, wrapped in a game of wits. 

But ahead of us, famine, poverty, tears, stares.

Can somebody lead us right? Is it not time for the hawks to give way? Since when has ministerial nominees list become an issue? Is that what would put food on the table of Nigerians? Please let’s wake up.