RECESSION: THE PLAGUE IS HERE AT LAST

The plague did not come like a bolt from the sky; the warnings had been there all the time; and like it was in the biblical days of mene mene teke ufasin, those concerned – our leaders, ever loathing to nomocratic governance had continually turned deaf ears.  While the bonanza of lasted, they fed Nigerians with mumbo-jumbos, spewed forth platitudes; they became predatory-instead of servitude – and ad nausean plundered the lean resources of the Nation until the nunc dimittis!

Meanwhile, in the interim, Nigerians were rocked to the bone marrows upon learning of the perfidies of their supposed masters; of Pandora’s boxes and failed promises. Let’s take a look at some of the foolish charades: the story of how some  principal officers allegedly received billions of naira in running cost allowances: Yakubu Dogara #1.5 billion ; Yusuf  Lasun #800 million; Femi Gbajabiamila  #1.2 billion; Bala Jubrin #1.2 billion; Alhassan Dogawa #1.2 billion; Pally Iriase #700 million; Leo Ogor #1.2 billion; Chukwuka Onyema #800 million!  Yakubu Barde #700 million; Binta Bello #700 million! This scam is right from the National Assembly alone.

Roll over to the Executives – the Jonathan era.  Here, an intricate plexus of treachery wrapped in darkened ‘’stimulus packages”, the end game of which undeniably opened the door to the present apocalypse! Sitting in his imperial palace, Dr Goodluck Jonathan had spearheaded an unprecedented decapitation of the nation’s finances.  He may not accept publicly his involvement, but all Nigerians know that he is the chief planner!  Even with a World Bank specialist, they managed to share albeit contemptuously, a staggering $ 15 billion – an invidious act that is unforgivable.  Another 23. 29 billion was frittered away to some INEC officials for elections! It is an insult to Nigerians that their leaders could throw away their collective heritage just like that without any punitive response. Where is Nigeria’s Constitution you may ask? In the streets of the federal capital, dollars- hard earned people’s dollars – walked unrestrained. 

The bourgeois privileged few made fortunes even as the economy   plummets!  Yet, it seemed odd that while the bold few hollered those at the palace and their shadowy supporters responded with name callings, denials, they became implacable enemies to the people whom they claim to govern. They used their vantage position …..You could imagine executing such magnitude of conspiracy! To the outside world, you hear them say: “The economy was not in trouble …. It is in good health’’.

Now as Banks , Insurance firms are slashing workers salaries , as oil prices dwindles and the Niger Delta slides into conflicts the blame game has begun with Jonathan being held responsible for the lion share!  But you want to ask: how would cutting of salaries help in this situation of price increases? Again, how would a lull in the oil market transactions that constitutes a mere 15% of the nation’s economy trigger this economic spiral now known as recession?

 According to an Opinion Poll conducted by Smart Media, the real blame should be on ICPC and EFCC! ‘’These two government law enforcement agencies have never indicted anybody”, the survey reveals.  In addition, the survey reckons that from the days of Mbadinuju of Anambra to lucky Igbinedion, Peter Odili,  Nigerians have been regaled with newspaper reports and television shows; it has all been drama and rhetoric’s, a façade - only laughable - garnished with  feeble  arrest, half hearted interrogation, brief detention, cheap bail and case close!” This was what fueled the rape of Nigeria by other evil men’’,   said an Abuja based security expert.  ‘’when u refuse to punish offenders, this is what you get’’, the expert noted.

How true the disclosure is. Today, Nigerian governors behave as demi-gods, with the State as their ‘hunting ground’. A recent scoop from online media exposed foreign accounts of some of these demagogues running into hundreds of billions stashed safely in foreign accounts. “They not only stop there, they embezzle virtually every kobo meant for agriculture, road construction, infrastructure and social development”, said the Abuja based expert.

He said, the most surprising and wicked is that they operate above the laws of Nigeria.  “In a situation where you are untouchable then the nation is in trouble”, he lamented.

A look at Brazil where Dilma Rousel, their President, accused of petty corruption has now been impeached by the country’s Senate.  But in Nigeria, it is a well known fact that any talk of impeachment is considered treason.  “This is why the country is now in recession”, said Basil Okafor.  “In the absence of law, there is no sin; where there is, of course there is sin”, he said, calling on Nigerians to brace up for harder times.