By Emeka Alex Duru
(08054103327, nwaukpala@yahoo.com)
Recent remarks by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the February presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, on the poor management of Nigerian economy, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, contributed to this outing. Atiku, who spoke through his aide, Phrank Shaibu, described the Tinubu administration as incompetent and clueless. He accused the president of running an ‘Animal Farm’ economy, while Nigerians were getting poorer.
For illustration, Animal Farm is satirical novel, by an English novelist, essayist, journalist, and critic, Eric Arthur Blair, who preferred a pseudonym, George Orwell, in his writings. First published in England on 17 August 1945, the book, Animal Farm, tells of a group of farm animals who rebelled against their human farmer, in the hope of creating a society where all would be equal, free, and happy.
In launching out their rebellion, the battle cry was ‘all animals are equal’. But at the attainment of victory, the struggle was betrayed and a dictatorship that was worse than what the animals had previously experienced was imposed on them and the privileged ones among them began to lord it over others. The mantra shifted from ‘all animals are equal’ to ‘all animals are equal but some are more equal than others. The farm ended up in a state as bad as it was before. Historians often link the lessons of the novel to the betrayal of the Russian Revolution by the autocratic regime of Josef Stalin.
Events since the inauguration of Tinubu on May 29, point to Nigeria drifting to the Animal Farm project. While he took his oath of office, Tinubu promised Nigerians a new lease of life; a future better than what they had experienced in the past. “Our administration shall govern on your behalf but never rule over you. We shall consult and dialogue but never dictate. We shall reach out to all but never put down a single person for holding views contrary to our own. We are here to further mend and heal this nation, not tear and injure it”, he vowed at the Eagle Square, Abuja, venue of his swearing-in. He also pledged to be the president for all and not to any particular section or group.
But five months into the administration, Nigerians are seeing Tinubu and his administration for what they are. The economy has plunged further south and cost of living, beyond reach. By the close of the week, the Naira had fallen to N1,150 to One US Dollar. While Nigerians scavenged the Bins in the past for food, there are no more baskets to rummage. Distraught citizens bring back images of inmates of Adolf Hitler’s concentration camps, these days.
Atiku captured it that, “Under Tinubu’s watch, the inflation rate has risen steadily from 22.79% in June to 24.08% in July to 25.80% in August and now 26.72% in September. Food inflation has also moved steadily from 25.25% in June to 30.6%”. The administration, he said, is wasteful, adding that the way money is being frittered amid scarcity of resources shows the insincerity of the government. He added, “Even at a time when he (Tinubu) is calling on everyone to tighten their belts, he inaugurated the largest cabinet in Nigeria’s history and is set to plunge Nigeria deeper into more debt”.
Now, these are serious issues that border on the future of the country. Every Nigerian of good conscience must be concerned at the scary turn of events in the country. Towards the February election when the voters were on countdown to the end of the nepotistic Muhammadu Buhari administration, the expectation was that among Tinubu, Atiku and Peter Obi of Labour Party (LP), whoever that emerged would be better than the departing president in terms of planning, recruitment of personnel and deployment of resources. The three were seen as thoroughbred civilians and successful businessmen who should bring their entrepreneurial skills in better management of the economy and corporate existence of the country.
Tinubu was particularly advertised by his foot soldiers as strategic head-hunter and human resource management wizard. But the entire thing has ended up as mere hype and propaganda. If anything, rather, Tinubu has demonstrated worrisome narrow-mindedness and parochial tendencies that constitute serious threat to peace and development of the country. So far, the administration has manifested obvious lack of mission and focus. Like Buhari, his predecessor, Tinubu has shown to be only interested in grabbing power without using it effectively.
Just as Buhari parceled out nearly all the critical offices in the country, especially the command positions in the armed forces and paramilitary to his Muslim Fulani kinsmen, Tinubu has ceded strategic appointments in the economic sector to his South West Yoruba folks. At the last count, the Federal Ministries of Finance, Solid Minerals, Transportation, Blue Economy, Digital Economy, Justice and Attorney General of the Federation are occupied by Yorubas. Federal Inland Revenue Service, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Customs and Central Bank are also headed by indigenes of the zone. So also, are the Army, Police, Immigration, among others. For a system as Nigeria with complex heterogeneous ethnic structure, nothing can be more callous and insensitive to the feelings of other Nigerians and the constitution that prescribes federal character in key programmes and appointments. But to Tinubu, the situation is normal.
As if the President’s insensitivity is not enough, other sections of the leadership class keep rubbing it on the people at all fronts. Contrary to their admonitions on Nigerians to keep faith in the country and bear the pains of the harsh economic climate in the country, the President and the leadership of the National Assembly have carried on in a manner, indicating that money is not Nigeria’s problem but how to spend it. Signs of the pervading prodigality at the leadership level began to unfold when Tinubu, on his first official visit to Lagos, rode on convoy that many swore, comprised 120 vehicles or more. The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, on his own, cruises around on regal train. The other day, he and his colleagues in the Senate, mocked Nigerians in their misguided, “Let the poor breathe” Resolution.
The bazaar has not ceased. In fact, Nigerians are still in shock over the news of each of the 360 lawmakers in the House of Representatives receiving a brand-new Prado SUVs, at N130 million, totaling N57.6 billion. The package excludes the 109 senators, which added to the bill, would make the cost higher. That, incidentally, is to be funded by a system that is seeking a $1.5 billion loan from the World Bank!
The sad reality, therefore, is that the country is on a rougher and more bumpy rides ahead. So, when Tinubu admonishes Nigerians to bear with his government and give him time to fix the economy, he needs to be reminded that he and other elected officials should lead by example. They need to cut down their extravagant lifestyle to the level that the people will align with their sermons.
For now, Tinubu and members of his political class, are far from the people. They have not manifested empathy to the people. They have not shown faith and concern to the plight of the electorate. They are merely humouring themselves and entertaining their supporters, not facing real governance. And the people know.
*DURU is the Editor, TheNiche Newspapers, Lagos