GETTING NIGERIA OUT OF THE MIRY CLAY

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By; Abdullahi O. Haruna Haruspice 
The plummeting oil price in the international market is undoubtedly affecting the ability of Federal Government to discharge its responsibility. It has exposed the fragile nature of our economy. No doubt, a nation cannot attain its full potential by flying on a single wing. With oil revenue accounting for over 80 percent of the nation’s overall revenue, Nigeria has been flying on a single wing.
Regrettably, successive governments did not make substantial efforts to diversify the economy. They ploughed and plundered, without saving for rainy days. They abandoned the nation to bleed to death without mercy. In her tears, our past leaders found resounding joy; her pains their gains; her emptiness their fullness; her death their life; her past their future. They left a near-dead; with it shattered and battered posture, it was crying for help. Ironically, the same people who sniffed life out of our beloved nation, want it revamped, albeit, supernaturally.
While the pessimists believe that this is not the right time to be President of Nigeria, optimists believe that this is the right time to design sustainable policies and measures that will haul Nigeria out of the miry clay. It is true that there is usually a time lag between season of planting and season of harvest; President Muhammadu Buhari is sowing into the future and Nigerians need to be patient and reasonable with him as we all await bountiful harvest. After all, those who are patient with time live to write history and with difficulty, come ease.
Never for once have I ever nursed any fear in the capacity of President Muhammadu Buhari to deliver on his promises. He has no reason to fail because it will be suicidal for his image, conviction and the age-long impeccable brand. The man did not become president to continue with the template of yesterday, he came to stop the usual narratives of governance.
Reforming a battered system is as difficult as displacing an existing order. To achieve an enduring success, toes are trampled on, interest dislocated and positions are lost. The status quo has been altered and we do not expect the beneficiaries of that order to sit and watch as their possessions are set ablaze. That we are where we are today is not accidental, we allowed things to go wrong deliberately. We were docile and too comfortable with the crumbs that came to us. This is the time for us to halt the trend. This is the time to sow into the future and this is the time to redefine governance.
There is no denying the obvious that things are hard and families have been experiencing the most difficult time of existence; people are finding it hard to feed and pay school fees. This is unfortunate, but we do hope that quick win solutions come our ways, soon. It is true that when the body is hungry, the mind become weak, forlorn and despondent. What we have now is the realization that the government is doing all it can to make things right.
The naysayers may disagree with this, but a taciturn mind that is not defined by the pendulum of mischief and needless hate can see the workings of government. As we speak, major roads across the country are being constructed, while some that have been abandoned for ages are being rehabilitated.
The President reeled out this information in his Independence anniversary speech and I was like -‘something like this’. Roads connect the world and provide the platform for easy movement of goods and services, if our roads are genuinely constructed, we are better off as farm produce can be transported across the country with ease.
In the past, performances of Ministers were measured in terms of media propaganda and razzmatazz. Such gimmicks used are not happening in this government. The men are working real time, this time not on TV but on the field. Allowing politicians who are interested in what come to them to steer the narrative of governance would be dangerous to our psyche. We must seek to believe those we elected to govern thus giving them the necessary support. Continuous resentments does no good to the system, it breeds discontentment, hate and fear.
Optimistically musing.
 
Haruna can be reached through;
haruspicee@yahoo.com
@haruspicee
08035887544

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