Why Nigeria’s 2023 Elections "MAY" change NOTHING. (No matter who is elected)
I will most honestly need your thoughts about this. But before you do that, here’s why I said what I said.
Lately, I've been getting this question " what's your take about the election? Who do you want to win?" (Even if the last question is a hot topic as at the time I wrote this post, the first question, on the other hand, is a broader one)
About the 2nd question though, I really do not care who emerges the winner or who becomes my new President for the next 8 years, the persisting problems will probably remain problems, the problems may well probably be more curtailed or will have a whole new look.
While you're gathering your counter thoughts, I have taken the time to do a little research. And I'll be glad to share my findings.
The problems of Nigeria are increasing in geometric progression year after year. And in-between the years, there's been new governments. What changed? To be factual, my answer is NOTHING.
Nigeria is in her early 60s and we're so lucky to have gotten independence late and in a time where global development is very fast, thanks to modern technologies. (And people whose thoughts were embraced).
Let’s look at some of the staple problems of Nigeria. If you read this post https://bti-project.org/en/reports/country-report/NGA?cHash=418aeb67f4e30d2a4b4484bf1ac7fa33
You’ll see in between how much has gone wrong since after the independence.
Let's start with
GOVERNANCE/INSECURITY - which is the number 1 problem that we face.
The 2021 Global Peace Index published by the Institute for Peace and Economics ranked Nigeria at 146 out of 163 countries, only better than countries like Iraq, Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, and Russia, which are typically known to have been conflicted areas for a long time.
Since 2009, nearly 350,000 people have been killed in the North-Eastern part of the country due largely to the activities of Boko Haram Islamist insurgents. The number of displaced people in the Lake Chad Basin is about 3 million.
What are the laid down plans to restore hope and faith in that line for the good citizens? How are we sure that these numbers will not increase? The sponsors are still out there in political offices, chilling in luxury and selling us out. Who's ready to fix that?
EXCHANGE RATE CRISIS
A lot of people are benefiting so much from the high exchange rates. I mean they don't pray for it to come down because there's serious cash out happening.
This became more exciting for the NGN to Dollar rate beneficiaries when COVID 19 struck in 2020.
The unofficial exchange rate was N330/$1. In August 2020, the rates were N402/$1. By Christmas 2021, the rates jumped to N560/$1. March 31, 2022, the rate was N575/$1. Currently, the rate is at an alarming N602/$1.
This caused a cascade of problems which I'm not ready to emphasise.
To back up my initial statement, I want to say that, the main cause of these issues is inherent. They are natural to Nigerians..
We are Naturally Greedy, Selfish, Lazy, Cultural and Traditional to a large extent.
The average Nigerian is envious of his neighbour, lazy to think, work and learn, is voracious, is religious and myopic.
Nigeria has the resources to be one of the greatest countries in the world, but because of these inherent problems, we sadly can't even come 20th.
Why?
Generators have to be sold, so we can't get power 24/7.
Schools have to make money, so no one wants to farm, therefore, making us hungry.
People giving birth to more children they can't cater for. Increasing population and adding to the crime index.
Our Young boys are lazy and so the easiest way is to commit internet fraud and harvest organs illegally.
Parents are pouring all their lost hopes and dreams into their children, increasing depression and anxiety in them. Making them make rash decisions.
Investors are not willing to tap into new ideas because of the risk of losing money or prejudicial reasons, causing brain drain and allowing the exodus of youths into foreign countries in search of greener pastures.
Who will fix all these? Peter Obi? Atiku? Tinubu? Who?
Leadership can change, but Nigerians will remain Nigerians. Full of trust issues, insecurities of investors, lack of faith in young and broke youths, relegating ladies to the background, elevating religion over common sense, xenophobic, racist, colouristic, prejudistic, short-sighted, and utterly greedy. Who will fix all these?
If we only let to be open-minded and adopt possibilities and know that, education is key but giving a chance to prove ourselves is also the ultimate, if we can learn to trust that we will not kill ourselves or stab ourselves behind our backs, if we can not be racist to ourselves, if we can understand what the people need so that our brilliant resources will not migrate and never come back, if we can innovate and at least listen to the innovative ideas and give it a try and try again, if we can Love ourselves in Nigeria and be Humane, If our laws are not the one that pushes people away, if the law enforcement agencies will think of their jobs and families first before collecting bribe, if we don't have to forge documents, if we don't have to push our children into crime, if we don't have to explain hunger to our kids, if we don't have to let society dictate to us how to live our lives, if we don't have to worry about how life will be after retirement, if we don't have to look at age but skills, if we don't have to be governors in our own homes... Etc
Then, and only then will the election be important and have an impact. Right now, go and exercise your human rights and hope for the best. Your votes can only put them in power, but the change you need is not in the President, it’s in you.
"If every home is whole, the nation will be whole"- Sharon Aludo
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