Disgust gnaws at my innards as I ponder on the significance of recent goings-on in Nigeria, especially as they concern the commonwealth of the nation. Every one of these gruelling events, by my estimations, exhibits all the trappings of notable Hollywood movies. For instance, the 2008 flick – Mad Money. In this movie, three female employees of the US Federal Reserve (the equivalent of the Central Bank of Nigeria) steal defaced dollar bills slated for destruction. Like you may already know, the ending is not glorious for these culprits in spite of the charmed life their escapades bought for them. As I linger on the sweet taste of their damnation, a flicker of Heat – another Hollywood blockbuster – blazes through my consciousness: just like yesterday, the 20 year old film comes alive as I peruse with forensic intent the dark hearts of the professional thieves that storm a bank’s vault with gregarious ballistics. Dazed with awe, I stumble into an enclave where the Inside Man – a movie – reigns supreme. In this eerie environ, my mind zooms to Nigeria and, with my mind’s eye, I scrutinize the crooks who are Nigeria’s gatekeepers: the likes of Murtala Nyako and Ali Modu Sheriff! With these inglorious bastards in places of authority, a nation’s hope is continually dashed. Unfortunately, the perennial misadventure of Nigeria’s leaders pours gunk on the eternal dictum which posits that a nation’s greatest assets are its people.
Again, with disgust, I doubt if Nigeria will ever realize her destiny since generations of Nigerian leaders have embezzled from the state coffers and robbed Nigeria to a near comatose. Even with the flavour of an acclaimed change still tingling my palate, the ghost of an infernal debauchery has already been unleashed zapping away funds from the purse of the May 29 Inauguration of Muhammadu Buhari. With this unsavoury attitude of the people in authority, who have been mandated by the Nigerian populace to galvanize the nation towards modernity and communal prosperity, Nigeria’s future seems to be bogged down by wantonness and the nation, in my view, appears to be on tenter hooks: a condition Boko Haram still exacerbates after the enthronement of Nigeria’s new president. What irks me the most, in the face of these dastardly acts, is the fact that the Nigerian people are not willing to dig deep inwards to find the will to checkmate the evil eating away the soul of the nation. Rather, like loquacious imbeciles with no personal pride, the nation hopes that salvation will come from yonder land: Is Nigeria so lame?
Lacking the desire to stand firm, in a world where technology is the lifeblood of every modern society, Nigeria is of necessity taking its denizens to the Stone Age unabashed. And, unequivocally, the nation and its people may be locked up effectively in dark caves in an era where knowledge is in a race to outshine godhead. After all, just recently, according to my crystal ball, during the recent petrol scarcity in the country, telecom companies were almost forced to shut down one after the other and banks’ ATM machines were almost abdicating their responsibilities of dispensing the kwashiorkor damaged national currency. The signification of these macabre dance in the 21st century is the painful reality that a Nigerian Apocalypse may be next door because life may soon stand still since nothing has been propped up to provide succour should the nation face any distress; in today’s Nigeria, nothing may work should emergency grip the nation: be assured that there will be no light, no water, no food, no education, no healthcare because there will be no reserved energy to power the nation. Isn’t this a perfect scenario for a failed state?
Yes, it is! However, Nigeria’s problems are created by a few selfish Nigerians who are benefiting from the lack of social infrastructure, the presence of anarchy, and the wilful government that is unable to stem the final degradation of a nation. The fathers of some of these louts in government set the nation on the path of ignominy many years ago.  And, today, the offspring of the architects of Nigeria’s failure, like leeches, are sucking the last drop of Nigeria’s blood. In my view, the time has come for ordinary Nigerians to put an end to this cycle of infamy by dismantling the oligarchy inflicting pain on the people. The gain of these oligarchs is the pain of the generality of Nigerians since the nation’s landscape has not benefited from the billions of dollars that have gone into selected private pockets in the name of state condoned nefarious activities. In sane societies where the leaders are accountable to the electorate, the needs of the people come first at all times. In essence, leadership is a service.
Not in Nigeria.
