May 27th, 2019

NIGERIA, WHO IS TO BLAME?

​As the curtains draw down on the second “first-term” coming of Muhammadu Buhari, the man hailed and praised by many before the 2015 general elections. He was called the “Messiah” by those who had a soft spot for him, the political artists painted their pretty and other times not so pretty pictures and much was expected from Buhari by his supporters and unsurprisingly his non-supporters. General Buhari won the election and changed his title to President in no time. There was much optimism and also cynicism about how the no nonsense man will pilot the affairs of this nation. , nobody will save you,
President Buhari came on board and there was the perceived body language style of leadership (the Night King style) where things happened without much effort from the leader. Government workers resumed as and when due, the electricity regulating body also miraculously ensured electricity was fairly served, everything was taking shape and Nigerians could see the light at the tunnel or so we thought.
Four years down the lane and all those good vibes are gone, some political artists who painted pretty pictures of the “Messiah” now paint ugly ones others either have selective blindness or just refuse to paint at all. The nation has been through recession and has come out (so they tell us), the once “technically” defeated Boko-Haram has now “technically” refused to be defeated. The Fulani herdsmen and the farmers dance with death. The Easterners and their Western siblings throw constant tantrums at each other. In essence, there is a very high sense of disharmony throughout the land.
            People who express contrary opinions to that of a particular sect are tagged haters, ethnic and religious bigots and all other sorts. The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS) brutalizes both the innocent and sometimes the not so innocent citizens. Other arms of the police arrest women simply for “being women” and for dressing in a manner the police has tagged “immoral”. One would wonder if morality has a clear definition. The international community doesn’t fail to jump on news and information that further dents the already ugly image of Nigeria. The sex workers are arrested by those who sometimes are their buyers. The internet fraudsters also play their “beautiful” part and everything seems to be going south. All these happenings begs the question “who is to blame”?
The blame game is what the average Nigerian grew up learning and in no time everyone becomes an expert at the game. Take for example, the Northern and Southern marriage and Lord Luggard is the “chief culprit” for bringing two people with different cultural backgrounds and contrasting ideologies together. The poor believes his problem is the rich. Even in our homes, things don’t get spoilt “someone has to spoil them”, you know? Say the television set blows up and the last person who touched it must have caused it. Ask the yahoo boy why he does what he does and he tells you the government doesn’t care about us. Ask the sex monger why they are into their line of business and they ask you “pikin wey dey house no go chop go school”? The man who man who faces a few setbacks and failures must have been bewitched by some mystical powers and as a result needs deliverance.  Nothing ever happens without there being a “blame person”.
Even the government isn’t left out of this our interesting game, matter of fact, “they win the most matches and hardly ever drop the pad” you know? Ask the APC government why there hardly is any improvement and most if not everything seems to be getting worse by the moment and they reply you with something relating to “sixteen years”. Ask the PDP government why the “sixteen years” were the way they were and you hear of the military rule and on and on goes the blame.
This blame game and the ultimate refusal to be responsible is what the writer has tagged “Nigerianism”. So who really is to blame? Is it the government, the rich, the slay mama, the yahoo boy, the poor, the uneducated or the victims themselves? The writer doesn’t know the answer to this. How can he, when he doesn’t even believe in the game? Matter of fact, it is the opinion of the writer that a new game; “The Responsibility game” be designed and taught to all and sundry, and everyone must come along with his or her “game pad”. Yes! we know, we didn’t cause the curse that has befallen us but we alone can correct this mess for ourselves and for our generations yet unborn. Taking responsibility is what everyman owes himself, it’s high time we all stopped looking for who to blame and started taking responsibility for how we react to these circumstances we have found ourselves.
So I charge therefore the APC led government to be responsible. Yes! We know where we are now. Yes! We know how we got here. Yes! We know corruption is the cankerworm. Yes! We know the average Nigerian lacks integrity. What are you doing as the government to correct these narratives? Do you have selective amnesia when your party member is the defaulter?
To the school student who fails by the powers of his lecturers but passes by his own powers, to the man who is in a poor situation because everyone has refused to help him. And to all other cousins of these groups I leave you with the words of Dalai Lama “When you think everything is someone else’s fault, you will suffer a lot. When you realize that everything springs only from yourself, you will learn both joy and peace.”
Nigeria, nobody has come to save you, nobody will come to save you, only you can save you.
Hi, Gbaleh.