The Nigerian Killer Demon

The economy of Nigeria is in dreadful gait. And Nigerians are yet to find the suiting word to define the hardship in the nation with. A land blessed by God but cursed by man, a land where those saddled with power go for medical treatment abroad to the detriment of the land's economy, a land where government would always align down the masses quest, that all are going well, and it is going well with them with their useless trillion dollars treacherously looted from our coffer that are lying unused in foreign banks.

Any morning a 'common' Nigerian wakes from sleep, he begins to think of what to eat, not of what to work, because that is no go area. Where did you see work in Nigeria? The ones available are reserved for the kiths, and kins, sons and daughters of the different personnel managers in different companies. The million or billion job opportunities created in every government here, only exist on the pages of the newspapers. This is for the graduates. (Who cares for those who are not opportune to see the four walls of the university?) Only God knows.

Yet, while many Nigerians are suffering abject poverty in a richly opulent Nigeria, many unashamed government officials smile to the bank with fat amount. Their gluttonous appetite for unnecessary acquisition of wealth won't find a brake to that. They build houses that no one is living in, and they buy cars that only become decorum to their unnecessary vast compounds – in the 36 states of the federation.

The 'common' Nigerians who receive salaries at the end of the month don't know what to do with them – because the salaries can be best described as pittance. Many Nigerians live in shacks and cellars. Such squalid environment that has made many Nigerians squalors? But are people not still owned 10 to 12 months salaries in the many government parastatals or its agents?

Nigerians are very diligent in their duty posts, but why on earth should they be owned their salaries at the end of the month, to the extent of 10 months and so? What is expected of a man who was pushed to the wall to do? Owing Nigerians their pittance called salaries at the end of the month to an extent of 10 months, is the government not indirectly encouraging social miscreants, militants, prostitutes and armed robbers? Any wonder that Nigeria harbours the happiest people on earth but the most unlovable people on earth?

Among many Nigerians, they are not talking about the prices of everyday skyrocketing of foodstuffs in Nigeria, but the price of living in Nigeria: a country that is bereft of infrastructural and social amenities by no other agency but the government. Government of Nigeria needs serious exorcism because it is a killer demon. To be frank.

Many Nigerians have died, hoping when the government would help matters. Price increase by traders is now on the sky. Nigerians are no longer proud people in their land. Perhaps, due to the government of now and before, had not placed smile on the faces of the citizens, was why hardly you find a Nigerian who's truly proud of Nigeria, as a nation. What the Nigerian peoples are interested in is the ethnicity divides. And this could be the major reason Nigeria is a crawling giant of Africa – a country known for her corruption from the head of the echelon.

The dream of many Nigerians to own their own homes in Nigeria is in the shamble, as prices of building materials are unprintable. And the no-shelter of these Nigerians has closed the window of happiness of Nigerians. While many Nigerians are proud to be of African aborigine, many hate Nigerian government style.

The government should be helping matters. There shouldn't be any significant of disparity among citizens. It's not only road and building projects that a government should be known for, it should also be known as a government that helps the poor masses by making sure that goods and commodities in Nigeria are at affordable rates. If a bag of cement, foodstuffs could be afforded in the market at a very affordable rate, Nigerians of low income or Nigerians that are not working will not be complaining much.

The government should make sure that the education system in Nigeria is balanced. Workers salaries should be reviewed without any iota of cheating. The youths should be provided with goods jobs – whether a degree holder or a SSCE holder. Let the government tell Nigerians the truth. From all indications, Nigeria is not developing upon the kind of human and natural resources she has. What is developing in Nigeria is deceit and political conceit. People are dying unsung. And Nigerians are migrating to other countries of the world in search of greener pastures, because what we have here are dried pastures.

Odimegwu Onwumere, is Founder of Poet Against Child Abuse (PACA), Oyigbo, Rivers State. +2348032552855. [email protected]