When silence is not golden

These are not the best of times in Nigeria and it would amount to emphasising the obvious to say that it has not been easy for everybody and anybody in the country in the last couple of months. Events in the country conjure images of the time in the British society that Charles Dickens captured in his classical book—Hard Times—which has the Grand grind family as its central character.

As with the English society of Charles Dickens time, Nigerians are today living their lives by half as the social contract they signed with the country’s ruling party – the All Progressives Congress (APC) – appears to have been disregarded by government.

The current administration appears to have squandered the good will that earned it the victory at the polls last year and the citizens are not comfortable with the dead silence from Abuja over its inability to meet most of its numerous pre-election promises. The government appears to live consistently in denial.

While Nigerians pine away in abject poverty occasioned by inactivity in government circles, particularly the ‘non-passage’ of 2016 budget which has continued to be a subject of controversy between the executive and the National Assembly,

we are pained that President Muhammadu Buhari has adopted a sealed-lip tactic in the midst of excruciating pain being experienced by Nigerians as a result of his seeming anti-people policies and governance strategies that are counter-productive.

The President’s silence has continued to amaze Nigerians who wonder if at all the APC-led government had any programme direction ab initio. The President’s attitude is choking up a lot of things in the country. He appears to be vibrant only when it comes to jetting out of the country.

The essence of foreign trips, in our view, is the investments such travels attract and the practical commitments of foreign governments to assisting Nigeria overcome her challenges. But none of these are being seen. All we see and hear are same lines of promises that are hardly redeemed.

We deem it pertinent to remind government that one million trips abroad will not bring investors, unless we begin to act right. Investors go where operating environment is favourable and that cannot be said of Nigeria today.

It is a contradiction of immense proportion that while businesses are dying in the country, many others relocating to other African countries, government is busy chasing investors to come in.

President Buhari appears to be more eloquent abroad than he is at home. Most of his government’s policy statements or stands on serious issues have only been made open while outside the country. This, we think, is very unfortunate. If a government feels free to speak and give the direction of its programmes only outside, it shows how scornful that government is of the masses of the country that brought it into power.

While Nigerians are languishing under government-inflicted hardship, the President has remained silent. Only two weeks ago, the government rolled out what it termed its economic direction. While we do not doubt its capacity to meet the lofty dreams as mouthed at the National Economic Council summit, there is no convincing evidence that government is commitment to the realisation of such dreams.

It is our considered view that the neglect of the Nigerian people by the current government has become worrisome and needs to be urgently addressed.

It appears that the ministers are treading very softly, not to be seen as running ahead of their employer. Many of them have good plans on paper. Many of them are zealous to leave positive mark on their various ministries if given free hand to operate; but it appears they are mindful of the disposition of the President.

This prevailing situation does not help a nation and will not help Nigeria neither now nor in the long run. It was against this backdrop that Ibe Kachikwu, minister of state for petroleum, said he was not a magician. The minister is said to have a good programme that could help the country overcome the energy crisis, but he has a master to whom he must take orders from.

And since he has told Nigerians that he would not resign, he has decided to hang in there, whatever the case. This is not peculiar to Kachikwu. Other ministers are just occupying the seats for the sake of it, daily watching the body language of the President.

It is our belief that the essence of power is to touch the lives of the masses and to advance the fortunes of a country. If that is the true essence of government, what is on ground at the moment does not pass off as a true democratic experience. We urge the government not to take the people for a ride for too long. That there is anger in the land is to put it blandly.