As the debate rampaging the social media heat up. It is crucial to add a different dimension to this popular contention initiated by the now dismissive president. First, in Nigeria every single citizen is a government in his own right. Nobody waits for oil money here except cronies and families of the negligible political class. Where is even the oil money? News are everywhere of the recovered several millions in dollars from the former Group Managing DIRECTOR, NNPC, #AndrewYakubu following a well schemed whistle blowing operation.
It was alleged to have been kept in his private vault built for the purpose of hiding his own share from the oil money Nigeria youths are waiting for. This is even a child’s play when compared to Diezani Madueke mindless looting of the same oil money the bulk of Nigeria youths are supposedly waiting for.
The other time a CBN Governor was hurried to retirement because he told the nation about the missing $20B oil money from NNPC coffer with nobody asking questions. This is even without the several trillion dollars subsidy scam. There has never been oil for the common man. Your generation has looted everything even the reserve for the (next) generation, is at the moment empty. In fact, Nigerians have continued to pay the highest pump price per liter on PMS and other extractions from crude oil.
Even your government at a time caused over 700% increment on these products for lack of requisite distributive approach/knowledge despite being a former Minister in the oil ministry. At a time under you, we bought fuel for as high as N550/ltr sir. Excruciatingly, no oil producing nation citizens has paid more for fuel than these supposed lazy and entitled youths. In Saudi Arabia, PMS sells cheaper than water and a percentage of oil royalty goes to individual citizen account from their government. Yet, they are not called lazy, illiterate and entitled citizens.
Mr President but for the failure of our judiciary, your government should be paying reparations to the bulk of Nigeria youths who had to sleep at a gas filling station and yet paid exorbitantly for this product.
For the avoidance of doubt sir, the country you lead has a conservative population of 180 million people (to use your word) but interestingly we also have 180 million governments. Every individual (citizen) here is a government in his own right. In case you don’t know, the basic social responsibilities of government here are undertaken by individuals for themselves and for their families. Yes, we provide our education, health, security, water, electricity and even contribute to fix community roads and other public utilities. Yet, we paid taxes to your government and like the oil money also get looted away while all governments including your own looked away. It is unfortunate, you decided to blackmail us before the world. Your unfair tantrums destroyed the reputation you did not build for us.
Even with the horrible experience at home, the large chunk of Nigeria youths have stayed true to industry, remain hopeful and as ever efficient. I am one of them. We have never seen oil money, and have never waited for it because we are aware that the money is not for us, even youths from the NDDC region are groaning. Your generation has canned all the money and sat on the can of stolen money to acquired properties abroad and pay for their children education and vacation abroad.
The remaining they have used to sponsor arms and ammunition, Herdsmen, Boko Haram and fanned ethnic and ethno religious crisis in the country. The last time your Minister said we are inconsequential. The sequence is not a coincidence. The narrative is the same. This arrogance is unpardonable considering the fact that you have lived all your life feeding on oil money. We don’t have this luxury of your time but do not insult us any further.
We are hopeful but not entitled. The coming period will be interesting. The lazy, illiterate, inconsequential and entitled youths must respond. How? I honestly do not know at the moment.
Adegbola Taiwo
©2018