Nigeria’s Problem: President Tinubu is the victim, time acquitted him
By Invitation.
Background
Nigeria’s problem began as soon as Britain left us, the independence we demanded then was not ripe, or simply put, we were not ready for independence.
Maybe it was the plan of Britain- they were not happy we demanded independence earlier, so they left their colony hastily – without planning the country well. Little wonder immediately they left, northernization and southernization agendas began.
No family can excel without unity. The country lacks unity, and that affects us massively.
The cracks soon widened after the colonial master left us, and we found ourselves in a bitter and bloody war.
Tribe played a significant role in the war as we massacred ourselves like barbarians.
At a point, one commander said he would shoot down everything that moves in the eastern part of the country that had sought independence then.
What brought about the barbaric comment is still unclear because if it’s about secession, it wouldn’t have been that crude.
Fight and regain sovereignty, and not engage in war of extermination as if the eastern region exterminated your family.
The economy began to fall immediately, as the colonial master exited, and continue until this day. What is needed is a saviour.
But Musa has a different opinion of the present condition of the country. While Emeka views it from an indecisive lens, Ola sees it from tribal perspective.
The Dialogue
Musa: We must engage in a protest. A bag of rice is over Ninety Thousand Naira. Ordinary one litre of fuel is over Eight Hundred Naira. The country is gone, and Tinubu has destroyed this country. We will not agree. This is inhuman. This is wickedness. Tinubu is heartless. How on earth did God allow such a man to become the president of Nigeria?
Emeka: Yes, yes, Tinubu said it was his turn. He has come in now. What has he done? He has destroyed Nigeria. I can no longer cook with Three Thousand Naira. A pot of soup now costs Ten Thousand Naira. What have we done to this man? He is the worst president so far.
Ola: I must tell you, I am a Yoruba man, and my brother is the president. The country is not good for everyone. In fact, I am confused because the rate of the dollar is frightening. I can not deny that we have a problem in this country. My only problem is why he allowed dollar to skyrocket and the price of fuel. Why not hold the prices down like others did and go on with anything he wants to go on with.
Emeka: Go and check your history, go back to Jonathan’s regime, he begged you people to allow him to continue, you people disagreed and put Buhari. Buhari finished and put Tinubu, and you both caused this problem we are facing today. Jonathan will be in his house enjoying, laughing at us now. he warned us, didn’t he (Ola and musa kept mute)? I know you won’t answer because you are now feeling guilty. When I was telling you that time, you were calling Jonathan all kinds of names, now you see, have you seen it?
Ola: Please, please, let me hear word from you. Which one is Jonathan this and Jonathan that? Didn’t you see how Olusegun Obasanjo ruled this country. He brought you phones, and telecommunication improved notably. He managed Nigeria well, and he did what nobody has done. The price of fuel was One Kobo. The price of a bag of rice was One Naira. The price of everything was good until your Jonathan took over and you saw how he damaged everything. Are you not in this country?
Musa: Two of you are insane; you don’t know your history. My tribe made this country better than what Obasanjo made it. Abacha enforced price regulation. Shagari did maintain a good economy. Abacha came in, and everything was good. We did marvellous jobs and handed over the country to Obasanjo. How much was Dollar under Shagari, Abacha, and the rest of my tribes men that occupied that seat?
Emeka: This thing we are saying is no longer making sense. let’s embrace what is happening now. I now feel better and let the past be past. Let us talk about our present predicament. How do we solve the problem?
Musa: Protest, protest, protest, there is hunger in the country, and we must rise like patriots we are and protest against the government of Bola Amed Tinubu. That is the only solution. Let us change bad governance and restore the pride of this country.
Ola: I don’t want to talk yet because Musa will say Tinubu is a Yoruba man and that I love defending Yoruba leaders. Emeka, I want to listen to you, what are you saying, because you said let us reason. If I follow Musa, I had loved us to hold this protest last four years when Buhari took over.
Musa: Even in the last 12 years, when Jonathan was in power, stop mentioning Buhari alone. But we must protest because there is hunger, Buhari didn’t bring this kind of hunger, and Jonathan did not bring this kind of hunger. Protests, protest.
Ola: But Buhari’s hunger was more severe than that of Jonathan, right?
Musa: Just as Tinubu’s hunger is more severe than Buhari’s hunger, right?
Ola: A northerner might take over from President Tinubu, and his own hunger could be the severest one.
Emeka: Let us think, please. Let’s keep everything aside and think like human beings.
Musa: Think na, I have finished thinking and I concluded we must act to save our country. This country is becoming something else, and if we don’t act, there would be no tomorrow for us. I can’t marry because I can’t feed myself, let alone a family. Ola has not married, I told him to marry, and he said the country is hard.
Emeka: I want to ask, when did President Tinubu take over power from Buhari?
Musa: Last year, a year plus now, imagine, just recently.
Emeka: And all the problems this country has had over the years since independence, can it be solved under one year?
Musa: What do you mean?
Ola: No answer him ooo…
Musa: The problem can not be solved, I know the problem can not be solved, but why didn’t he leave the problem the way he inherited it? At least, we were still managing.
Emeka: What were the things you believe Tinubu did wrong in this one year, plus he has stayed in office?
Musa: He removed fuel subsidy and allowed the dollar to skyrocket to unbearable height.
Emeka: When did dollar start skyrocketing, under whose regime?
Musa: Since God knows when, in fact, immediately we got independence, things began to change for worse.
Emeka: So, firstly, it is not Tinibu’s fault that dollar skyrocketed. Let’s keep that aside and talk facts and reason. I don’t want to allow my emotions to take a better chunk of me anymore. Now let’s go to fuel subsidy.
Ola: Emeka, I swear, you are true Igbo son. They said Igbo are domineering, I just like the way you are showing that domineering vibe here. Go on, we are listening.
Musa: No. no, no, warn Ola to keep quiet here if you want me to listen and reason. Just tell him to keep quiet.
Emeka: Ola, please, we are no longer taking sides here. We just want to reason and be better human beings.
Ola: Agreed and fine.
Emeka: So, Musa, the three major candidates that campaigned promised to remove fuel subsidy because it’s a criminal gang up against the country. We all knew if subsidy was removed, the price of fuel would skyrocket. So, do you blame the president for his generous act?
Musa: Hmmmm.. hmmmm.. go on first.
Emeka: From every indication, Tinubu is a victim here. If we protest, we are deliberately attacking his government. He just entered as the president, he needs time to prove himself. He needs time to correct whatsoever needs to be corrected. If we engage in this protest, we are victimizing him. We are making it look like we want to go on a campaign of hate. I will support this protest, but let’s give him time, at least, after four years and we didn’t see any improvement, we can storm the streets. That’s what I think.
Ola: He is my tribe’s man, I want Nigeria to be stable, the economy, and everything. I will join this protest if it’s justified. The timing of the protest is wrong – that is my own view. I will join this protest after four years if there is no improvement. I will join this protest if Tinubu makes an anti-people policy. So, now, this protest is not in the best interest of the country or administration. Tinubu’s government has done nothing bad.
Musa: Okay, okay, okay… Time is time, I see, time is the only reason I see here. He needs time to prove himself, and he has not gotten the time. So, I will consider his acquittal on the grounds that time is against us.
Emeka: Exactly, the problem of Nigeria is enormous, and he needs to lay down his policies and put them into action. We need to be patient, and most importantly, we need to watch him closely and score him after he had had sufficient time. Case closed!
By Invitation: Ifeanyi Chijioke
