By Haruna Aliyu Usman
Going down memory lane in 2015 when Nigerians conceived the storm of change and vowed to deliver it with rains of blessings from a hitherto Buhari the ‘messiah’, many would have worship his at grave in future, if he had not won in the 2015 polls.
The tsunami of change swept across all Nigerian regions from the north; his stronghold to west, east and south and even some so called middlebelt states. The Daura-born general’s key campaign words were to fight corruption, restore good governance and fight insecurity as such he won the hearts of poor Nigerians who believed the Peoples Democratic Party have enthroned endemic corruption in the country thereby slowing development and showing careless attitude to waton killings in the north by Boko Haram.
Hundreds of souls including women and children were lost to the dreaded group which Nigerians believed the leadership then could not stop.
In 2015, Nigerians went to the polls with anger of insecurity, hunger and corruption believed to have been institutionalised by PDP and “Booms” here comes the messiah who won historic elections that can only be compared to Abiola’s Hope 93 an election that defied tribe, religion and region.
Wide celebrations engulfed the country particularly the north with believe that the headache is over at least with him a new Nigeria is possible where no one is a king, from the judiciary to the police, army and all other sectors; a massive reform was underway to cleanse the mess of the hated PDP.
Six months on, the ‘messiah’ took his time to form his government of would be technocrats, corrupt-free and serious minded guys to deliver the needed change, again the poor said give him time he met heap of mess. Yes, he was given enough opportunity to wriggle the country of all sectors quagmire.
In record history, his government appeared to be the sitting duck system that turns blind-eye to the yearnings of the masses even as excuses continues as he stir the boat of change, but till today, the boat hasn’t reached the shorelines. Insecurity took center stage, severe hunger, persisted and high corruption hangs on to the amusements of the change agents.
Annoyingly, the ‘messiah’ left without fixing a sector. It now became clear to Nigerians that the earlier storm was meant to sink them with hardship instead of blessings. While we groan under an inhuman government, the endurance continues with words like “Lets give Tinubu a chance”, “We saw what he did in Lagos as governor”, at least to as well appease the west and here comes the westerner the man with the magic wand to turn things around.
Tinubu’s first day in office was the beginning of our suffering at the Eagle Square. The man announced the removal of fuel subsidy, which Buhari told the masses it was enjoyed by the privileged few elites. Now, it’s clear Buhari was not right because it is the masses that were actually enjoying the subsidy. It is also clear that happy life in Nigeria is not possible without fuel subsidy, but the “Oga” repeatedly said it’s gone and it went with all of us now the suffering continues with no hope in sight.
Unlike Buhari, Tinubu formed government within two months and we saw the crop of ministers he brought onboard. Just like Buhari, six months down the line nothing seems to have changed like his predecessor.
Yes, the president did feel for the masses knowing the consequences of subsidy removal. He evolved strategies to curtail it through social interventions programmes, but like Buhari, he did it through the governors, Senators and members of House of Representatives thus the hoarding game continues; nothing is getting to the poor as hunger redoubled, insecurity and corruption settles with impunity.
I tried to spot the disparity, but I couldn’t. Is it hunger or insecurity? I dare say as long as the system of reaching the masses is through the governors, senators and reps members, there will be no light at the end dark tunnel, the two governments remain without any difference.
- Usman, a journalist writes in from Kebbi state.