THE Nigeria government formulation/design and use of palliatives as economic policies, fashioned in the form of a religious obligation beats every known economic and financial theorems, as no economy can survive, evolve or develop based on economic/political handouts.
Almsgiving/Zakat is a strong religious pillar and a personal obligation, driven by the person’s belief in a particular doctrine, the quest and ability to meet this obligation in pursuit of self pious.
It therefore task ones intuitive imaginations a great deal in attempting to juxtapose these policies formulated with intentions to address and ameliorate the present hard economic strangulation, is likened to a pilgrim on a sanctimonious quest for self actualization, amounts to grandstanding and of no economic effect either in the short or long term. Most palliative items are consumables lacking in transparency and accountability.
The government is not a pilgrim and should not be on a pilgrim’s quest. If it sees itself as such, then it’s on a wrong path, as this path does not lead to the holy grail.
In fact, the government by this self sanctimonious policy is travelling faster and farther down the super highway of perdition and no redemption in sight, as the policy further deepens the woes, pains and anguish of the citizens.
Furthermore, the poor formulation and execution of these policies have turned the ordinary citizens into becoming destitute, who now require alms/zakat or palliatives on a daily basis for survival. Palliatives are futile attempts to ease the untold misery, pain, and anguish visited by hardship on them. Now, the ordinary fella who bears the brunt, without any form of respite in sight, cries out for help from dejection, rejection, abuse, refusal, and having being used.
All these culminating effects weigh heavier as the Nigeria State seems totally oblivious of the daily burden on her citizens and goes about assuming, in fact, claiming all is well.
The only thing you hear from the leadership is “I know your pain,” like in a funeral parlour, without an effective balm to soothe the pain and, at the same time, feed the citizens with half truths on the state of the economy, the poor policies implementation and performanc and the continuous adjustments of delivery dates of ameliorating promises.
How does this admittance by the government of its failures, by “I know your pain,” help the predicament the citizens find themselves?
This government and its predecessors’ jaundice economic policies have adversely affected the economic, socio-political wellbeing of citizens and its attendant failure to uplift citizens out of excruciating poverty.
The government seems at sea of its own existence, its primary purpose and legitimacy to the people. A reminder of this primary purpose is the security of lives and properties of the citizens. By these, the government is to guarantee the well-being of citizens in the provision of a safe and conducive environment for businesses.
The government by these expectations is not to promote programs and policies that bring about endemic poverty like religious subsidy for hajj/pilgrimage, alms/zakat to citizens. These religious subsidies/palliative are an extension of slavery. It amounts to both physical and mental slavery, as the pilgrim is encouraged to seek the almighty Father and creator in a foreign land. Wherein the citizen is denied self-esteem of being made in the image and likeness of God wherever he lives.
Therefore, they must not seek the face of God elsewhere. The citizens’ desires, expectations, and needs are very clear and do not require crystal ball gazing. These obligatory needs of security of lives and properties; provision of enabling/favorable environment for businesses to thrive and social wellbeing places a burden on the government. However, the Nigeria leadership knows that should these be met with a guaranteed of sustenance, every Nigerian would be in a sociopolitical and economic paradise of their choice, satisfaction and self actualization.
The knee of poverty on the neck of the citizens, being supposedly ameliorated in the form of, handouts, alms, zakat, subsidies and palliatives, have become effective means of suffocating and holding them down perpetually would be off and the citizen can breathe then.
Governance is not a pulpit to preach about religious doctrine or beliefs; to brainwash or indoctrinate; nor to guarantee paradise of abundance of palliatives. Using these to hold citizens down perpetually without economic prosperity.
The Nigeria government and the political class have always, on the advice of foreign institutions, promoted economic policies that can not lift the citizens out of or above poverty. The gains thereof, for them, is that at every election cycle, a cup of rice, garri, or salt has always been satisfactory items of bargain for votes.
The time is now to emancipate ourselves from these stronghold/stranglehold, clutches, and mental slavery of these religiously inclined/induced poverty and poor governance.
The life of handouts and palliatives is a forbidden disease that needs urgent cure.
The time is now to speak up.
Soro Soke!
Ogbebor Uyi.
ogbeboruyi@gmail.com
Abuja.
