The Nigerian State: The Debacle of Slaves and Slave Masters

By Dr. Akin Fapohunda

MaTaZ ArIsInG
Dallas, Texas

It’s now time that we take stock and evaluate the quality and content of our citizens / polity relationships in Nigeria.

From all indications, the leadership segment at all levels has no regard for any ethics and values as would be expected in engaging with the citizens of Nigeria.

There are several pointers sign posting the lack of regard, outright contempt or deaf and dump attitudes to the feelings and / or outright cries and wailings by citizens.

No matter the level of communication of ideas or grievances by everyone, it all culminates in strikes and lockouts. AASU, NLC, TUC and sundry bodies always have to issue notices, threaten strike, and then actually proceed on strike before a hapless agent of the Nigerian State wakes up to counter threaten that strikes are illegal. It is only then that the IG and AGF wakes up to cite the Public Order laws against citizens assembly.

At the end, the delinquent Nigerian State enters into an agreement; a truce that is as worthless as the piece of paper on which it is crafted and broadcast at hours past mid night, so as to call of the extant strike.

In an endless loop of misgovernance, the process narrated above is repeated over and over. Have we all not seen through the mistreatment of the Nigerian citizens by the political class.

Nothing symbolises the utter lack of responsiveness by the Nigerian political machinery to the cries and feelings of the citizens more that the utter silence that has been accorded the event hosted by the Patriots in Lagos a few months ago. A cream of notably eminent citizens led by no less a personality than Chief Emeka Anyaoku assembled to promote the idea that all is not well with the Nigerian polity.

It was at the event that Lagos Governor Sanwo-Olu publicly committed to hand carry the outcome of deliberations to his “oga” at the top. So far it has been utter silence. Mum has been the word.

Yet but for the seeming contempt that the government of Nigeria has for her citizens, there ought to have been a publicised feedback on the Emeka Anyaoku led deliberations.

By the way, what has happened to the 12 weeks time frame to implement the Oransanye Report as was covenant with Nigerians to reform the bureaucracy? Was it a promise intended to be kept?

This brings to mind, my personal experience in the last one month. I authored a 18 page document that posits an idea for the reformation of the Nigerian System. It was a draft bill detailing the features of articles and processes, which if evaluated and then accepted by the political class would set the nation on a better course. It was merely posted as a mere proposal to elicit discussions on a few online platforms. But in a matter of days, the document went viral across the world. For about a week thereafter my telephone was on over drive: inundated with calls and text messages.

Then came, endless invitations to appear as guests on virtually all TV channels and live radio shows. At the last count, I must have logged over 30 hours on live radio and TV in the last 3 weeks.

It would seem that the innocuous one citizens effort gained tremendous traction with the editorial boards and the leaders of of the various media channels.

But then, mum has also been it on the part of our rulers as typified by the President and Presidency. Last week, I teased an operative of the DSS wondering why I have to been invited by the Security and Intelligence community to come and explain how and why my 18 page document had become an item of discourse so universally. He had no answers to the lack of interest by the security apparatii of the Nigerian State in ideas and suggestions into policy.

And then, I repackaged my presentation into 58 pages providing further particulars and stipulations. I personally delivered printed copies of my letter, addressed respectively to the leaders of Nigerian Nation: President Bola Tinubu, President Godswill Akpabio and the Speaker Abbas.

It is now almost 2 weeks. It has been utter official silence. There has been no official acknowledgement or any sort of official feedback from the 3 centres that control the levers of political power in Nigeria.

It is an assumed convention that government machinery ought at least write a letter acknowledging communications by citizens. Is it too much to even expect that citizens suggestions are evaluated for acceptance or rejection with counter reasons? Else, what is government? What is governance?

Or is it power for its sake ? Are citizens conquered and enslaved vide a cycle of elections at 4 yearly intervals.

The focus of those holding power over us is the number of SUV’s purchased, building of Governors lodges, building of airports and purchase of Jets. What of finding creating ways to remove subsidy and or extracting more and more taxes from citizens.

I must state that, if a body like the Patriots comprising members led by Chief Emeka Anyaoku could be ignored, where is the chance for the hapless yours truly. It must be a tall order.

I now begin to wonder about how we are? Does the citizen exist in the eyes of the Nigerian State. Are we countenanced ever in the equation of relations?

Must we have the Tunishian Arab spring event of a citizen setting himself ablaze ? Or is there a preference for the Kenyan model that is still playing out as I write?

Will the citizens ever be respected by the political class? The jury is out.

Dr. Akin Fapohunda,
02-July-2024

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