Who Born the Maga? Nigeria Fuel Subsidy Removal

For many years, Nigerians have put up with a government that is so indifferent and unsympathetic to the harsh reality of its people.  In a time when the global economy is just recovery from a recession, the PDP led government just yesterday decided to stop government oil subsidy.  It is wrong and doesn’t make any sense. It is a reflection of the greed and irresponsibility of a few.  It is unfair to hard working Nigerians who are responsible and do their fair share. There has been a debate to restore growth, prosperity and fairness in this country but this isn’t the way to do it. This isn’t the way to repay Nigerians. This isn’t what Nigerians need at this point in time. It is a make-or-break moment for the middle class, and for all those who are fighting to get into the middle class.

What's at stake is whether Nigeria will be a country where working people can afford to raise a family, build a modest savings, own a home, secure their retirement. We can no longer live in a country where a very few live in excessive abundance by amassing public fund.  There is class warfare in Nigeria and the rich and prosperous are clearly winning. Nigeria is blessed to have the hardest working people on the surface of the earth.  But every day the spirit and strength of so many is tested by a few.  Hard work seems not to pay off and fewer and fewer families can truly be proud of their country. We have to do something about this.

There is a time for everything, a time to pray and preach and a time for campaign and election but those times have passed away. There is a time to remind our elected officials why they are in office, and that time is now. It is time for them to roll up their sleeves and help the Nigerian people. How we got here is a story we all know too well. We cannot continue to wait and suffer while the National Assembly with the president makes anti-people decisions.  In this time when families across the country have to make tough decisions about their expenditure- making decisions between sending their children to better schools and or buying enough food- the last thing the Nigerian people need is for the folks in Abuja to cancel oil subsidy.  

Nigeria dependence on petroleum products has sky rocketed since independence. It is unprecedented and a national disgrace.  In a time where other countries in the world are looking to the future and investing in alternative energy, the National Assembly and the president are yet wake up to reality. Since the government has failed to develop affordable alternative to automobile transportation, the Nigerian people have an unending demand for petrol and diesel. Since the government has failed to provide uninterrupted power supply, the Nigerian people have to fill up electric generators for business and personal use. Our economy relies on oil products.  And to prove its utter disregard to the yearning of the people who elected them into office, the Aso rock has made it difficult for these products to be purchased. It makes no sense, it doesn’t help the economy and it hurts Nigerians.

The removal of oil subsidy amounts to additional 76 naira for very liter.  It maybe that the folks in Aso rock think 76 bucks isn’t a lot of money but to the hard working Nigerian people, 76 bucks can make all the difference in the world.  This is the kind of situation that makes Nigerians frustrated about the federal government. This is it exactly; an unsympathetic and callous government.

                     
The issue right now is this; time has ran out, they have tested our patience enough, the clock is no longer ticking. And if the executive and legislative branches of government refuse to do their job, we the people will remind them who this country belongs to. I saw today that many Nigerians have taken to the streets to show their dissatisfaction and have their voices heard.  For the sake of clarity: this isn’t a game and this isn’t politics as usual.  Right now, the movement is small, but it is moving in the right direction. The subsidy removal will have effects not just on families but on the economy as a whole.  It is unfair to an average family who doesn’t have an extra 76 bucks to lose.

It is unfair for a small business who can’t afford to spend extra 76 bucks on every liter to power the generator. It is unfair to the millions of Nigerians who will take the hit when the prices of commodities start to triple.  The livelihood of the millions of Nigerians is bigger than the personal interest of those in Abuja. And they need to learn that there are people counting on them to make their lives just a little bit easier, a country where hard work pays off and responsibility is rewarded.  They owe it to us to do the right thing. That is what the leading nations of the world are doing.  We need our leaders to do the same. We are tired and weary of an unsympathetic and callous government.