Africa’s biggest economy, world’s poorest people

President Jonathan and his cronies never miss an opportunity to show just how completely detached they are from the real concerns of ordinary people. They have never fallen short of celebrating mediocrity; sacrificing achievement for a transient insignificant claim. Once again, we have demonstrated our national foolishness in the name of a rating that Nigeria cannot show its proofs.  In sharp contrast however, successful countries would not accept a rating that has no bearing on the living standard of their people. It is only here that the machinery of government would be deployed to all media to celebrate paper tiger accolade.

It is unthinkable that the government could be bold to accept that Nigeria economy is the biggest in Africa. Of what benefit is an economy that does not in any way translate into job and food security, improved health conditions and robust educational system. While families across the country are struggling daily to make ends meet, worried about jobs; security of lives and property, the government is celebrating emptiness, an economy powered by generators. What a shame!

Instead of celebrating, we should be cataloguing our failures and begin to fix them. We should look back and see where and how we derailed. We should take stock of our woes and bring to book those who took us to this point. We have no basis to roll out the drums if many of us could not afford average and decent living, when our young men and women are jobless, when both old and young are sickly and malnourished.  What is the basis of the celebration when the government lacks the will to turn things around for better?

Tola Osunnuga,
Dublin, Ireland