Growing up, there was this “big man” in our neighbourhood. He drove a big car, lived big and boasted big things. However, the man lived in a rented apartment. His wife had a habit of borrowing some very basic things from some of the neighbours that they looked down upon as not being in their class. One day, the man had to go to another neighbour who drove an old car and asked for a loan to settle the mother’s hospital bill. Th e people around concluded that the man had no shame whatsoever.
Th e story is a metaphor for Nigeria. President Muhammadu Buhari was absent from Nigeria for over 103 days for health reasons. In May 2017, a few weeks after he came back from the United Kingdom, he travelled out again to attend to his health. Th e Presidency thought that it did not owe Nigerians any explanation regarding what exactly is the health status of a President who abandoned his duty post for more than three months. It is only in Nigeria that government can exhibit such total disregard for the people and yet remain comfortably in power.
I don’t want to dwell on the hypocrisy of the President who whilst he was campaigning for the top job lampooned the previous administration for wasting money on medical trips abroad for top government offi cials. As a country, we have hit the lowest mark possible. A country that prides itself as the giant of Africa and Africa’s largest economy, yet our President will fl y outside our shores and submit himself to foreign doctors for all sorts of ailments including ear infection. If we cannot provide something as basic as health care for the President, then the fate of the ordinary people is better imagined. As it is, no one is making any eff ort at improving the health care delivery so as to put a stop to future medical tourism that all those who can aff ord it have been subjected to. What a country? Recently, the Governor of Lagos State,
Akinwunmi Ambode, shut down government to open two bridges. Like the typical Nigerian politician, the noise made about the projects would make you think that they built a bridge to the moon. Now, building bridges and such likes are some of the most mundane things to be done by a government and should not attract any special attention such that the state will be shut down for the inauguration. Th e Lagos State Government has been beating its chest for transforming the state into a modern city.
Th e question is: Has Lagos been transformed into a semblance of a modern city? Absolutely not. Lagos remains as decrepit and unlivable as it has always been as attested to by a recent international study. Residents of Lagos still lack the most basic of human needs: potable water. Th e state should start with the basics. Provide potable water, aff ordable and standard health care delivery, quality and aff ordable primary and secondary education, housing and appropriate waste disposal.
Th e public transport should be urgently overhauled to bring it up to the standards of a modern city. All the chaotic yellow buses need to be phased out, the ubiquitous “okada” would have to be phased out too. Th e road infrastructure, especially in the suburbs, need to be enhanced. Turning Lagos into a modern city is achievable but it takes more of critical thinking, planning and execution than propaganda to achieve. For now, we are nowhere near achieving that. Nigeria claims to be a secular country, yet the country is principally controlled by religion and religious leaders. Th e other day, the Sultan of Sokoto complained about the commencement of the NYSC orientation camp during Ramadan. If the authorities heed his plea, then the next will be the Christians who will also complain about opening orientation camp during the Lenten season. Who knows what other adherents of other faiths who will voice their displeasure about opening camp during their holy period? Nigeria will continually amaze and frustrate any right-thinking person. Th e Senate “directed” the Central Bank to sell dollars to pilgrims at the exchange rate of N200 to the dollar. Wow! And these are the people determining the destiny of the rest of us in Nigeria. Okoli, FCIArb, writes from Surulere, Lagos
