PLAYING POSSUM OR PLAYING COD?

Although the furore over the removal of fuel subsidy has subsided somewhat, there is no better time than now to press home the advantage accrued from having forced a rethink of the way we are governed. Nigerians have, unequivocally, demonstrated that we simply refuse to succumb to arbitrary impositions of policies. We have also dispelled any thought that the ‘powers-that-be’ might have been harbouring that we lacked the courage, drive and unity to kick against blatant corrupt practices at the heart of government, and at all levels. Our defiant display transcended religious, social and cultural considerations. There’s never been a better time to feel proud to be a Nigerian; I’ve never been prouder in my life. The giant has been awoken, and the shackles of apathy broken till kingdom come! The commendable demonstration of our collective will shall never be forgotten, nor will our welfare ever be treated with such contempt again.

The looming danger, however, is complacency. We may have won the battle, but the war is yet to be fought. Although the truth about the mismanagement and misappropriation of our commonwealth is trickling out now, but we must ensure that it starts gushing. The tap of truth and accountability must be fully open and the sworn enemies of our collective progress as a nation must be severely punished and made examples of. Our resolute stance against corruption, in any shape or form, has to be an inviolable deterrent to potential spoliators of the proceeds from the sweat of our brows.

The sickening display of opulence by these sick thieves has to be ended, while the slideshow of their resplendence in the garment of infamy is deleted, and their obscene corpulence pruned.

We must follow, with acute interest, the various enquiries that have been launched and see to it that they are publicly published and the culprits made to pay. No one is destined to go hungry in our country and no one is shameless enough to go cap in hand to his neighbour. All we want is fair play on a level playing field, and for our elected representatives to provide the enabling environment for this to happen. We want infrastructural development on a scale never seen before and we want a complete overhaul of our education and health systems. We want equal access to justice, opportunities and adequate security. We demand a serious downward adjustment in the cost of governance. Basically, we demand all of the basic stuff that a government should provide for its people. We have the money; we have the human resources; we have the natural resources; and above all, we have the will and the determination. We have no time for dithering; we have no time for excuses, and there’s no way we’ll condone insufficiently contemplative leadership, who have either been playing possum or playing cod.

We are ready, let’s go.