THE AIR IS STILL FRESH!

written by Abbas Abubakar

Permit me to quote Ho Yanxi who lived during the Sung Dynasty and contributed his own to humanity by commentating on the Sun Tzu’s Art of War. This quote is also derived from the same book of strategy by Sun Tzu The Art Of War. Yanxi quoted ancient classics in governance and leadership by saying “the one who treats me well is my leader, the one who treats me cruelly is my enemy. The question is, which side has a humane government and which side has a cruel government?”

The clock has tick and it’s a year now since President Goodluck Jonathan ascended the most valuable seat on May 29, 2011. During his campaigns, the president’s first promise was a “breath of fresh air” then the ‘transformation agenda’ etc, because Nigerians believe that if you want to test a man’s credibility give him power.

The president ran the 2011 election and as God will have it won ‘hands down’ as optimist in all facets of life would say. As soon as the president was announced winner of the election by the INEC chairman, a political professor, Prof Attahiru Jega, the air in the north where the main challenger of the election came began to smell fresh. The youth, unhappy with the result took to the street to quench their anger and their fury sprouted like a spark of light and converted to a wild fire which leaves nothing that blocked it way. Lives were lost and properties worth millions were destroy, yet the air still smell fresh and the transformation continues.

From then, the security of lives of the common people change hands from the security agents to God as they (security agents) cannot shoulder the responsibility- because their lives are also threatened by boko haram or as the media will report it ‘gunmen.” Reason for this is the police headquarters bombing in Abuja as well as other police stations and the killing of police men in the north.

Another fresh air blew on January 1. A day when Nigerians join the world to celebrate new year. The federal government announced the removal of the oil subsidy which triggered Nigerians to unite against the Jonathan’s administration. At least two people were reported killed. The removal shot fuel prices from #65 to #140. This led transport fares to sky rocket doubling the actual transport fare that they used to pay with more than double of the original price.

But an intervention by the NLC and other parties lessen the situation and the government reduced the price to #97 per liter, yet the transport fare didn’t decrease. The senate constituted committees to investigate those accused of fuel subsidy fraud. Since then, many skeletons were found in top government officials’ cupboard. A typical example is the police pension scam, the rolex scam and the oteh scam.

There is no doubt that in the first one year of Dr Goodluck Jonathan as president, not much was achieved in improving the lives of people living less than a dollar a day. You can’t even evaluate the performance of this government which promises life but give death, which promises transformation but destroy and which promises ‘fresh air’ but ends up polluting the polity. Yet the air is still fresh.

There is a saying in Hausa which says “in gani a kasa, ance da kare ana biki a gidanku,” simply translated as “seeing is believing.” Nigerians will surely judge this government by what is actually happening on ground: the suffering of the masses, the insecurity of life and property, the corruption/ fraud issues, the politicization of religion, the brain drain in all sectors of the society, the instability in power and increase in tariff , the rotten system of governance and make a stand cum 2015. Long live Nigeria.