Peace
I have struggled in the last three weeks not to make public what have been my private prayers. As a good citizen of this country, I believe I have a huge responsibility to keep the law and maintain the integrity of my nation and that of its policies. One of such policies that successive governments strive to keep is that the citizens should buy petroleum motor spirit (PMS) at prices prescribed by the government, and I try really hard to keep this policy.
However, as petroleum products become scarce, I begin to look for ways of going about by normal duties (you remember that one too) without breaking the law. The more I try, the more I fail, and in the process, commit `sins’ against the Federal Republic of Nigeria, or should I say its government. Guess what? I hide so no policeman or is it the soldier? would catch me going against the policy of the almighty federal government. The first time it happened, I quickly dashed back home after leaving the petrol station. By the way, the lady that sold, insisted on collecting N200 extra. I thought it was my fault for giving her the money, I could have insisted like the action governor of Edo state did few months ago.
As the scarcity bites harder, I begin to notice an even worrier trend. I notice that everyone is afterall committing the same sin. As I begin to notice this, my prayers increased. Now I have to intercede for myself, my driver, my colleagues, my neigbours that the Lord should forgive us all. Bet you, many have committed more terrible sins since this fuel scarcity thing started. For instance, the petrol stations started selling openly above government’s stipulated price “sacrilege, I would say. Then, I notice that all the unemployed and the underemployed are all setting up petrol stations along the road, bringing the product closer to the people and the market. Now, I’m thinking this is getting interesting. This is exactly what the government means by helping the poor?
Anyway, as I continue in my prayers, asking for forgiveness for everyone, I remember, the Lord spoke. I’m thinking I did not hear him very well. It must be the voice of someone else. Alas, it was the Lord. He asked why I was praying a foolish prayer. I checked myself again to be sure I clearly understood what was happening. How could I have been saying foolish prayers? I have committed sins of sacrilege against a government policy and the response to my prayers of forgiveness is the Lord telling me I was saying foolish prayers.
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After assurances that I clearly understood what was happening, I am now asking questions. The reply was that there was no point saying foolish prayers because the government policy was a foolish policy. What? Government’s policy a foolish policy? How could government policy be a foolish policy, I asked again . The response was swift. It is a foolish policy because it could only work, either when there is stupendous money and a small population such as in Saudi Arabia or when the government is contended with just spending money that a clique swallows in the pretext that the government is helping to ameliorate the suffering of the poor.
I ask if that was all, the response was no. The Lord continued, why should you be saying foolish prayers when it is the government that announced it was embarking on deregulation without putting up the plans for doing so. I said I thought once the government says something, it just happens, just as in the seven point agenda and the vision 2020. But again the Lord said to me, don’t be silly, the practice in saner countries is that you announce a policy and then announce details of the policy, taking into consideration the status quo and how you want to migrate to the desired outcome. In that case, issues relating to outstanding subsidies and how they will be cleared up should have been discussed and made known to relevant people and institutions.
Furthermore, he said, do you know that your government does not know the actual consumption of petroleum products in the country? And because they don’t know, they are unable to effectively determine the nation’s requirements; I exclaimed wow! I then mentioned that the ratio of import is shared between NNPC and other petroleum importers, but the word in the public domain is that there is some magomago going on. Indeed, a government official came up to say the scarcity amounted to sabotage.
Sabotage, did you say? The Lord queried I said yes. No, the Lord screamed. It is your successive governments that are sabotaging the economy of the nation by turning economics on its head!. It is successive governments that are sabotaging the economy by preventing the investments, production, jobs, incomes, careers and economic growth in the economy by deploying misguided policies.
I thought the Lord was going too far and I was determined to let him know that. But that infuriated him the more, as he left with this parting shot, which also sounded quite familiar. Perhaps, he had spoken to him before me. I thought I should put tangible potential in Nigeria because I really wanted Nigeria to be the beacon of Africa and the black race, and only a little sense is needed to develop economically, when compared to the situation I left them in Japan that required loads of effort. I put oil, so you can use just add a little bit of knowledge and create jobs and economic prosperity, but now, you have proved that someone can really be hungry amidst plenty.
Finally I asked, when will the crisis be over, he said go to Aso Rock. Ask Rilwan Lukman, Odein Ajumogobia, those in PPMC etc. But just before he left me to my misery, he said, if you insist, your sins are forgiven.
