The first time I voted was in the 1979 general elections because I was not old enough to exercise my franchise in the first republic. This notwithstanding, I have critically studied what occured in the first republic as a student of Politics, economics, history and law.
Premised on the above facts, I have enough experience and education to do a comparative analysis of the political and economic analysis of Nigeria from the precolonial days up till today.
I confidently posit that since independence, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the ever first President to be confronted by two enemies @ the same time vis: the cabals and the masses.
The cabals are fighting tooth and nail with Mr President because he has prevented them from the several millions they make daily during the policy of dual foreign exchange rates. Through their connections to the topmost echelon in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), they were powerful enough to buy Dollars @ the official rate of about #460=$1 and sold it @ about #750 @ the black market rate. Can you imagine how much these cabals would make if each of them was able to get just $1million dollar every week? By my own estimation, they would be making almost #300million weekly @ the comforts of their homes without lifting a finger which in economics parlance is referred to as round-tripping. With the merging of the dual foreign exchange rates by this administration, do you think these people will in their heart of heart, want Tinubu to succeed in his bid to positively transform this nation? Your guess is as good as mine. What about the cabals that were profiting from the petrol subsidy regime? These cabals were fraudulently making several billion of Naira through the subsidy era on daily basis. The removal of the subsidy was a rude shock to these cabals. It has prevented them from their dubious and corrupt way of raking several billions of Naira on weekly basis. Do you think that these cabals will want this present regime to succeed too? These people are no doubt, enemy number one.
The second class of enemies of this regime, are the masses whom the present administration is trying to protect and defend by introducing these necessary but painful policies of the government but alas, they see the present president (Tinubu) as their number one enemy. They are ardent critics of this present administration. Their criticism is premised primarily on partisanship and partly due to ignorance. Refer to the article I wrote a few days ago on this platform, titled “excruciating pains of the hike in petrol price”.
I can confidently posit that, we shall arrive @ our comfort zone sooner than our expectations if we can endure, persevere and support these hard but necessary policies of the present administration. I pray that our present political leaders also play their parts objectively. The bitter truth is that the cabals who have been profiting from the two way exchange rates (official and black market rates) by raking several millions of Naira daily from differentials between the official and the black market rates vide round-tripping are covertly working against the good intention of our president and the masses who the president is fighting for, are critical about the good but painful policies of the government partly due to ignorance and mainly due to partisanship. I pray that these two types of people (the cabals and the masses) have a change of mindset, otherwise, the good intention of this regime may take longer than necessary before the set goals are accomplished, if it’s going to be accomplished@ all.
I admonish all of us to keep praying fervently for our good intentioned president and give him our absolute support to enable him accomplish his good and necessary intentioned but definitely painful policies. No doubt, no healing of wounds can occur without some pains. This is what most Nigerians don’t want to understand.
We are in it together. Our collective actions can make or mar the realization of the good intention but painful policies of the government @ the centre.
It is sad that a government that is confronted headlong by two major enemies in a nation, if not strongly determined, may be forced to appease the citizens by rolling out policies which might on the short run benefit the populace but not meant to positively transform Nigeria on the Long Run because most people want to eat their tomorrow today. Let us please, endure, persevere, tolerate and support this present regime in her bid to positively transform Nigeria.
