by Banjo Odutola
After one week of mass protest, the “irreversible and irreducible” federal government has balked; the voice of the people which was misunderstood but
not taken for granted has impacted the right notes with Mr. President. Arguably, the inept handling of the subsidy removal made it possible for the president to bear the brunt of anger in the nation. This is the price of leadership. No sweat.
In other nations, the Petroleum Ministry with the stealth directives from the presidency would have been at the forefront of defending such a policy. The president’s bravado of equating loss of his life with a national policy exposed the man’s jejunity. Presidents don’t talk that type of language. It is inelegant, so to do.
Ideally, elected politicians, at least in the ruling party should have permeated airwaves, acreage of newsprint and social media arguing the case for their party. They could have put across the message for a removal of subsidy in the cities, villages, conurbations, valleys and hills of our nation. Without engaging the electorate, it means that policy changes are conducted in the same ineffectual way, whilst hoping for a different result.
Ours is a country that is largely operated outside normative economic theories and judicial obligations. There are too many inconsistencies in exchanges between government and the governed; citizens and society. Massive unemployment in the throes of equal proportion of wastage have galvanised both sides to confront each other in, at least, debating issues affecting lives of masses of people in our country.
The debate, as expansive as it has been, the inconsistencies that have brought about the present problems still remain. In spite, resolutions are sought outside normal practices. Citizens are more resoundingly clear about accountability, transparency, service-delivery, security of lives and properties and respect for the rule of law. Government, though wishes to resolve its citizens’ concerns, its actions are disengaging.
The seething and repressed frustration of both young and old; working and middle classes found their vent in a government policy announced recklessly in a period that another policy was overwhelmingly approved and supported by the masses. The federal government attempt for immediate shutdown of the cesspool of corruption in the oil industry would have resulted in financial losses for unscrupulous civil servants and oil marketing companies. Given what we now know, few would have sympathised with the culprits.
But what of that “Naija Factor” or “it can only happen in 9ja Factor” which for long is an intuitive behaviour and an economic currency inappropriate in decent climes? Is the decay now so bad that reaction of the citizen is replete with inconsistencies; government seemingly, confused? After over two confused weeks of inaction, investigations into corrupt practices are announced. Such remissness and inconsistency are wholly unacceptable to the expectation of the masses. Though, it should also be accepted that corrupt civil servants and oil marketers are not Martians, they are Nigerians. Some of them are probably out there protesting with the masses. Are they not always revolving at through the entrance door to the seat of power?
Amongst them are both classes of lowly and highly placed citizens. Consider going through Customs checkpoints at our international airports at the airports: when was it not inquired – “what did you bring for me” or at police checkpoints: “Oga, wetin you get for the boys”. What is the use customs checking of private effects openly at international airports. It is only in Nigeria that you see a Customs officer handling passengers’ opposite sex underpants and knickers to extract money. What is the use of that check in these days of automatic scanners? These checks are embarrassing; of course, if eliminated, those sharing monies extracted from passengers stand to lose. The cabal at our international airports are not different to the ones we now fight. Extrapolate fleecing of passengers into the cadre of junior civil servants. The corrupt practice is the same, though, with a lower denomination value.
The Federal Government directive to withdraw its subsidy for importation, sale and distribution of Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) was inconsistent with the goodwill of the holiday season; its defence was uncoordinated to the extent that the policy fast degenerated to a campaign championed by the Mr. President, the Ministers of Petroleum and Finance and the Governor of Central Bank.
Where was the rest of the cabinet and collective responsibility which demands that all ministers should have been at the forefront of persuading fellow Nigerians? The inconsistency was more of personal preservation. This type of “body-language” served to persuade the nation that the policy was not in its interest. Aside from that, this point has been well laboured: approved emoluments of the executive and legislative remain inconsistent with output or present economic climate in the country. The governed on whose mandate our democracy flourishes disapproves of 2012 Appropriation Bill, wherein profligacy seems undeterred. Perhaps, this is an aside.
Within the same government, a tier, the House of Representatives’ posits an inconsistency to the other chamber, the senate, a half-way House which agrees with the policy but not its timing. Now that subsidy remains and a higher price than the old one is announced, where does that leave the National Assembly in its inconsistency? Is this not the Naija factor of sheer incompetence and governance slothfulness?
There are two grave pointers which further elaborate these inconsistencies: firstly, both legislative houses are predominantly occupied by members of the ruling party. Where is party discipline? Where is its three line whip? The ruling party is rudderless. Its perilous disregard for internal discipline is foreboding for society. Secondly, members of the two houses are remunerated to represent citizens’ interests. How many of them went back to their constituencies to explain the government’s policy? How do they justify the large constituency allowances?
Elected representatives of both houses, particularly, the majority in the ruling party and ministers failed to educate their electorates; the current dialogue has no specific agenda; it is not about removal of fuel subsidies. The government seeks to persuade citizens of unsustainable budgetary expenditures. In response, citizens state that the subsidy is a subterfuge for protestations of the level of waste and corruption. Government provides more figures and statistics to persuade the governed; in its inconsistencies, the almost bankrupt Greek economy, an inappropriate example, was used to frighten listeners.
The ministers defending the policy conveniently forgot that the variables in Greece are so much inconsistent with problems enhanced by the Nigerian factor. More instructively, though, both government and the governed were arbitrating two interlinked but separate issues. The result is that the government has yielded ground of what it perceived as concerns of its electorate. If not debating the same issues, shifting ground resolves no concerns. So, the electorate remains in the streets, protesting.
It is not only government inconsistencies that are astonishing. The Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have inconsistently become a combination for shadow government because of a lack of credible opposition. They called a national strike and negotiated with government. Negotiated, on whose behalf – members and non-members? No one volunteers the percentage of the population in their memberships. What is the population of employees and retirees in the rolls of these Congresses in contrast to the total Nigerian population on whose behalf they negotiated with the Federal government? Generally, industrial relations collective bargaining stipulates modules for trade unions? Here, in Nigeria, these are theories inconsistent with the Nigerian Factor.
If the activities of Labour Congress are, at all, considered galling, emergence and re-emergence of groups such as “OccupyNigeria” and “Save Nigeria Group (SNG)” compete with failed politicians who at recent polls could not persuade the electorate to vote decidedly for them. They lead the same protesters who rejected them at the polls. Welcome, to Nigeria. What are these politicians doing in the vanguard of protests? They are seeking relevance, again.
“OccupyNigeria” is opportunistic in its inconsistencies. Is the current protest to evolve like occupation of Wall Street, New York or St Paul’s Cathedral, London? In the alternate, is Nigerian Spring now due? Neither premise is consistent with what is happening in Nigeria. So, what is Pastor Bakare preaching that could not garner votes for him in the South-West of Nigeria? His “Subsidy 101 made Simple” assists the government’s position for immediate removal of fuel subsidy, even if that was not his intention. There is, in my view, inconsistent hypocrisy in his attempt.
This man is a failed politician. He provided his party’s policies to the nation; he was rejected. In decent societies such politicians wait to present themselves and their failed policies again, at another election. But, this is Nigeria. Mr. Bakare has dropped the garb of his political party to re-emerge in his primary constituency. May be a lesson can be drawn from these protests. It is in a credible opposition elected members of the House of Assembly that leadership must come, not these jackboots.
To boot, past ministers are joining the fray as if corruption in Nigeria started under the current administration. Their rights, as nationals, guarantee their opinions, no doubt. What are most unacceptable are personal insults of by these supposedly respectable members of society, to the person of the president. Such, is inconsistent with proper conduct. The name calling is indicative of a dearth of logic. If truth be told, the corruption that is being complained of, and from earlier disclosed information, existed also in the administration of Mr. Olusegun Obasanjo.
Amidst several inconsistencies, the incumbent governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Raji, in his broadcast, exhibited uncommon chivalry where leaders have failed, miserably. His call for withdrawal of soldiers from the streets of Lagos informs that there are still leaders who can abide by proper conduct. Mr. Fashola’s broadcast shows that the president is not surrounded by good advisers.
In a democracy, you do not send soldiers to quell protests of unarmed citizens. The governor’s analogous example of politicians dancing before the electorate to crave votes; contrasting such to sending military power to quash electorate’s dance when craving that the government listens, sums up the inconsistencies and insincerities of leadership in our nation.
A premium of thirty-two Naira, where a majority exist on less than two dollars a day, embodies hardship. What immediate actions can assuage the electorate? There is a need for palliatives that can appear in this month’s pay packets, costs of food and transportation prices. If government were to subsidise wholesalers and retailers, with the Nigerian factor, a zero sum policy shall emerge. So, what can be done? Amidst too many inconsistencies, the protests may not easily abate. Governance shall all the more become difficult.
Could it be true that removal of subsidy may well be a stratagem to cover the news of combating Boko Haram? The ploy is presently effective. Has anyone noticed that in the last week, little reports are provided as to military engagements in those local government areas? Is there a news blackout; has the deployment of garrisons of soldiers on whom a lot of expenses have now resulted in overstated intelligence? Who can inform us?
No matter how consistent such military campaign may be to restore peace and order, let Mr. President, from time to time, ensure that he is properly advised. Keep faith with leaders of those local government areas to be sure that eradication of Boko Haram is achieved with as much a mutual objective, as possible.
BANJO ODUTOLA
The writer is a solicitor of the Supreme Court, England and Wales and a Lawyer at a Firm of Solicitors in London, England.
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