BYE BYE TO POVERTY; THE ROLE OF 1993 IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA
WRITTEN BY OLUWAMAYOWA AJAYI
It’s often said that the tribe of poverty remains the largest tribe in Nigeria because it cut across all a sundry. My own definition of poverty is the state of lack, it could be lack of ideas, money and so on.
A brief recourse can be taken to the event of the 1993 election, which remains historical to the democracy of our great nation. The presidency had two major players which were; Bashir Tofa of( NRC), and M.K.O Abiola of (SDP).
It is said to be the fairest election Nigeria ever had, and got accolades from international community. The open ballot system was adopted and people came out in large numbers to exercise their franchise.
It’s expedient to take a close look at the manifesto of the Social democratic party in 1993 which was tagged Hope Alive and Bye Bye to poverty 1993. It was said that Nigeria was already experiencing poverty at the said time.
History revealed that the administration of the then military government was the most corrupt one we ever had. Prior to the 1993 election, the nation had started experiencing an huge decline in virtually every sector. The education sector wasn’t left out in the menace.
Hon Alake described it as a moment of “Spiritual unity” in the country as every tribe spoke in one voice and clamoured for the same cause. The dictatorship government couldn’t deter people from speaking up, no wonder many died.
I stand to say from the words of William’s Churchill; “the tree of liberty is often watered by the blood of tyrant and martyrs”. The tyrants are concerned about the present but the martyrs are after laying a legacy that wont be forgotten in a life time.
We have no iota of doubt that Nigeria hasn’t recovered from the bruise and wounds of the annulment of the june 12 election by Gen Babangida (rtd) the then head of state, but we should learn lessons and stop playing the blame game.
A corpse can’t run away from its undertaker as a nation can’t run away from the consequences of its actions or inactions. The alpha and omega of every turn around in the national economy of any nation begins with the youths and most likely end with them.
We can describe youths as people within the age range of 18-40years. Research proved that it’s the most productive age of ones life and anything that can’t be achieved at that point in time, has high tendency of not been achieved in a life time.
Poverty has become part of our culture, You dont need any research to know that, it’s obvious even in our daily activities. No wonder we think any young man riding a car is a fraudster, and a lady who owns a property is a promiscuous person. This is because we feel prosperity is for few, while others should remain slaves.
It’s crystal clear that Nigerians are not lazy, given a chance, they are capable of economy turn around. Before you debunk the aforesaid, wake up on a rainy morning and take a look at the passersby, I bet you will either see people going to farm or their various places of work.
Secondly, wake up around 4am in the morning and take a look at the street of lagos. Check by 12am in the morning, you will see them either going /coming back from work. Unfortunately this folks get little in return. Shame! but we need change.
The need to agonise less, and organise more remains inevitable in our national growth. It’s not an era that we should make criticism a profession, but contribute our quota to national development.
The difference between a critic and a nation builder remains that, the former discover a wrong and talk about it while the latter proffers solution after seeing and talking about the wrong.
I adopt three R’s as a solution to the national catastrophe we have been facing for the past 27years. They are are; Reformation, Rehabilitation and Restoration.
Virtually every system in the country has collapsed, we need to first reform ourselves, way of life, beliefs, culture, attitude to government etc.
We should start seeing the responsibility of nation building for all of us and not some of us. The strange and immoral culture of impunctuality to work place, lack of accountability need to be a thing of the past. Our attitude to government properties needs to change.
Secondly, there is massive need for REHABILITATION. No doubt the impact of national abnormality that existed or existing amidst us has/have left negative effect on many of us if not all of us.
We need not to crucify anyone at the moment, but rehabilitate and educate them. This should be taught in all level of education even up to the university level.
The Northern Nigeria, left many children out of school for years, despite the clamour on basic education. Unfortunately, others gave them the opposite of education which has now become a security threat to us all.
We often forget that “the children we refuse to train today, will never give our children peace tomorrow”. We need to rehabilitate and educate our youths. We need to turn our fraudsters to fore runners in ICT, Bandits to security official and so on.
Our late comers needs to be taught punctuality, and thugs should be turned to those that would defend territorial integrity of our nation.
Lastly, Restoration is the last step of any economy and national re awakening. Ajaokuta needs to be restored, companies like OkIN biscuit in offa (kwara state) has to be revived, our textiles and steel industries needs to be brought back to life.
We have to go back to the good old days of cocoa production. The alarm of restoration is ringing all over the nation, you can either wake up to take responsibility, or sleep and remain passive, which is what I call death.
God bless Nigeria🇳🇬
Written by Oluwamayowa Ajayi
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