Majority of us are different from you, Dr Okukpe! He boasted yesterday on his tweeter handle that he was born rich, has never known poverty and hence cannot describe poverty. He was reacting to Mr Moons statement that poverty is endemic in Nigeria and China. The person I am referring to is Dr Doyin Okukpe, a physician, politician and Senior Special Assistant to president Jonathan on media and communication. He boasted that his father was one of the richest men in his time and even owned a bank. As far as Doyin Okukpe is concerned, there is no poverty in Nigeria. All of us are rich by his understanding. This position of Okukpe brings to light the extreme disconnect between most of the folks who are at the helm of affairs in Nigeria and the common man. Okukpe is not alone in this illusion. This illusion is shared by a lot of people at the corridor of power. Most of these guys have been in power some how since the first republic till now and have participated in the looting of the Nigeria treasury. The looting may have been carried out by their parents who must have stashed cash away for them and have also seen that their kids are well positioned to continue the savagery. To the likes of Okukpe, all kids of school age are in school in well constructed classrooms with desks and teachers. To the likes of Okukpe all graduates get employment immediately they graduate from school. To the likes of Okukpe all Nigerians live in decent homes with food on their table every day. To the likes of Okukpe all sick Nigerians have access to the facilities at Reddington Hospital, St Nicholas or even National Hospital. To the likes of Okukpe, every Nigerian owns a generator and has sunk a bore hole to provide water for himself. But to us the masses, we know better. We know that most kids of school age are not in school. We know that most of them are engaged in one hawking activity or the other to help put food on the familys table. We know that the few of them in school learn under very harsh conditions: no classrooms or dilapidated classrooms, no text books, no libraries and non existent laboratories. We know that a good number of them go to school hungry and walk many miles to get there. We know that their teachers are owed arrears of salaries. We know that youth unemployment in Nigeria is greater than 60%: the recent immigration recruitment saga is still fresh in our minds. Doyin Okukpe, we know a lot about poverty unlike you. We know that the minimum wage in Nigeria is less than 105 US Dollars, we know that this money is not paid regularly, we know that electricity generation is less than 4000 mega watts for a country of 160 million people. We know that industries are closing down and governmental corruption perpetrated by people like you is at all time high. We know that a many of us live in shanty huts, on top of water and under the bridges. We know that Nigeria has one of the highest maternal and infant mortality rates no thanks to lack of access to healthcare. By exhibiting this gross ignorance of the economic reality in Nigeria and being completely disconnected with the people, I wonder the quality of advice and assistance you render to Goodluck Jonathan. Even your analysis of economic parameters and indices on your tweeter handle makes one to wonder if it is really true that you were well educated. You tweeted like some one with gross ignorance of basic economics. I know that you are a doctor: so are some of us. But a petty trader at Oshodi appears to understand economics better that you do. You mentioned that a new Nigeria is being built, I strongly doubt if you will be part of that new Nigeria. The likes of you that have taken advantage of the rest of us all this while will be misfits in the new Nigeria that will come. So, Mr Okukpe, do not insult our sensibilities.
Posted on: Sat, 05 Apr 2014 13:08:18 +0000
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