#SLIDING TACKLE... When a country cannot defend its sovereignty, provide reasonable public services like power, education, healthcare, guarantee the security of lives and property, conduct free and fair elections, tackle corruption, ensure justice and human rights, ensure economic stability and provide reasonable employment for its youths, it on the highway to failure. This is pathognomonic of Nigeria. According to a Failed State Index 2013 which is based on indicators such as institutional corruption, criminality, sharp economic decline, internal displacement of citizens, group grievances, institutional discrimination, emigration of the intelligentsia and the state of the ecology, Nigeria is ranked 16th most likely to fail on the list of 177 countries studied. This tally with the reality on ground, all over the country, we exude the hallmarks of a failing state. No one is safe, the poor, the rich, women, men and children are all living in fear and uncertainty, and as usual the government condemns the attacks and the crisis continue unabated. Never in the history of Nigeria have we seen such ineptitude concerning militarism in the defence of the sovereignty of the country, which is under serious threat from a cocktail of militant and grievance groups. Nigeria has failed to cater for its inhabitants, most homes in Nigeria make provision for water (well or bore hole), sewage treatment (soak away), power (generators) and security. Armed robbery and kidnapping is sky high, lives and property are not safe anymore, and it has never been. There’s no guarantee of making an intra or inter-state road trip and escaping armed robbers or accidents due to terrible roads. The billions budgeted annually for social amenities and infrastructures somehow find their way into the pockets of our leaders and the rest is history. The same goes for education. Public universities are an eyesore with students sitting on the floor or peeping through the window to get a glimpse of the lecturer due to lack of room and manpower. Corruption has eaten deep into the fabric of Nigeria with no end in sight, in fact, rather than tackle it; the government tackles those who try to tackle corruption, quickly eliminating them from the scene. It’s a country that celebrates corruption and its perpetrators, allowing a few to milk the commonwealth of 160 million others with impunity. The unmistakable crippling stigmata of corruption are palpable in every sector of Nigerian economy and every level of government. Every month it gulps over N10 billion within the federal government alone. It is still ironical that a nation flowing with the proverbial milk and honey in the form of crude oil, the 6th largest producers of it on planet earth and with a ready market in 160 million people, still have failed refineries, fuel scarcity and long queues. Over $20 billion of unremitted petroleum funds, amongst other funds, is still unaccounted for; the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation is a museum of corrupt practices with accounts unaudited since 2005. The unemployment rate in Nigeria is typical of a failing state. Unofficial estimates put it above 30% and it’s constantly on the rise. The lack of development in the country has limited the employment capacity of the labour market, and few job opportunities available are reserved for the children and relatives of the high and mighty in the society leading to a mass emigration of our best brains to other countries where will be better appreciated. Its high time the suffering masses of this nation stand up to its oppressive rulers!!! *GHANAMAN 4rm Naija signing in*
Posted on: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 08:46:23 +0000
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