(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – It should not be news anymore to the discerning Federal Government of Nigeria’s 2024 Appropriation Act (like most others in the past) performed poorly regarding capital expenditures. Observations have been raised “….....CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING.>>
on the huge discrepancies in the size of the recurrent expenditure relative to capital expenditure….” Simply, based on records from the central government, expectedly, the said budget took care of “consumption” – particularly that of public office holders –
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!more than quality “investments” that would have benefitted a good number of the suffering poor that are increasing, unceasingly, in number. Some members of the current “rubber stamp” national assembly also raised this concern on the same 2024 national budget; although, allegations are rife (and rightly so) that legislators do make comment like this in order to illicitly railroad those appearing before them, for budget defence, into doing what they (legislators) want! Irrespective of their reason(s) for making this observation, we acknowledge their “courage” to make it, even as they are also blameful concerning the serious mess Nigeria has found itself!
As at today, it does not matter to members of Nigeria’s ruling elite (at all level of governance without exception) that more people are daily falling below the poverty line! Sadly, poverty has been normalised! Indeed, we do not expect the 2024 budget performance to be surprising to Nigerians considering the mindset of most of those in government in the past and currently. To be explicit, things have not changed for good in the country’s body polity; it is still all about exclusion and blind extraction! The more people complain the more things worsen; thus, many people are waiting in the wings to japa! Names of political parties are immaterial; this has been proven beyond doubt with the All People Conniving being a perfect mirror image of People Deceiving People! Distinguishing between (or among) the political parties in this country is like doing so for six and half a dozen! A difficult task! The country’s 10th National Assembly is a “sanctuary” where this has been proven lately with the purchase of sports utility vehicles at 160million Naira each for its 469 members belonging to different parties! Those peoples’ thought process is basically the same because of the prevailing superstructure that puts them forward for “election” and/or “selection”.
In a similar vein, reports have it that on the 9th of January, 2025, while appearing before the Senate Committee on Appropriations regarding the proposed 2025 budget, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, requested an executive (closed doors) session with the lawmakers when some overwhelming questions were raised demanding explanations for what the proceeds from “fuel subsidy” removal has been used for. The information is available but will be given in camera! This prompted the lawmakers to ask the journalists to leave the Senate Committee room. People, behold thy classic public office holders! What is the big deal in simply telling Nigerians what their monies have been used for? This is someone who is supposed to be serving the Nigerian people trying to “hide” unclassified information from them! Perhaps, the information has to do with national security! No, it does not! Hence, lack of openness and transparency when dealing with funds belonging to the public is a big threat to national security itself. The scenario painted above is not strange anywhere the state is captured.
We will be stating the obvious to say that the Nigerian state has been captured. While the common people are gullibly (and at times sillily) dividing/fighting themselves, and/or are being divided by the state captors, along primordiality using combination(s) of factors like ethnicity, region, religion, etc., these primordial factors are now irrelevant to these state captors when sharing their loot! Yes, these factors were earlier instrumental in forming and nurturing the evolving political hegemony but not anymore! Members of the Nigerian ruling class are now in one hegemonic body! Apart from the maddening fierce struggles for political power, there is no ideology differentiating Nigerian politicians. To worsen the matter, the governance system being practiced also binds them together. The Nigerian unitary system of government (disguised as federalism), operated by state captors at all levels, is one that allows public resources to belong to those in government. In other words, like the captured state itself, a very large chunk of the wealth and other resources expected to take care of all Nigerians have been cornered and stolen by a few, without fear of any consequence since those resources, by their actions, completely become theirs! That means being in political power in Nigeria is synonymous with using public resources as one deems fit!
Therefore, is there a better explanation for the reason behind the “do or die” fear-provoking politics being played in the country today? We are not saying anything new here! We are only trying to point out that those who shouted critical views bothering on populism from the rooftops and organised mass protests yesterday are in power today performing worse than what they criticised. Hence, when considering this Nigeria’s case, Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson are apt in stating that “…..When existing elites are challenged under extractive political institutions and the newcomers break through, the newcomers are likewise subject to only a few constraints. They thus have incentives to maintain these political institutions and create a similar set of economic institutions…..” The (Nigerian) political scenario well exemplifies the “iron law of oligarchy” devised by Robert Michels (1876–1936); meaning that Nigeria is not yet, and will not soon be, out of the woods with the mediocre quality political/ruling elite and the other “citizens” who are actually not citizens foisted on the country. Many of the followers are also complicit in the rottenness.
These followers are actually enslaved in all ramifications! Enslavement of their mind is particularly pathetic but this is not unexpected in a society systematically goaded towards anti-intellectualism by education phobic “leaders”! Nigeria is now bereft of leaders who are philosopher kings like those in the First Republic! What a mess! Going forward, for the sake of maintaining your mental sanity, do not expect any update on the discussion that went into closed doors session in the above mentioned Senate Committee room concerning the proceeds from “fuel subsidy” removal. By now, palms would have been greased in the usual manner of “rub my back, I rub yours”! As they say in pidgin lingo, “na kill and divide dem dey”. As this piece is being written, nothing has been heard about the matter; the legislators’ noise made in the open ended in that room! The current realities in Nigeria reinforce our belief that past/current misleaders are “…..dark-skinned colonialists…..” who perceive this geographical space as a “no man’s land” meant for exploitation and they “…..have been ‘lucky’ to inherit a large number of people that made/make up a ‘conquered’ docile populace unable and/or unwilling to ask questions and take misleaders to task…..”
These phenomenons might be rightly perceived as grievous problems requiring in-depth solution(s) but they are more of symptoms of deeper societal malaises rooted in some historical antecedents. Different aspects of this history have been narrated and they remain what they are: history. We are not to be stuck in history. However, history is crucial in guiding a people towards actions/inactions that help in preventing the identified pitfalls of the past from reoccurring. We are aware that it took time for Nigeria to get to this dismal level; so also, will it take some time to get it out of where it is. Nigeria is critically incapacitated and unable to save itself. It needs to be rescued. This is taxingly achievable, especially as there are many “pigs” currently luxuriating it its “muddy waters”! For now, Nigerians (if a people known as such exists stricto sensu) are just pretending to be in a democracy! Perhaps, a home-grown freedomless democracy! People should open their eyes to search for means of obtaining their long elusive freedom. While looking inwards, Nigerians should also learn good things from those that have passed through this inglorious road!
