And when wages and salaries are no longer capable to meet the ends of workers they fall into the already swollen number of people living under the bread line in poverty. Expectedly, wages that hardly can satisfy the yearnings of the earners ultimately translate to low purchasing power, which in turn affect the capacity of firms and companies and their profitability, causing many people to be laid off to swell the ranks of the unemployed. And so the wheel turns full circle. By the time all this would be happening, the pundits in government and those outside it waxing lyrical in support of the measure now and those who brandish dubious figures and charts would be nowhere to be found. They would have left for their juicy posts abroad or other less conspicuous government work to relish the spoils they have reaped from bringing all the hardship on the people.
But all that is in the future. The scenario painted would occur if government is able to get away with the gamble and succeed to either cow the people through iron force or through suasion which it has used so far, into submission. So far however the test of will between it and the people promises to be instructive in the days ahead. In previous attempts at removal of fuel subsidy, half hearted attempts at resistance led by the organized labour soon result into submission with the government having its way. The Labour leaders at the vanguard of the protest, after some dialogue sessions with government soon make a volte face, some say after some inducements, after all in this country everyone has his price, leaving the people to bear the brunt of the misguided policy.
The spontaneity of the protest this time around underscored by enraged multitude taking to streets all over the country promises that the people are ready to take their destiny into their own hands and embark on a historic mission—to for once force the government to step back from a fruitless and barren path that forebodes nothing but failure. This government has promised to apply the proceeds to rejuvenating the nation’s infrastructure—roads, railways (haba) etc- the fact however is that that is a mantra the people are tired of hearing. There is nothing in the record of this government to indicate it will not do as earlier governments did—simply misapply the fund—or probably embezzle it.
For once, Nigerians should make their government do the work it was elected to do. And that is look elsewhere beyond oil to run the polity. How are countries without oil run? Japan has no known natural resource, except what it gets from the sea that surrounds it and the brain power of its people. Yet it is at the top of the league of advanced nations. Norway and Britain have oil- but they had been run efficiently without the oil money for years and still continue to be run without it. It is about time those who put themselves out to rule us are made to really do their job. And that should start from looking outside oil money to run Nigeria.
