Friday, July 7, 2023

As Nigerians Grapple With Escalating Poverty

 By Adeze Ojukwu  

The excruciating pain and penury arising from soaring food and fuel prices have left many Nigerians seething with anger and rage. 

Since independence, the country has had a history of bad governance, characterized by graft, tribalism and unrest, due to political, cultural and religious vulnerabilities. But never in its chequered history has the society been embroiled in such massive levels of imbroglio, which peaked during the eight-year devastating hegemony of the immediate past administration. 

The minimal gains of the previous governments were virtually thrown overboard by transactional politics, financial rascality, nepotism and incompetence of the Buhari-led administration. Governance was left in the hands of incompetent people, leading to a reign of impunity and anarchy, from the corridors of power in Abuja to the hinterlands. The inglorious season further plunged over 133 million citizens into unacceptable poverty brackets and extreme deprivation. 

As a parting gift, the brutal executive bequeathed a most disputed general election, a polarised polity, a staggering debt profile, a comatose public service and an intractable savagery. The atrocities of the cruel era and their traumatizing perils have continued to elicit national and international scrutiny. 

However, hopes for a much-anticipated socio-economic relief were dashed by the current administrators, who are already displaying insensitivity to the plight of the masses, with their unwarranted demonstration of ostentation. 

For instance, the sudden removal of fuel subsidy without adequate welfare plans for citizens is not only brazen but absurd. The spiralling effect of this policy has plunged the nation into more hardship. Such a sensitive national issue should have been accompanied by social safety nets and palliatives to cushion the harsh effects of the new regimen. Given the controversies of legitimacy and credibility surrounding the inauguration of the current administration, its reported flagrant display of opulence and clannish moves are ominous signs of foreboding misfortunes.

Certainly, these hypocritical beginnings are antithetical to the “renewed hope” mantra. Obviously, the initial euphoria that often characterizes regime changes has been replaced by worsening discontent and disdain. Indisputably, most nations cannot survive the persistent misfortunes prevalent in Nigeria.

For several days, France has witnessed violent protests over the alleged shooting of a teenager by the police. But in Nigeria, innocent citizens are shot dead by security forces without any repercussion. Apart from police brutalities, citizens contend with deadly activities of insurgents, bandits and criminals. The ruling hierarchy seems unperturbed by these calamities because of security privileges provided by the police and private guards. Hence, those who were elected to serve the people ignore their sacred oaths and responsibilities for pecuniary advantages. They often live large, akin to 12th century emperors, while pushing the distressed population to the precipice, by forcing them to make futile sacrifices. 

Hence, the fast-spreading tension across the land, prodded by widening income gap, between the ruling class and commoners reflect breaches that defy successful social science theories and paradigms. Indeed, the vexatious avarice, treachery and profligacy exhibited by desperate politicians are not only baneful but harmful to Nigeria and its blighted image. Ignoring these red flags will most likely imperil the tottering nation and its beleaguered populace. 

Unless the political sphere is sanitized and reformed, the country’s stability and development will remain catastrophic. 

With many citizens subsisting on less than one dollar daily due to the prohibitive cost of basic amenities, life expectancy, economic productivity, high mortality and morbidity rates as well as other demographic indices will remain abysmally low, in global ratings. 

Therefore, most stakeholders in the development spectrum were not surprised by the recent United Nations (UN) report, which revealed that “millions are facing hunger and children’s lives are on the line in the North East.” The agency said “its humanitarian response in the region is underfunded, amid the protracted conflict and intensifying climate change.” 

According to the country’s top UN humanitarian official, Matthias Schmale, severe hunger is affecting 4.3 million people in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states. Meanwhile “the number of children, under-five years, at risk of life-threatening and acute malnutrition has doubled in one year to reach 700,000.” 

In a statement, Mr. Schmale said: “I have been to Borno and the other two states several times. I’ve seen mothers fighting for lives of their malnourished children in nutrition stabilization centres. Many of the children complained about being hungry for days. Those of us who are parents must imagine what it’s like when you cannot ensure your children have enough to eat.” 

“The catastrophic situation is primarily the result of more than a decade of insecurity linked to non-State armed groups, which prevents people from farming and earning income from the land. Another harmful factor is climate change and extreme weather impacts. Last year saw the worst floods in ten years in Nigeria, which affected more than 4.4 million people across the country, not just the North-East. Soaring prices of food, fuel and fertilizers have exacerbated the crisis, and the response remains severely underfunded. Out of the $1.3 billion in humanitarian funding needed for the region, only 25 per cent has been secured so far,” he stressed. 

Urgent establishment of well-structured and viable economic programmes will definitely contribute significantly towards ameliorating these plagues. The ultimate goal of every visionary leader is to guarantee the inalienable rights of citizens. This pact entails efficient delivery of democratic dividends to the masses, in tandem with the tenets of most progressive societies. 

*Ojukwu, a journalist and author, writes via adeze.ojukwu@gmail.com

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