First of all let me state I am not pulling a Reuben Abati here, i.e I am not one moment against the removal of subsidy and all of the sudden in support of it, rather I believe I am seeing things for what they really are. Today (Sunday 8th) I was watching the House reconvene for its emergency meeting on the removal of fuel subsidy and while I wholeheartedly support every argument against the removal of subsidy, I am afraid its been made clear there’s no going back. While those who support President Jonathan’s decision to remove subsidy seemed to be in the minority, they raised some points which unfortunately those in the majority (against the removal) only seem to prove true. First of all was the constant use of the term, “ill-timed”. I’ve heard this being used in the past by those who want subsidy removed but think it is “ill-timed” and as such those people are now anti-subsidy removal… for now. This brings in the question when will it be right to remove subsidy and are they saying that should subsidy be brought back and the price of fuel reverts to N65, that Nigerians still have to fear its removal again? That we are going to do this merry-go-round once more, where we come out on the streets and protest?! No, I am not for that one; I am not Comrade Oshiomole in his heydays. Let’s decide which one we want first! It is either we want subsidy back to stay for good till our children’s children’s children decide to rumble amongst themselves or we go with Jonathan’s “medicine after death” cure for its removal, but not for us to go back to N65 and live in constant fear of when next the government will remove it in our lifetime.
Second, still on those in the majority against its removal, were those complaining that Jonathan did not create the right “cushions” to soften the effects of the removal. First of all, that sounds like they’re making an excuse for him to remove subsidy. Yes, Jonathan’s medicine after death cure is perhaps unprecedented in the history of Nigeria, but the question is was Goodluck doing anything to really ‘cushion” the lives of the ordinary Nigerian before the removal? He didn’t do much! Even before the issue of fuel subsidy removal came up, so many people who voted for him told me there were disappointed in his performance, it wasn’t like he was parting the Red Sea for us to go, ‘Okay, maybe we should give him a chance on this subsidy removal issue.” No, we were busy drowning. So please let’s stop saying the right measures were not taken for the removal of subsidy, the fact is the right measures were not taken in improving our lives, not just on the issue of subsidy. Yes, it is an undeniable fact that certain measures MAY have helped, but why only on subsidy. How about on transport or on the salaries of our government officials? Oh wait, that’s right, we do those things after the hurt has been put in place.
Interestingly, I would like to note that today was perhaps the first day I watched the House with keen interest, much to the dismay of my mother who just wanted to watch Nollywood and as much support as there was against Jonathan’s actions, the majority really got beat up by the minority when it came to the issue. They all seemed to be saying the same thing, because while one group was in support of the removal, the group against it seemed to be coming up with conditions to which they will allow it as if to say we will succumb, but first let’s have this. It is with that in mind that I believe we are not going back to N65. This is the argument that should’ve happened before its removal, not after! But I can’t leave without a solution and this is one you will all not agree with me. I watched as Jonathan handed car keys to owners of the new mass transit buses he launched. My father asked me if the President was giving them out for free, I replied, “Why won’t he give it out for free after what he’s taken away from people?” Unfortunately you and I do not get free diesel powered cars, he is not Oprah. Seeing as the president is serious on this matter and no one seemed to raise an eyebrow when the budget was represented with no allocation for subsidy, here’s what I suggest: it is now up to Labour to negotiate with the government to bring the price of fuel down, which even if they succeed in doing, I guarantee you will not go below a N100. Some of you are saying, “We still won’t agree!” Ok o! Here’s something that will shock you.
When we were protesting at Eagles Square, no, excuse me, when we were protesting near Eagles Square on Friday, my friend Hajho pulled me to the side and said, “Nasir, have you notice the caliber of people protesting here? Have you noticed that most of us here can actually afford to buy fuel at the new price and that those who will suffer more than us are actually absent?” Now some of you might say if we were in Lagos, we would’ve seen the lower class in mass, but I still believe in one way or another Abuja is still representative of the whole country. There were no bus drivers or conductors and no cab drivers with us on our march. The most we got from them was, “We are with you bros… keep fighting!” Those of us fighting were admittedly mostly from homes that won’t feel the pinch as much as others yet we came out to protest what we believe was a rash and inconsiderate decision. If you had asked me, a week ago if I could be anyone in the world, I would’ve said, Christine Lagarde, the IMF boss so that I could jump off a bridge. Today, Lagarde is no longer our problem, Ngozi Iwela still is and so is this government and unfortunately so is its people if we can not stand together.
Garba Deen Muhammad wrote something funny in his column today, “for those who believe in God, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is one of the greatest testimonies that it is indeed God who gives power to whom He pleases, otherwise, really, Mr. Jonathan wouldn’t have risen beyond a deputy director in the department of fisheries at the Bayelsa state ministry of water resources”.
He further added, “…both Jonathan and the rest of us are victims of his inherent weaknesses… which means the noise that everybody is making now about the removal of subsidy on fuel—illogical, illegal, insensitive, ill timed, e.t.c—is all so much bunkum as far as Mr. Jonathan is concerned. It is another “something we have to learn to live with.”” The original something we had to live with was the incessant attacks by Boko Haram, so what’s the removal of fuel subsidy?
I advise you all to look for the article and read it in its entirety. And another thing, Jonathan may have his weaknesses and yes he drags us along with him, but make no mistake about it as we have seen this past week, the man is not weak as far as this issue is concerned… he is straight-up gangster! He flew to South Africa as soon as he gave away the mass transit buses. He is going to S.A to dance, dance, dance and forget his sorrow! We only have left to come up with his theme music for when he walks into the room and no it can not be our song. I know, shameless plug, but I can’t help it. I’m on the 1st verse and as such cannot ascertain the quality of the rest of the song and I know it sounded like I said, “Presh air” which would be very Malo of me, but I actually said, “Fresh air!”! Back to the real issue:
On a more serious note I fear what may happen today (as we have entered Monday as I write this) with the president out of the country, any mishap that happens during the NLC strike will not be blamed on Jonathan as he will say, "I was not there when it happened. My orders were to ensure peace and order was maintained". I have seen this strategy used so often before! Please, be careful out there! Peace!
