POLITICIANS WITH A DEAD CONSCIENCE

                                           
  "Conscience is an Open wound, only Truth can heal it"

                                                                    ~ Uthman Dan Fodio

Nigerian Politicians behave like the British Colonial Masters who were only interested in what they can get from their Colonial territories and had virtually no interest in developing the Territories, for instance:

1) The British constructed Rails only to places where Raw Materials could be found.

2) They Built Good Houses for themselves and never bothered about where the Natives lived - Travel the Country and see relics of such structures, many are still intact.

3) Roads were constructed only in places that will serve their interest

4) The Life of the average Nigerian did not matter to them and so they can waste as many lives as possible to achieve their aim.

5) They lived in affluence while the Majority of the people lived in abject poverty.

6) They were kin on impoverishing the vast majority of the people and that they achieved with their Policy of Indirect Rule; elevating a few Nigerians they use as a stooges against their people. Etc, you add yours to the list

Has any of the above scenarios changed in the Nigeria of today?

1) Today Politicians Construct Roads to their Villages or Places of Residence.

2) They build big structures as they continue to pay lip service to Housing for All.

3) Roads are also constructed for their Cronies to serve their interest.

4) Life of the average Nigerian still don't matter to them 

5) They Live in Affluence while the vast majority live in abject poverty.

6) They are also kin on impoverishing the masses

THE COLONIAL ERA:

The argument during the Colonial Era was that "Africans were Children, they expected no more, and that they only needed a firm, guiding hand and simple, physical work that would not over task their limited intellects or stir up unrealistic egalitarian hopes." Many believe the British fared better in their attitude to the people than todays crop conscienceless Politicians, who can be compared to the Belgians and their handling of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Belgium was not concerned about the development of its territory, they were only interested in what they could get. The situation was so bad that as at the time of Independence; the entire Nation of 14 Million people then had only Sixteen (16) University Graduates and 136 High-School Graduates. 

THE DESTRUCTION OF PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS

How true, Our Politicians with their actions and or inaction and policy somersaults killed our Educational System but conveniently sends their Children to foreign lands for Education. Almost all Public Schools in the Country are a shadow of their glorious past while tertiary education is beyond the reach of Millions of Nigerians. Other Institutions are not spared; Health, Energy, Infrastructure, Roads, Rail, Industry, Commerce, etc Nigeria can be likened to very sick man in the emergency ward that needs a Kidney Transplant but there are no willing donors.

ENTER THE BLAME GAME:

 “The Price of Greatness is Responsibility”

                             ~ Winston Churchill

Unfortunately, the much anticipated Change is continuing the old blame Game;

ü  Tafawa Belewa blamed the Colonial Masters,

ü  The Army as represented by Kaduna Nzeogwu and later Ironsi blamed the Political Class.

ü  Gowon Blamed Ironsi and the Nigerians of Igbo extraction which eventually led to the Civil War.

ü  Murtala Mohammed - May his Soul rest In Peace - Blamed Gowon.

ü  Obasanjo bore the burden and handed over to Shagari.

ü  Shagari blamed the Military until he was overthrown.

ü  Buhari in his first coming not only blamed the Political class but went on an anti corruption mission and jailed many Politicians for Hundreds of years, his colleagues got tired of his fixation and staged a very peaceful and bloodless Coup (Perhaps the first and the only Bloodless Coup in our Nation’s History where the Commander-in- Chief was in the Country)

ü  IBB as he was popularly called blamed previous administrations and changed the handover date to Civilians on several Occasions that he was nicknamed Maradona until he dribbled himself out of Office. Abacha - May his Soul Rest in Peace - took over with the same blame game and would have succeeded himself but for the cruel hand of death that took our Beloved Head of State.

ü  Abdulsalami Abubakar came on the scene and organized a hasty Handover as he took responsibility and handed over to OBJ who had the prestigious honor of being the first Military Ruler to have handed over Power to an elected Civilian Government, thus marking the second coming of OBJ. But did that stop the blame game,

üOBJ perhaps reeling from the effects of being under Abacha's gulag seized every opportunity to blame the Military that he was a part of and went on a vendetta mission against his real and perceived enemies, so much so that eight years passed like a dream of the night, he applied and fought for a third term but was denied. However, in that eight years OBJ had effectively entrenched himself in the Political space so much so that he decided who succeeds him, thereby paving way for the emergence of the Late Umaru Musa Yar'adua May his Soul rest In Peace.

ü  Even though Yar'adua was the greatest beneficiary of the OBJ Legacy that did not stop him from blaming OBJ and went on to reverse many of the former leaders Policies. The unfortunate death of Yar'adua paved way for the Emergence of GEJ who felt only gratitude for his good fortunes in life and so went about trying to build a Country that Nigerians and Blacks all over the world will be proud of. Ethnic conspirators with the direct connivance with a very Hostile International Community lead by the USA and Britain ensured that GEJ had a very rough ride. That did not stop GEJ from entrenching himself in the Politics of the PDP and for the first time in the History of the PDP, there were no primaries to decide the Presidential Candidate of the Party for 2015 Pools but in the process he stepped on many toes, that coupled with his strong Democratic tendency that allowed opposition to thrive contrary to the dictates of many African leaders that do not tolerate opposition and his thinking that Jega who delivered him 2011 will remain an unbiased umpire led to his fall, but he was very gracious in defeat and certainly made Nigeria to avoid needless loss of Lives. All of these intrigues had gone a long way in destroying our Institutions

LIKE MASTER LIKE SLAVE:

The Master/Slave relationship between the Government and the Governed during the Colonial Era still exist today; elected officers see themselves as lords over a conquered people and distance themselves from the people as much as possible. A politician who once lived among his own people before he gained access to public Office, now drive around in convey and heavy security. Even distant relations cannot have access to them, not to talk of the people who supposedly elected them into office and whose behalf they are enjoying the spoils of office.

Why do we have three or more armed Policemen escort one man in a country where the ratio is one Policeman to over 600 Citizens? "Nigeria is too poor for our Leaders to act like Multi-Billionaires and Nigeria is too rich for our People to be so Poor" ~ Sen. Ben Murray-Bruce  but it seems our Politicians have a dead conscience or how  do we explain the Massive looting of the treasury and the Ostentatious Lifestyles in the midst of so much Poverty? Government is about doing the Greatest Good for the Greatest Number, who among our Past and Present Rulers will say they did the Greatest Good for the Greatest Number? Let your Conscience be your Judge?

“We have a small minority of people, the leadership in Nigeria, consuming all the resources in our Nation and leaving the rest of us in abject poverty that cannot work ……….”   ~ Sen. Ben Murray-Bruce

Next Issue: Politicians with a Dead Conscience - Like Yar'adua, like Suntai