Yes! That’s my opinion.
Earlier this morning, I got a Blackberry broadcast from Ohimai Omaize (Mr. FixNigeria) and it read.
Nigeria declares production of an average of 2.5 million barrels a day. We sell at the lowest rate of $70 per barrel. This brings us to $175 million dollars daily. Let’s convert that to naira ($175 million by 150) we have 26.25 billion naira daily. That means in a month Nigeria earns 7.9 trillion naira. We have a population of approximately 150 million people. So let’s distribute this money (7.9 trillion naira ÷ 150 million people) = N527,000 monthly per person for being a Nigerian citizen minus your own earnings. And this is just oil revenue. On top of that, Nigerians are begging for minimum wage to be increased to N18,000. Our mumu never do? We now know why some people are shouting Goodluck for president. His wife gave you free imported Brazilian rice, he bought for 3 presidential Jets at a stretch, and your law makers are the highest paid in the world (they earn more than Obama!), he spent over 7 billion to celebrate your 50 years of ‘dependence’, he his borrowing more from the World Bank to make your life “better”, he is dashing a whooping sum of 21 billion naira to your entertainment industry, now he his wondering why you are demanding for 18,000 naira as minimum wage. Please do not lose faith. Remember he claims to be God sent! Now you know we need more than good luck to turn Nigeria around! But good for us. When credible aspirants who have never been in government show up to demand our votes, we attack them with the gospel of inexperience.
A people get the leader they deserve that’s why some of our youths are singing “I believe in Goodluck!” Give a man who has never managed 1 million naira of his personal earnings a country with a budget of trillions of naira, this is what you get! You want PDP in 2011 abi? Nigerians eye never see pepper! This is just a tip of the iceberg.
All good and fine! All good and fine! Well written, well calculated. I have a couple of observations and remarks about things happening in my environment, in Nigeria as a whole but I refuse to complain. My complaining won’t do anything really. But I’d drop my two pence on this.
Even though I don’t think we should just SPLIT the oil money like that, I believe Nigerians deserve better than the current minimum wage. I can’t imagine what a grown up will be doing with N7,500. No, not with constant electricity, having to rely on a power generator. Even food is not cheap. Prices of commodities increase on the daily and wages stay fixed.
Honestly, the masses are really a patient set of people. But why won’t events like yesterday’s occur(where a citizen mobbed Obasanjo at the airport)? Why won’t people come out to strike? Minimum wage from N7,500 to N18,000 shouldn’t be an issue. Wasn’t it the president who decided the country will invest $200 million in the entertainment industry. What returns does that bring? A sector that has no structure! And yet, news report yesterday said Nigeria has been in worse debt than ever before.
It’s just obvious that we have our priorities twisted. True education is a cause for this.
Amongst other things I think, I believe Nigeria should be handled as a business for things to progress in a positively directed economy. Nigeria is treated as ‘personal business’ and that’s why we have missed it!
I believe in Nigeria. I believe things will get better. But we have a long way to go.
