THE SUBSIDY ISSUE

Fuel subsidy has become the topic of discussion in all gatherings since we were blown away by its removal on the first of the New Year. Some applaud its removal, many others decry the removal.

I have heard all the arguments for and against its removal and both have their merits. In this article I will like to give an opinion on the issue.

Subsidy refers to a situation where consumers do not pay the full cost of the goods they are consuming but part of the cost is borne by someone else, usually the government. Subsidy is usually applied to help citizens have access to facilities and goods which are neccessities but are unaffordable or to encourage the development or growth of certain industries or sectors. For instance in Nigeria fuel is subsidized. In the pure economic sense subsidies are not the best (in terms of maintaining economic efficiency) but for welfare and development reasons governments’ maintain subsidies in some key sectors of the economy. Subsidies are not meant to last forever. At some point they must be removed. In the case where it exists to enhance the welfare of citizens, as the economic and social welfare of the people improves the subsidies they receive also reduces. Where the subsidy exists to promote the growth of a sector or industry, it is removed once the sector develops to a point where it can begin to compete with other sectors without falling apart. This is a simplistic version of the subsidy theory. The application of this theory is not as straightforward as it sounds.

In the case of Nigeria and fuel government in theory would provide a subsidy on fuel for a period of time and then remove it after putting certain infrastructure in place that would improve the welfare of citizens and enhance the development of the domestic or local petroleum industry. As at today the welfare of the average Nigerian has not improved as majority of the population live on $2 a day and we are still importing refined petroleum products. In spite of this the government still removed the subsidy on fuel. Theory would condemn this removal. But will the reality of what is on ground condemn it?

The issue of fuel subsidy in Nigeria is very complex. There is no straight forward answer to whether its removal is right or wrong. The reality is that the existence of subsidy has been exploited by a group of people as a means of making money. A lot of fraud and corruption takes place when importers claim their subsidy allocation from government. This fraud has robbed the nation. As a result of this, the government decided to remove the subsidy so as to break this ring of corruption and divert the funds towards other developmental activities that would be more beneficial to Nigerians.

Another reality is that the removal of subsidy will result in suffering for Nigerians, giving the prevailing economic and social conditions. Our day to day lives are dependent on fuel. We use it fuel our cars, and public transport vehicles, run our business, power our homes. Fuel is related to every area of our life. That is why it is such a volatile issue, any thing that affects fuel automatically impacts every area of our life. Fuel has a massive “multiplier” effect in the economy. The removal of subsidy will make life much harder for the average Nigerian. However this is a price we must pay for the progress of our nation. According to the government our suffering today will result in huge gains tomorrow. This is perfectly understandable; however I have a problem with the unilateral nature of this sacrifice for our nation’s tomorrow. The masses cannot be the only ones to sacrifice for the good of this nation. The government, as our leaders must also share the pain with us and lead by example. The sacrifices we are being asked to make must also not be in vain. In a bid to save the nations funds they have removed subsidy on fuel, but have still maintained a high level of expenditure on themselves. They are earning exorbitant salaries and allowances which they attempt to increase and at times succeed at increasing yearly. The system of governance is rife with corruption. We live in a country where money allocated to state and local governments for the development of the state are used to line the pockets of officials. Nothing ever reaches the masses, the infrastructure in almost all 36 states since the return to democracy are either non existent or in a deplorable state. The government officials do as they please with state funds and no one says a thing. These are the same individuals that we want to give the “savings” from the subsidy removal and somehow expect them to become responsible with the funds. This is the issue that should be addressed. The problem is not the removal of subsidy but the inequality of the sacrifice. My issue is with the fact that the checks that they have put in place are no different from what has always been in existence and it doesn't look like there will be any constructive use of the "saved" money. I believe the NLC and we as Nigerians should fight the corruption not the policy. Nigerians should hold the government accountable. We must call them to order. They should cut down on their spending , the same we would have to with the subsidy removal; they should have a clear, well defined and specific framework for the use of the saved money from subsidy. Infrastructure that will improve the welfare of the people must be put in place. Infrastructure such as power (which in my opinion is the most critical) , roads, public transport system among others. The burden we are to carry as a result of this decision must not be in vain. We cannot stop one set of people from robbing us blind only to hand the money to another set of people to steal. We must demand integrity from our leaders. We are the people and they have sworn to serve us and we must insist that they do what they promised.

At this junction it must be noted, that the insulting or cursing the president is uncalled for. You may not like him or have voted for him but by virtue of the fact that he occupies the seat of the presidency he deserves our respect. You may criticize but do not abuse or curse. In times of high emotions and frustration we all may have said shameful things about our president but let this stop now. The office of the president deserves honor and respect.

I believe that God has allowed this to come so that Nigerians can begin to take responsibility for their lives and future and realize that we cannot go on like this. That its time we demand integrity from ourselves and the government. It is time we stop playing the victim and claim d victory. It is time for us sacrifice our today for the sake of the next generations tomorrow. This is what we should be fighting for. We should fight for change in the system not for a return to status quo. If the subsidy removal is cancelled we have not changed anything. We have only decided to turn a blind eye tothe rape of our nation. It is time for to decide that status quo is not good enough any more and fight for a genuine change in the way things are done. Nigeria cannot develop without we the people paying a price. Nothing good comes easy; no pain, no gain. So we must be willing to sacrifice however it is our duty to ensure that our sacrifice is not in vain. We must ask questions, be informed about the duties of the government and hold them accountable. Let us not shout in ignorance but let us make well informed criticisms and complaints. This is the war we must wage: the war of accountability and responsibility.

I have a question to ask you dear reader, if you were in a position of authority say senator, president, finance minister or governor; would you be any better. Are you a person of integrity? In all your dealings and endeavors do you maintain a standard of integrity? Or are you just as corrupt as the officials you criticize. In the fight against corruption ensure you fight the corruption within you. The truth is if you replace one corrupt official with another corrupt official nothing will change. Our issues go way beyond mere fuel subsidy. This subsidy issue has just brought our problems to the surface and those are the issues we must tackle. The issues of corruption, unaccountability, irresponsibility, selfishness, nepotism and tribalism to mention but a few. Think and ask yourself are you any better than those in government. In your sphere of influence are you the leader you wish you the leaders in government were.

I learnt something today that refined my perspective radically. Before the Israelites were freed from Egypt, they suffered a lot. In fact they cursed Moses for coming to speak to Pharaoh about setting them free. But that suffering marked the beginning of their liberation. Perhaps this suffering marks the beginning of our liberation from stagnancy and the beginning of our growth. So in all of this let us look to God and ask “Lord is your hand in all this? Lord let your purpose in this situation prevail" Nigeria is on the brink of something great. Ask God to build you up and position you rightly and that you may take your place and play the role God had ordained for you in taking Nigeria closer to her destiny.

Signed

NessaD

WHAT MAKES A GOOD LEADER?

The time of elections have come and gone and we have new leaders for our country. Due to the fact that I was in school and busy with the challenges of academic life, I didn’t follow the all the events of the election. However I haven’t been completely ignorant of the all that happened. A lot of what I read and heard saddened and disappointed me. I heard the supposed elite of our nation make statements that made me doubt their education. At the end of all debate about who should run, who should be allowed to rule, whose turn it is to rule, I asked myself one simple question – What makes a good leader? It is evident that majority of the people in our society have a twisted view of what it takes lead a nation, a state , a local government area or anything for that matter.
The main argument during this election was where (in terms of north, south, east or west )the new president should come from. That was the main concern of most people. The south wanted a southern president because they were of the opinion that the north has ruled for too long and have created the mess Nigeria is in. The north desired a northern president for reasons unknown to me (frankly I do not even care). I shudder at the implication of this. Look at the petty reasons we give for voting a leader, look at what we are focused on and yet we hope that Nigeria will move forward. As long as we think in such tribalistic terms, we as a people can never move forward. The implication of this is that if a man as evil as Hitler decides to run for a post then the south will root for him because he is a southerner ( assuming he is a southerner ) or the north will support him because he is from the north ( assuming he is a northerner). This clearly does speak well of our values or our priorities. So once again I ask the question- What makes a good leader? Do considerations of tribe and wealth tell us who can lead a people? Are leadership positions now things that we take in turns? Is the system of governance now a monarchy system instead of democracy? Is it now a birth right to rule ? are you qualified to rule because you are from a certain family, tribe? Are all these what determines a suitable leader?
A leader is not determined by birth, tribe, wealth or race. A good leader is determined by the strength of his heart, his integrity , his honour, his vision, humility, confidence, discipline, dedication and character. A good leader is someone who carries the best interest of his people wherever he goes. A good leader is someone who sees his position not as a right to control and dominate others but as an opportunity to serve. A leader is not determined by where he is from but by where he is going. Nigeria may be a country of many tribes but it is still one nation. As a people we are first and foremost Nigerians before we are northerners or southerners and so on. The tribal origin of a potential ruler should be the least of our concerns rather we should be focused on the character and reputation of the person who desires to lead.

The only way we can move forward as a nation is to see ourselves as nation. Nigeria may be one nation but we on an individual basis are yet to see ourselves as that. Tribalism is rooted deeply in our hearts. As long as we allow tribalism to control us, our behaviour and thinking, we would keep moving in separate directions and end up going nowhere. No tribe is to blame for Nigeria’s problems, we all are to blame. We are to a certain degree responsible for the nations downfall. Corruption is not peculiar to one tribe neither is integrity found in only one region. Every area or region have their share of good and bad eggs. Nigeria does not need a southern ,northern, eastern or western leader to progress. Nigeria in order to move forward requires a GOOD leader. It also requires that all of us on an individual and collective basis take our place and do our very best in all that we do. It requires that we rise up and become people of integrity, people who hold their leaders responsible, who are focused not only their own progress but on the progress of their community state and nation. It requires that you reading this blog rise up and TAKE YOUR PLACE wherever you are. A leader can only takes us so far but in the responsibility for making Nigeria great lies in our hands.

I will close with a statement by Henry Ford –“coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working together – that is success.” We have come together as different tribes to become Nigeria, let us keep together and progress as Nigeria and finally let us- and we must - work together to make Nigeria a success. NIGERIANS ARISE AND T.Y.P

Signed,
NessaD

Notice

posts may be delayed for awhile. Am in school trying to complete my project and that is taking up a lot of my time. So in view of that my posts will not be as regular. I will notify you on the facebook page when posts have been put up. Take care and don't forget to TYP in all you do

CRADLE CORRUPTION.

I have almost completed my university education and the things I have seen in my time in school make my heart heavy. What I have observed among my colleagues slowly feeds on my hope for the future generation and makes me appreciate the view of those who believe that the world can never get better.
As a Nigerian and an African , I know that the biggest problem facing the country and the continent is corruption at all levels. From the grass root to the very top of our society, corruption has eaten us up like a deadly cancer. It has spread it poison all over. In my school we have student unions and associations which all conduct elections to elect the officers for each academic year. For the past 3 years I have observed these electoral processes and I have grown more disheartened with each one. They simply mirror one a smaller scale , the corrupt system of Nigeria and most of Africa. Students backbite each other, start up false rumours about candidates in order to tarnish his or her good name. Most aspirants are only there for selfish reasons. They make promises that they never keep. Those who make it into office embezzle funds that students pay as dues. Tell me then the difference between this system of government and what goes on in the world at large . what strikes me as most unfortunate is the fact that these are the same people who will go out there , in the future, and run for various offices in government. They will get into office and most likely continue in their corruption and our situation as a country and continent will never change. If they mismanage little they will mismanage a lot.
I look around and I see my mates who are supposed to be the future of our nation , live life as though they have no moral conscience. They steal from their friends and family , cheat in exams and other areas of life and lie without batting an eyelid. In fact living a life without principle or restraint is the norm rather that the exception. Corrupt behaviour is hailed rather than condemned. Are these people the ones who will some turn around when they get into power and develop a sense of morality, principle and responsibility. If I can steal N1000 from my friend without remorse, cheat the food seller of her change and lie to my parents about my school fees, how difficult will it be for me to steal from a nation which has no ‘face’? No one started out stealing 12 billion. It started as small amounts which grew to bigger amounts and grew to even bigger amounts.
To carry yourself with dignity and a sense of responsibility is now a shame. How did things get so twisted ? How did our values become so mixed up? We learnt our ways from the previous generation. The examples our leaders and families set for us. We see those who are supposed to teach us the way say one thing and do another. All i have said paints a dismal picture . it looks like we are stuck in a continuous cycle where the cancer called corruption is passed on from one generation and right from the cradle our innocence is destroyed. However there is still hope. We can choose as individuals, communities and nations to say NO to the bad traits of our forefathers and consciously attune our minds and actions toward becoming a people of integrity. We can refuse to carry on in the legacy of corruption but with our generation establish a new legacy of honesty, truth and integrity. All it takes is one person to say no. There is wise saying which says : ‘better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness’ . Stop complaining and T.Y.P. In order to truly TAKE YOUR PLACE, you must change your story and not allow corruption be the legacy you leave behind for the next generation. I have chosen to take my place and say NO. What are you going to do?
Signed,
NessaD

NIGERIA ARISE 2,

This is a continuation of Nigeria arise 1. This post focuses on the second verse. The second verse goes like this:
O God of creation,
Direct our noble cause,
Guide our leaders right ,
And our youth the truth to know,
In love and honesty to grow,
And living just and true,
Great lofty heights attain,
To build a nation where ,
Peace and justice shall reign.
This second verse is not as popular as the first, yet it is my belief that it is just as important. It is a very deep and powerful verse which reveals a lot about the foundation of this nation. The first line says “oh God of creation” this line shows that our forefathers, who fought for our freedom, established this nation on a belief and reliance on God, not just any god but the Alpha and Omega , THE GOD OF CREATION . This second verse is a prayer. When we sing it, we should sing as such. It’s a cry to God to support our nation. We ask for direction for our cause through time (line 2). We seek his guidance for our leaders and enlightenment for our youth- the future leaders . We pray to become a people of integrity , filled with love for one another and our country(lines 5 and 6). We ask that with all these in place we will attain the great height for which have always been destined and finally TAKE OUR PLACE in the world. Finally, we pray for unity in our great diversity, that we will be a nation where peace and justice reign. The author of this anthem looked and saw the possible problems that we would encounter and wrote this prayer as part of the anthem, so that as we sing we as a nation are united in prayer and sow a good seed into our future as a nation. You will agree that our leaders in all spheres of life are in need of guidance – for most of our leaders , the way they are, is not the way they should be. Our youth are in desperate need the truth about life, many are living a life with tangled priorities and misguided notion of life. We need a good dose of integrity. Peace, unity and justice are more than needed in our society. It is high time we showed the world that greatness that is within us. Clearly , looking at where we are today , we need the help of God in getting to where we wish to be. It’s not something we can on our own.
The next time you sing this verse , sing with your heart, mind and soul; pray it, mean it. you may ask what you can do for your nation? This is one thing you can do : T.Y.P and sow this seed of prayer into its future.
NOTE :The pledge will be final post under this topic and it will come later, I have other things in mind to write about. So watch out for the next post. As usual feedback is appreciated and constructive criticism will not be ignored. T.Y.P is now on facebook so you can join by following this link : http://www.facebook.com/pages/Take-Your-Place-TYP/139977259386581
Till next time...
Signed,
NessaD

PROUDLY NIGERIAN

Nigeria is 50! Should we rejoice or should we cry? Should we celebrate or should we mourn. Many are divided as to what to do at this time. We are all filled with mixed emotions. In this post I seek to sort out my feelings and hopefully help you sort out yours.

Those who say we have no cause to celebrate have a very valid point. I asked myself this question: what really do we have to celebrate? Is it 50 years of corruption? or 50 years of social, economic, political and educational degradation; maybe its 50 years of deplorable and unstable leadership; or 50 years of embarrassing ourselves on the world stage. It could be 50 years of intertribal and religious wars; or 50 years of criminal acceleration. Are we celebrating 50 years of steady decline into poverty or 50 years of chaos and decadence? The questions go on and on. Looking at the past 50 years do we have a cause to celebrate?

After giving the question some thought, I have to conclude that YES, we do have a reason to celebrate. What?! You say, didn’t I just list all the reasons we have not to celebrate. So why would I turn and say that we have a reason to rejoice? Let me tell what we are celebrating. We are celebrating the fact that in spite of the corruption, wars and conflicts, socio-economic and political downfall, educational decline, we are still here, we have survived. We are rejoicing in the fact that Nigeria is still here despite the odds, that though we have been pressed we are not crushed, though we are knocked down we are not destroyed. We celebrate the ability of the Nigerian people to smile and enjoy life in the midst of debilitating circumstances. We pay tribute to the labour of our forefathers. We honour the strength of the Nigerian people and her indomitable spirit that refuses to accept defeat. We celebrate the fact that after 50 years we are still one nation despite all the events that have threatened to pull us apart. We praise the ability of our people to persevere and even thrive under the most deplorable conditions. In summary we celebrate the Nigerian spirit. The spirit of strength, tenacity, determination, perseverance, hope, optimism pride in who we are, dignity, hard work and confidence (that GOD gave us )that has kept us thus far.

I am proudly Nigerian. I am proud to be counted among a people who are characterized by determination and strength, who excel against all odds, a people that are extraordinary, a people of dignity, a people rich in every way mentionable, a people of joy , a nation of survivors, a people of excellence. So yes, I will celebrate Nigeria at 50 and above all I will pray for her, that this day will mark her first step into glory and the realization of her full potential. I pray that she will today begin to take her place in the world.

GOD BLESS NIGERIA.

Signed,

NessaD (proudly Nigerian.)

NIGERIANS ARISE 1

Are you a patriotic citizen? Before you hastily answer , think deeply about the question. We all at some point in time have sung the national anthem and recited the pledge. When you do any of these things , do you think about the words you sing and recite, the vow you make. Have you lived up to the words of the anthem , fulfilled your pledge to your nation. In a series of posts, I will work through the anthem and pledge and how the deep meaning and importance of these national anthem.

In this post, I will start with the national anthem. What is an anthem? Is it just a song that we sing before a football match or in the mornings at school or on television before the day’s broadcast begins.... ? NO, it is much more than a song. The anthem is a song adopted by a country to express the values and patriotic feeling. In other words our anthem was established to awaken our patriotic feelings towards our nation. It also encompasses the values and ethics and principles of the nation. It reflects what our forefathers believed and sought to pass on. It shows the love we should have for our country as well as what our nation demands of us.

We know the first verse of the anthem quite well:

Arise oh compatriots

Nigeria’s call obey

To serve our fatherland

With love and strength and faith

The labour of our heroes past

Shall never be in vain,

To serve with heart and might

One nation bound in freedom

Peace and unity

The first 2 lines is a constant call to serve. It says arise. Arise is call to stand, to take your place in the fight for the sanity of this nation. Arise is a call to take a front seat in determining the future of the country. The Oxford dictionary defines ‘arise’ as start to exist or be noticed. In other words, Nigeria is calling us to stand out and to be noticed. She is calling us to stand and fight for the preservation of the nation, of her values, of all that she represents and stands for. Nigeria is calling her citizens to defend her . to be stand out, to take their place.

She elaborates her call I lines 3 and 4. She calls us to serve our fatherland. This the land we were born into. It is the both the land of our fathers and ours too. She call us to serve our fatherland not out of duty, but out of love. Nigeria desires for us to love her and cherish her, if we truly love our nation we would do what is best for her and her people. Those in power will use their authority to promote the progress of the country, to ensure the betterment of the citizens. We the citizens would also seek the best for our country. If we truly loved her we would obey the laws of the land, shun corruption and do our part to preserve the country.

Nigeria also calls out to us to serve her with strength and faith. She desires that we serve her with an unwavering belief in her and with courage. In this time when all hope seems lost and it looks as though Nigeria can never live up to her potential, she cries out louder “serve with strength and faith.” Faith is believing in what you cannot see. We as Nigerians are called to stand anywhere and declare our unwavering belief in our nation, no matter the what the reality or circumstances say. We are called to continually hope in this nation, to support her , to carry her dreams and to stand tall and proud as her citizens.

Lines 5 and 6 remind us of why we ought to serve our country with strength and faith. Our forefathers, the heroes of this nation gave their lives so that we may enjoy our freedom; for our today they gave their tomorrow. The least we can do is to ensure that their sacrifice and labour of love is not in vain, that all that which they valiantly fought for remains and stands the test of time. “The labour of our heroes past shall never be in vain” is a vow we take, a pledge we make, a reason for us to stand and with all our might fight our nation and its survival. In remembrance of our heroes and as a response to Nigeria’s call in lines 3 and 4, we take a vow in line 7 serve with our heart ( where love and faith reside ) and might ( which is our strength)

The final line of this verse is like a prophecy. As though the composer foresaw the conflicts that would arise as a result of the different cultures, tribes that make up this nation. The composer sought to remind us each time we sing this anthem that we are ONE nation (no matter how diverse we may be ) that the bonds that hold us together – the bonds of freedom, peace and unity – far outweigh whatever differences that we may have. We must see ourselves as Nigerians before anything else and to Nigeria my allegiance lies. Hence we must not allow our differences pull us apart but see them as opportunities to draw even closer together.

I will stop here for now, in part 2 I will cover the second verse of the anthem... so till next time

Signed,

NessaD