Passion of the Cross

Without attempt to blaspheme, belittle or benign the great sacrifice that our Lord Jesus Christ paid on the cross to secure for you and I a priceless freedom from the grips of sins and Satan; nor take away the copyright of the trio of Bruce Davey, Mel Gibson, and Stephen McEveety in 'Passion of Christ' movie; the daily experience of an average Nigerians at this Christmas is agonizing, nauseating and annoying and could as well be likened to the passion of the cross.

Like Christ had to go to the Cross to bear and endure the pains of humanity for no sin of his own; Nigerians today and at this Christmas and like most other years are made to suffer needless pain for no sins of their own because of failure of leadership and governance in managing the economy and most especially the petroleum sector and products.

Ordinarily,if it were to be PDP-led government, perhaps no one will birth an eyelid for we have come to identify them with inefficiency, corruption, and failures; but for a government who pride itself in transparency, and with a poise to change the way things are done in this nation, one cannot but be perturbed for the pains an average man on the street has been subjected to in the last two weeks.

The duty of government is to promote maximum happiness for the greatest numbers as the classical political scholars would want us to believe, the case however in Nigeria seems the singular duty of the government is to promote maximum sadness for the greatest numbers, while few prey on the suffering of helpless masses.

Whether artificial or natural, the scarcity of fuel at this yuletide is a disservice to Nigerians, and one which smack of a responsible Government. It shows a clear lack of vision and planlessness on the part of the country's managers. For the government officials to give excuse of sabotage for this gross inadequacy and inefficiency is in itself a shame because managing the good and the bad of the society is the responsibility of every Government. Otherwise, there would not have been need for government in the first instance if we are to take the postulations of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke into significance.

Indeed it is an embarrassment for the most populous black nation on earth and the sixth oil producing country in the world to have its citizens going through this horrifying experience to buy fuel at filling stations for their cars and generators, albeit, for gross mismanagement, conspiracy and visionlessness. It is the height of insensitivity and disingenuous for the government to appear helpless in finding solution to this perrenial problem of fuel scarcity. More significantly is that the number one citizen has not thought it wise to address the nation on this lingering crisis like it would have been in sane climes. For instance, I cannot imagine President Trump continue silence on national issue that affect over ninety percent of the Americans. Emmanuel Macron of France as young as he is cannot be insensitive as our president appears to be, same is true of Puttin of Russia.

Now to the saboteurs and conspirators, please continue but know your days are numbered for I know the gullible , ignoramus and docile Nigerians will arise one day to fight for their rights and privileges in no distant time in form of revolution and rejuvenation of the governance. If not for anything,the risen Christ will not close his ears to the weeping of the oppressed whom he had come to die for. It may seem long, but it was after four hundred years that the Children of Isreal were delivered from their land of captivity in Egypt. Ours is just hundred plus, but am more than convinced that our salvation will come from the political usurpers, economic profiteers, and corporate saboteurs very soon.

I however would like to state here that we can shorten the years of suffering as citizens if we will do the needful in the next election by ensuring that only credible people with utmost integrity and genuine yearnings for development in all fronts get to power both at the executive and parliamentary level. The latter is not less important to the former as we have seen in recent time how the present National Assembly has held down the government of the day on some of their noble agenda.

Am equally looking forward to a day when filling stations will open and if found selling above agreed pump price, will not only be reported to the appropriate authority, but also there will be a boycott by people from such filling stations.

Meanwhile, there cannot be permanent solution until Nigeria is able to refine its petroleum products, and the only way out is for government to sell its refineries to competent individuals and juridical persons who will manage it effectively like we have in the telecom industry as against the abysmal sales of PHCN to incompetent companies and individuals by the last regime.

Nigeria deserve a better and decent living conditions, and can only be possible when we have responsible leadership and followers who will hold the former accountable for their deeds (good or bad) in office.

Until then, I wish you Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in advance.