What Kind of Gift is This.

It’s Christmas celebration worldwide. This is a moment that brings out the best of our gratitude to God almighty that we have been able to sail through the economic hazards and catastrophes that our leaders, both past and present have subjected us into this year.

Christmas and first day of the New Year (January 1) is always marked with some sort of pomp characterized by sumptuous meals (it depends on what and how a family sees it). The most common menu on those days are rice (in all flavour), chicken (for those that can afford it). Those days are our own Thanksgiving day here.

The Gift:
Yesterday (26/12/2005) as I got home my sister anxiously informed me that Minister (a Federal Minister in Obasanjo’s cabinet from my town) gave-out rice to people. I was like and so, because I don’t really dig these people that treat people like goat and chicken (they determine when, how and what their zealots eat). I was thinking those that got those rice must have fought tooth and nail to get a fistful of it, that’s the usual scenario. The next question I asked was “was it thrown on the ground?” (so that people can squirrelly run after them.) But to my surprise I was dumbfounded when she said some children carried them to people’s house, she then showed me the package (one rubber of rice, about 1 KG).

While it was a good gesture, assuming I really need it the same way I need regular power supply. Here in this town we have over a million people, I wonder how many people would have been able to lay their hands on this largesse being doled by Mr. Minister.

My View:
I wonder for how long all these stupid politicians will continue to treat their fellow human beings like a pure water wrapper (they drink, milk and suck the content (i.e.vote),as if they really need it) and throw them into the garbage of penury

We all deserve a better deal than all these “a day out of poverty gesture” (that’s my dads comment on the gift (if you can call it that)). What we need is stable and steady power (electricity) supply, good roads, good health care services, proper accountability and responsibility, prompt payment of salaries, arrears, gratuities of pensioners, responsive behaviour to masses pleas and lamentations as well as beneficial jobs for millions of school leavers (at least they won’t need Mr. Minster’s rice if they can afford to buy from their paycheck, our people don’t need the fish, they need fishing opportunities).

Our people have endured for so long, we have banked our hopes and aspirations on democracy, but sadly what we got is kleptocrazy and lot’s of demonstration of craziness in the upper and lower echelon of our political system.

But if you all (politicians ruling but ruining Nigeria) failed to ease the aggravations you are causing us all, am telling you all here and now that it is getting to a point people called The Elastic (Suffering) Limit. Woe betides you all on that day we rise up to take what rightly belongs to us.

“There are many things we do not want about the world. Let us not just mourn them. Let us change them." -Ferdinand Marcos. (That's for you Nigerians).


Final Note:
Mr. Minister (I hope you or any of your cronies happen to read this) thanks for that kind gesture of yours, but the reality is that we don’t really need such. You all know we deserve a better deal.