So much has been said about how clueless the past administration of Dr. Good luck Ebele Johnathan has been, how he was unable to leverage on the opportunity to truly initiate a generational change of power and transform Nigeria from its pariah status.
Some of us were big fans of the ex-president was we welcomed his purported transformation and breathe of fresh air agenda. As clueless as Johnathan was made to look like, the present policies of the incorruptible President Buhari is gradually making the past administration look better day by day. The greatest crucible the administration its inability to remain incorruptible as claimed by the current administration, however ‘changes’ made by this government has shown us that Jonathan meant well for this country. If today we are “deregulating the downstream sector,” somebody had forewarned us of this situation and rather than accept the inevitable, we all rallied one another and headed straight for the carnival ground in Ojota to protest, dance and verbally hurl insults at those in charge of government at that time.
Government was brought to its knees and change was reverting and reaching a consensus price band of 97 naira from the 65 naira per litre. That was when the price of crude was above $70 per barrel. Johnathan never recovered and 3 years after we all changed him with the progressives.
One notable effects of the 2012 protest was the emergence of the social media as a powerful tool of initiating both social and political change. We all saw the emergence of the social influencers who grew into political strategists and ultimately became political advisers at least these facts are verifiable.
Yesterday’s fuel increase has clearly shown us that this administration swept into power due to the obvious lack of political will by the ex-president to initiate genuine social and economic change.
President Buhari promised so many reforms none of which he has concretely achieved one year into his administration. He is even unable to ride on his anti-corruption programme as his government is still “fantastically corrupt”. Things have gone from zero to worse and yet we are still pretending things are better or rather will get better.
Super minister of state for petroleum, Ibe Kachichukwu has fed us with all manners of excuses and lies until he accepted the inevitable. Super minister, Babatunde Fashola has kept mum of the state of electricity generation and distribution since he got his superpowers.
Super minister Ameachi is still busy tackling the Rivers problem rather than strategic redevelopment of the transport and aviation sector.
Super Minister Audu Ogbeh is talking about importation of grass to feed local herds rather than genuine development of the sector.
All Super minister Kemi Adeosun talks about is the success of the TSA, what happened to polices aimed at economic development and financial stability.
Even the hawks who hovered around the past administration now see no need to leave their nest. They are all advocates of gradual reforms.
Then President Fantastic Buhari, keeps talking about how much the past administration stole, and what they have recovered. where is the loot? The PDP government stole and they were kicked out however we need to move on and start governing Nigeria.
We have all waited for so long for change so President fantastic and his band of Super Ministers and advisers should shed the garment on change and wear that of “real governance”.
The APC government must sincerely live up to its electoral promises and stop the blame game.
Olawale Makanjuola is a social media enthusiast