I watched Barak Obama last week on the television in a repeat broadcast of his victory speech after his re-election. Of all the promises he made toAmerica, the one that meant much to me, and indeed, I guess to all Nigerians is that by the year 2015, theUSAwill cut down her dependence on foreign oil by more than 30% and his people applauded.
The year 2015 is so important toNigeriaand holds so much promise to her. It does not matter the direction of the promise. 2015 is also only 5 years away from the much talked about 2020- Nigerians’ magical year when all things would take their proper shape and every good thing will be available “nyafu nyafu”. The year 2015 is another election year. Thank GodNigeriahas been compelled by series of court and tribunal judgments to appreciate true elections and abandon selection which goes with impositions.
At least in some states where elections were either repeated or supplemented, the people, I mean the electorate had the choice or choice. Some Governors, Senators and assemblymen have even served upwards of two years before they were either told to go back and face the electorate for proper election by the tribunals or were thrown out completely so as to enthrone the rightfully elected person. That is assuming that there were no “Mago Mago” in the judgments. InNigeria, most people even though I don’t know of any exemption, go into elective offices, not for the services they intend to render, not because of their vision for the polity, not because of their sincerity of purpose but simply because of the gains of office which sums up only in power and wealth.
So for all those who would be part of the 2015 election rat race, Barack Obama has a message for you who do not know that the reference to foreign oil byAmericais toNigeria, their highest supplier.
Nigeriahas refused to diversify her economy but has stubbornly insisted on her oil mono economy. This complete and total reliance on oil narrowly escaped being part of our national pledge. And so Barack Obama spoke. When it is realized that wheneverAmericasneezes, the world catches cold and some add pneumonia, Africa andNigeriain particular add diarrhea to her ailments.
Yet, Obama was emphatic that America’s dependence on foreign oil would be cut and his message portends that Nigeria’s economy would receive a jolt due to the fall in the price of oil when the world’s largest and heaviest buyer will no longer be buying as much as before. This could even lead to their not buying anymore, eventually. Who knows?
If the Obama promise to hisAmericais to impact onNigeria, then it is high time we begin to adjust our economic bases and start looking for more sources of foreign currency earners. Unfortunately, all our other minerals which abound inNigeriahave been neglected or abandoned. Maybe they are being kept as reserves but since we do not see or know of any policy upon which to base this argument, we simply know that there is a gross act of negligence. Just the other day, flood came knocking at our doors and till date we are yet to come out of the shock of that devastation.
Our agriculture has since been neglected and hunger has become the order of the day. One morning in Owerri, the commonest staple food on the dinning table of the ordinary man, Garri, disappeared from the market and we were told that it was caused by the people fromBayelsaState, who, driven by the flood, swoop on Owerri and mopped up all the Garri so as to help out flood victims in Bayelsa.
I could not help laughing at such a laughable scenario. Just one week of flood and one day adventure into Owerri market and Garri became an essential commodity.
Meanwhile, our highly placed Minister for Agriculture is vowing and swearing that food shortage or scarcity due to the flood disasters will not occur inNigeriawhereas the thing is already here with us. Who knows when last his ministry carried out a market survey so as to keep abreast with market situation of commodities, their prices and effects on Nigerians? But Barak Obama’s speech today against tomorrow is clear. There may not be enough cake to share unless baking alternatives are sought out and perfected.
In 2015, our own dear Owelle Rochas Okorocha may re-contest in Imo or contest in the new state as proposed if eventually created. The electorate is jittery about 2015 and only need food and productive competence to allay their fears.
Thank God many commuities in Imo state are willing to donate their lands for the citing of theImoStateUniversity. Those lands for now could be turned into agricultural productive ventures and our teeming youths deployed gainfully so that by the time Obama’sAmericastops buyingNigeria’s oil, it will mean nothing to a people whose economy does not depend on oil but on agriculture.
To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Tomorrow’s regret is purely today’s neglect.
Apostle Ejike.
