Spirit of discussion

Recently, our leaders have been discussing power shift issues with a kind of zeal that prompts forgetfulness as to why they were voted into those offices. Sufficient time is spent in struggling to be relevant when what should be done to be relevant in scheme of things is often neglected. The discussion about power struggle […]

Recently, our leaders have been discussing power shift issues with a kind of zeal that prompts forgetfulness as to why they were voted into those offices. Sufficient time is spent in struggling to be relevant when what should be done to be relevant in scheme of things is often neglected. The discussion about power struggle could continue as long as the universe exists. It will never better our lot as hard working people who aspire to greatness of other nations. This spirit of discussion that inspires gravitation towards the urgent and negligence of the important has been our curse since independence.  In this fourth republic that has been shaped by the digital age, media has fuelled the frenzy more than any other.    We hardly get feedback from elected officials who are either performing or not with ego of a monarch.  I don’t blame them for that, Nigerians have encouraged the culture.  The spirit of discussion is not about interest of people at heart it is about endless tales of power sharing and struggle for dominance.  We want to see outcome of good governance and not power sharing by several government officials.  We have been distracted with stick and carrot in a childlike manner that is often flagrantly irritating with this spirit of discussion.  There are several ways to cure madness but I am very sure of one method. Do not follow the trending issues in Nigeria’s government. The budget amendment is one issue which was very crucial to the development of this country.
After the Rivers State crises came up, the House of Representatives left the issue like their elder brother the Senate to die down from minds of Nigerians.  I am not clamouring for a monotonous and obsessive kind of treatment of important issues as to neglect side issues.  There should be a system of taking account from both Houses who are making the laws concerning every good citizen. I don’t believe they have immunity to distraction or slightest control of the invisible hands. We could exercise caution as adults who can control their attention span to positive achievements.
The amendment should once be revisited with good spirit of discussion which would engender the development of this country.  We still have bad roads, and infrastructures. We still have locked universities from strike. We still have hospitals that are yet to upgrade to international standards. These series of underdevelopment is having sociological implications on the country.  It takes too long for problems to be solved; even when they are solved the scars will never fade away.  We should cut our losses in prompt and sensible judgments so it won’t be a loss/loss situation. In the case of government universities on strike, the government loses. They pay salaries while staffs are cosy in the comfort of their homes. The lecturers on their own part suffer some rustiness by not exercising their brains. The students’ time are wasted. Nobody wins   I have never heard these leaders discuss about building the next power plant or hospital for two hours.
Unekwu Peters Onyilo, Lokoja <[email protected]>;