Oil subsidy removal

Oil subsidy removal: The President, His Tiny Faction and the Majority of Us

Yaro Dangari

“Nothing is more revolting than the majority; for it consists of few vigorous predecessors, of knaves who accommodate themselves, of weak people who assimilate themselves, and the mass that toddles after them without knowing in the least what it wants”.. - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The oil subsidy palaver is the hottest debate and the most talked about issues in Nigeria. Its proponents are waging propaganda on us daily to support the oppressive idea proposed by the present Goodluck Ebele Jonathan administration.

I find it unbelievable that our Coordinating Minister for Economy and Finance could weep to convince Nigerians to accept this repressive plan. “What we are asking you Nigerians to do is to give us a chance", the press quoted her. "We know there is lack of confidence in government. We need to rebuild the trust. Even those of us in government are tired of complaining. We can’t succeed without you. Give us chance to perform and see if we can make that change” she said.

Thank God, our dear Minister has acknowledged the loss of confidence in the Government and the suspicion of the policies and promises by our politicians. Perhaps the Minister and advocates of this unpopular plan are not really listening to the voices of Nigerians. No one seems to be hearing the cries of our mothers and wives on the high costs of kerosene, garri, masara, dawa, elubo and other foodstuffs. Yet, the removal of the subsidy will only skyrocket the prices of these commodities.

It appears also that the President and his supporters have not considered the lamentations of the majority of Nigerians about the crazy yearly increase of house rents across the country. They have not felt the pains we go through in the hands of overzealous transport owners as we try to travel daily to work, markets and schools. They have failed to comprehend that we are already tired of this long fruitless journeys of promises and failures.

We say NO! to this one-sided plan that is already causing serious hardship in many homes. Those supporting this plan, I believe, are not being sincere. if not, the poor states of our roads, hospitals, schools, dying industries and retrogressing villages should have illustrated how government plans and policies on oil sector have failed us in the past.

I think it is important for the President to listen to the masses to prevent igniting the fires that cannot be extinguish easily and to stop the revolution that the President warned against few weeks ago. The President must see beyond a narrow view and understand that unpopular policies have always been the catalyst for the downfall of governments that failed to listen to the people. I suggest that the President and his cabinet should be grateful to Nigerians for their votes and not punishing them with hash economic policies.

Some thoughtful questions for those in support of this anti-people polices are:

Do they really have control over the pump price of petroleum product in the country?
Do they have the will and clout to tame the elusive cabal that are ripping us off and benefiting greedily from this collective wealth?
Do they truthfully have the patriotic zeal to deregulate this important sector of our economy for the good of the country?
Has it really occurred to them that no government can succeed if it depends solely on oil to revive the economy, initiate development and rebuild its infrastructure?
Do they put into consideration that this planned oil subsidy removal is wrongly timed given the insecurity and our yet to recover economic meltdown?

The Government should know that we owe it as a responsibility to see that we all enjoy the free natural wealth bequeathed to us by God. Right now Nigerians have said no to this unnecessary government policy and it is imperative for the legislature and the judiciary to compel the President and his team to listen to the wishes of the people.