BURNING POT BY PRINCE CHARLES DICKSON

BURNING POT BY PRINCE CHARLES DICKSON

Pipeline Security Officers Of Nigeria

"Waiting is painful. Forgetting is painful. But not knowing which to do is the worse kind of suffering". ~ Paulo Coelho

Karl Marx said that to conquer a nation you just have to block the transfer of values, morals and beliefs between generations.

Solomon said, in the holy books 'The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him.' (Proverbs 20:7 NKJV)

Our kids are like mirrors, they reflect what they see and it's hard for them to see anything good in the larger Nigerian society.

We live in a nation that is increasingly become a joke, the only comfort is that it can be viewed as a serious joke by a few. Taking us serious is increasingly becoming difficult. If we are not faced with the serious issue of the 'Facebook killers’, we are left to clown about whether our president drinks ogogoro or kaikai.

Karl Marx was bothered about the blocking of values, in this week’s admonition I am concerned about the kind of values, morals and beliefs that we are exposing the current generation to… Well, less I bore us; I would only say before I pour out my heart, those that have ears let them hear or 'they' may as well refer to me as 'them'.

While many battle to see the next day we are entertained by a retinue of presidential aides who not only are privileged to see the president but also to eat on his table, a N2BN table a year, off course, when Mr. President is not fasting.

Last month it became public knowledge what many of us knew, that we were buying peace, while massaging war. It was all over the media that billions were being paid ex-militants as contracts to protect pipelines. A newspaper banner aptly captured it 'millionaire ex-militants'.

Let us share these perspectives, how do we explain a society that justifies such bizarre arrangement, a Nigeria where you fill forms for YOUwin programs, while the real winners are militants both repented and serving.

How do we explain a society where you enroll for the National Directorate for Employment to learn a trade, when ex-militants go to places like Italy to study Mass Communication and welding?

How do we rationalize a nation where the super rich are the same politicians that are asking for belly belt tightening measures yet getting fed fat on the collective wealth of all? Responsible people struggling to eek out survival; their leaders terrorizing them with concubines/mistress/girlfriends and several wives, and affluence.

How do we explain to our children that between the bomb-throttling Boko Haram and government; an argument whether or not there is dialogue. These days, maybe not many know that most robbery gangs are made up of graduates of different classes from our various universities.

Whatever the line of justification, the president has said his government is willing and is talking with Boko Haram. I agree, it should, at least it talked, is talking and paying ex-militants. I hope they will talk with MASSOB, hope it will negotiate 'kidnappers haram' when that group registers its business.

Most of us reading me are members of a docile Nigerian society, our parents screamed at us and threatened us, they guided us and scolded us, we respected them to a sizable proportion, but we are equally held hostage by a growing generation that wants the television remote from us, they take the car keys for those with such luxuries. That generation will not be bean cake.

In our Nigeria, crime pays, it is no use overstating it, but for how long, I know a state that owes workers four months salary and the governor went-a-Germany, looking for investors. How do you explain the state that has spent N2bn plus feeding her citizens during Ramadan and now has left the same citizens hungry, after all Ramadan has come and gone?

I stand to be corrected, with unarguable facts, Barth-megawatt-Nnaji minister leaves, electricity drops, PHCN workers do thanksgiving, Barth says he resigned to protect Jonathan, FG says his resignation won't hurt privatization. Meanwhile NERC says immediately the rains stop, electricity will go with it. Just this small confusion explains the nation Nigeria.

All these goes on, while pipeline security officers collect their monies, one wonders the job of the police, army, navy, air force, civil defense, STF and JTF.

I will end this essay, with this short story; recently I was at the barbers' shop in the nation's capital grumbling as to why I had to have a hair cut for N500. Done with the haircut, I noticed a skinny character but oiled by some misplaced wealth.

He had a special assistant or so, at least the man had to be, the guy was holding a bag bulging with notes and phones, and that special assistant, had a personal assistant who clutched on to the clipper bag with some keys.

In local parlance, ‘to cut a long story short’, the least each person got was about N20,000, there were about 8 persons in the shop. After the bazaar, he left in a very big car like my son would say. I asked who he was, I was told, "you don't know chief ...chief T.

I have not mentioned any name, but the name starts with a T, he was/is a prominent pipeline security officer, that much I knew, did I also collect 'my share' or was there an urge to apply for the post/contract of pipeline security...? All I can say is welcome to the Federal Republic of Pipeline Security Officers...the kind of change we want is ours, a generation is watching, whether justified or not, only time will tell.