In history, Nigeria has not experienced a government as corrupt, ridiculous, unfaithful, structurally weak, deceitful, and unproductive as the Mr. Goodluck led administration. An administration that promises its populace a thing, and present to them another thing, an administration that has find pleasure in telling lies and defending imbalances, an administration that finds it delightful to enforce masses unfriendly policies on the people, an administration that has been marked with growing insecurity which has become intrinsic to the nation, an administration that has relegated the foreign reputation Nigeria built for decades in less than four years of misrule, an administration that accommodates various forms of mismanagement of public funds, an administration most unwanted by Nigerians.
Even though we all see Mr. Goodluck at the head of it all, apparently, the administration is not a one man show; it’s a group of selected few with like-minds. There are instruments (persons) who carry out various duties in this administration, but with a central focus on creating good image without good deeds. Amongst these instruments is Rueben Abati, Special Adviser to President on Media and Publicity, a young adult who started well in life but along the line missed it. Until Abati was invited by Abuja, he was a popular activist writer, his journalism career was at the peak when he was with Guardian Newspaper; Abati wrote on various political issues in the nation, he spoke the minds of the people, he antagonized the government with his pen, he wrote against bad leaders like Alameseiya, and his deputy, who is now Nigeria’s president- Mr. Goodluck, he ensured he addressed salient political issues in his column on Guardian Newspaper, but unfortunately, Abati, the onetime journalist who wrote to build hope in the minds of the masses, have turned a beast against the masses.
Abati as the presidential spokesman, is one of the major instruments that have weaken the hope of the masses, delivered very watery and unobjective statements that are direct opposite of what he stood for as a journalist, Abati has made confusing and controversial releases, he has lost his integrity for money, he has lost his credibility among the masses because of his association with the corrupt leadership, the masses have lost confidence in him because of he has turned out to be a commercial liar. Today, Abati, the former journalist is now a commercial liar. Nigerians need to stand against commercial liars like Abati, it is not enough to make our grievances known online, taking the message to the streets to claim Nigeria’s future from the hands of looters, irresponsible leaders and commercial liars like Abati; opportunists who have continued to mess with potentials and actualities of the nation. If the government claim it’s too resilient to change, Nigerians must also make the government understand they are too addicted to change to compromise. The ruling elites are very few, in number, they cannot be compared to the least populated state in Nigeria; but as few as they are, they have succeeded in mismanaging this nation for decades, to the extent that immoralities are been accepted as been moral, bribery is justifiable e.t.c., the masses must take a dogged advantage of their number to wage a peaceful battle for change in this nation.
We are not a part of the country but the policies made by the leadership affect us all, they reach the very foundation of our lives. The long thirst for change in Nigeria cannot be filled at any time than now, the future we crave is not a particular time yet to come, but what we are meant to do but are not doing, thus we are all it takes to experience the Nigeria of our dreams. Uniting is crucial at this time, there are more potential Abati, but placing Nigeria above ourselves is most important at this time.
As elections are drawing near, buying people’s interest with money is a common approach by our political leaders- again, there are some other potential Abati yet to be discovered, but we must be certain that whatever has a beginning must have an end, there’s a serious change process in the Nigeria political system, and all antagonist of change will be uncontrollably swept away by the breeze of change. Structurally, Nigeria government is increasingly growing weak, this sad truth doesn’t affect the looters, and it affects the common man. At this point, don’t compromise Nigeria’s future for stipend, Nigeria’s future is later than money, and not even the president can take hold of our future. we have waited this long under this cruel leadership to get to this election season, and must ensure we rebuild this nation by not giving support to failed leaders; get their money, it belongs to us all, but vote against them, don’t surrender and turn a commercial liar like Abati.
Written By Rotimi Ogungbola