SHAME TO NIGERIAN LEADERS AS AKON PROVIDES ELECTRICITY TO 600 MILLION AFRICANS 

I am totally at rage with African leaders in general. I am equally at rage with the Nigerian Government and its leaders. Nigeria has been labeled as African Giant for over 40 years. She is so rich as Africa is a blessed nation in all ramifications of life and its existence, but corruption has eaten deep into every facet of life in the country.

I was opportune to be amongst those born in the 70s and during my early time, there was hardly a light-out for a day in Nigeria.

But it is now ridiculous and degrading for the government of Nigeria with a population of over 160 million  to ignore a total black-out in the country. The government has never provided  one month of constant electricity to its citizens for over 50 years since independence.

While I was  growing up, I  was  always  told that I shall  one day be one of the leaders oftomorrow but today, there has never been a chance given to my generation to become leaders except for those whose parents have connections.

It has always been the same government, same leaders and same political parasites and power- driven political extremists.

Surprisingly, I doubt if I have ever grown a year older since I was born. I think say I don enter one chance bus for my government .

The leaders since  independence are so corrupt and insincere to their people. For over 50 years after independence, they cannot provide electricity for over 160 million bona-fide citizens of a great country like Nigeria. It is however a shame that a single entrepreneur, AKON, could single handedly provide electricity for 600 million people in Africa.

It is more painful that this is happening as Nigeria is paying a senator over N340 million in a year. This means that a Nigerian senator can give a whopping sum of  $400, 000 as pocket money per annum to Barrack Obama, the American president. Meanwhile,  the masses that voted  them into power become a third class citizens in their  own  country with the average Nigerian hanging on less than two dollars a day, 60 dollars a month and 720 dollars per annum. It is so humiliating.

I am really at rage, why can't Nigerians have constant electricity?

Yes of course! It is without doubt, corruption cannot be totally eliminated in the country, even the western world has its own economic crises and other pressing problems but they do not lack infrastructure, good roads and electricity. Spain has been in recession for years, Italy is also facing its own problem while the Greeks are presently battling with a financial bailout for its debt relief. All these country are not as richly blessed as Africa or Nigeria in terms of natural resources, but they have never had a 60-minute or 24 hours black out.

In my own opinion, this is so disgraceful to our leaders or to any of our past and present government. They have all ruled us in the past and are still ruling as at present, if they cannot provide electricity to the people of Nigeria within four years of their tenure, then they have all failed Nigerians as a whole.

Africa is blessed throughout the   year with sunlight and wind, these are sources of energy, we have the fund and resources to bring light to every home in Nigeria irrespective of whether they live in the rural or urban area of the country. And do you think we don't have the funds to bring constant light to Nigerians? Let's do a simple mathematics; multiply 109 senators by N360 million, even my calculator could do a total sum up.

Only 109 senators earn the equivalent of three or more years total budget of Nigeria in a year. Therefore who is fooling who? Can't the Nigerian leaders see that   the masses are no longer blind as we can now see through our noses that we have been fooled for over 50 years after independence?

Akon  is an African from Senegal, an American singer and an entrepreneur, yet he is not as rich as the so-called Nigerian wealthy men and women but he is providing electricity for 600 million people in  Africa.  AKON is a single man whom God has touched to give back to the people. I am at rage, and so is God  for the words of an innocent man is the word of God.

Furthermore, the youths that were told that they would be leaders of tomorrow are now the slaves of circumstances today, wallowing in poverty and hunger around the continent, seeking greener pastures elsewhere. This is in spite of the abundance in their motherland, but they are forced by situation  to enslave themselves  in order to survive.

My conclusion, if this present Government would be kind enough and reasonable with conscience, then, all those involved in the down fall of Nigeria should be probed, from the military dictators to past and present governments. Those abroad should be brought back to the country and punished as well. That I think would make President Buhari  policy of zero tolerance for corruption to have a niche and significant impact  on the lives of the innocent citizens.

Furthermore, if this present government can   bring electricity to the whole country, just like mobile telecommunication was brought  to the country a decade ago, it would be the greatest achievement that any government would ever bring to the people of Nigeria since independence. And this will  never be forgotten in the history of our great country Nigeria.

Written by Ademola Omoboriowo, a journalist and founder of Advocacy for Nigeria and Constant Electricity.