Just To Ponder And Reflect!

History can be a veritable tool that brings to the fore; past events, present realities and projection of the future. It holds the promise of presenting alternatives for informed decisions. It is commonly said that anyone who refuses to take lesson from history, he is bound to be punished by it.

In the recent past, former President Goodluck Jonathan was the Nigerian leader who discovered subsidy on petroleum products as evil. In his reign, he advocated so much for its removal and took frantic efforts towards its actualisation via sensitisation, campaigns, threats, etc. When it became evident of not being achievable at the spot, he sow the seed for future harvest.

Successive administrations adopted the plan and ensured steady growth of the seeds through irrigation up to harvest. Now, the farm produce are brought hime. The life of the common man has not been the same since the commencement of this historic journey.

In the wave of public outcry about the "popular" policy, the then Minister of Information and Communication, Mr. Labaran Maku granted an interview to BBC Hausa radio station and took time to explain deliverables of the removal. In his expatiation, he said it's just like a father having a sick baby, ordinarily, the baby would resist medicine but the father has to dispense on the baby for him to be healthy. After years of struggle to dispense on Nigerians, we're still down.

To my understanding, from former President Goodluck Jonathan to Muhammadu Buhari down to President Bola Tinubu, none demonstrated genuine readiness to clean the mess of massive corruption in the petroleum sector before the removal of the subsidy for the effects to be less on the populace. The attention has just being to remove and have more revenue in the coffers of the government. The recent massive protests by PENGASSAN and the actions, inactions or reactions of the government is still fresh in minds.

The experiences gained with regards to the unfolding developments at the Nigeria's petroleum industry from 2011 to date and beyond, positives and negatives, history should do justice to Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and his collaborators for being the architects.

May Nigeria succeed.
Lawan writes from Hausawa Asibiti Ward, Potiskum Yobe State. He can be reached via [email protected].