Perhaps there is a ray of hope after enduring the combined rulership of many years of torturous change, which was at the inception led by the late President Buhari. Currently, some might argue—I suppose we all know, right?—one cannot ignore President Tinubu’s impact, whether palatable or not. However, it would be most reckless to simply tag the current administration completely rotten.
You probably want to ask, “Hey, Mr., what has the Tinubu administration done to you? Can’t you see the roads in Abuja, scholarship efforts, reduction of foreign debts, security efforts, etc.?” My response goes thus: “Let’s talk about how food prices have since become a threatening giant. The naira is out there dancing shamelessly amongst its peers. The government says I am no longer hungry because the GDP has put on some weight, and there is the 2027 election chorus, which has become more popular on the lips of our political class than our national anthem…” I am struggling to hold back tears.
The truth is, I too have had to lead a group of individuals who almost took away my sanity but for God’s mercy. My role was not even close to that of a local government councillor. All I had to do then was help keep the company’s store intact. I can only imagine what it feels like to be the head of over two hundred million humans—actually, two hundred and thirty million people with demands.
Today, I am less concerned about APC’s Achilles’ heel. I think Mr. Sowore speaks to that effect. Five years ago, I took a job somewhere in Onitsha. At my workplace, we had quite a number of tanker trailers saddled with product distribution activities. Just outside the company’s entrance lies a makeshift office with an inscription that reads “NUPENG.” That office sold nothing, but they never closed shop. However, only recently, like many Nigerians, I was forced to dig into NUPENG. Like the Gen Z’s would say, “NUPENG dey zuzu.” Then came NUPENG’s big brother, known as PENGASSAN, an association that owns no product whatsoever but has the capacity to call for a strike action against those who dare to invest.
I have come to learn that NUPENG simply refers to the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, and PENGASSAN is the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria. Together, they claim to have done Nigerians the favour of securing the rights of oil workers. They’ve also taken on the role of a regulator, policing and that of an employer. In clear terms, it’s like an ordinary football fan dishing out instructions to a football coach concerning what player to field in a game and what player not to.
So, what is the role of government in all of this? To begin with, I must confess that the Tinubu administration did a fantastic job by letting Dangote do the refining of our crude. It gives me pride to know that our crude oil is now refined here. It gladdens my heart to know that beyond the usual songs of “our politicians are evil,” we can all see that there are also those who wish Nigerians to come to their knees if they don’t get what is theirs- free rent. For them, it is profit over humanity, sabotage over meaningful dialogue, era of long queues over a workable system. Kudos to the President for stepping in very clear terms. An association of non-producers who have nothing significant to lose shouldn’t be dictating the code of play. What do I know? I am not alleging. This is only but an opinion. I may be wrong, but my instinct tells me that I am more likely to be right in my assertion.
– Olayinka Kayode
Lagos, Nigeria.
