By Chris Okobah Ph.D
The Nigerian government's recent approval of 155 billion Naira to purchase and distribute foodstuffs nationwide has sparked significant controversy and criticism. This decision is misguided and irresponsible, raising serious questions about the government's priorities and approach to addressing the nation's pressing issues. Given Nigeria's numerous challenges, including economic instability, decaying infrastructure, and inadequate social services, this allocation of funds appears to be yet another attempt to enrich the political elite while neglecting the needs of ordinary citizens.
The allocation of 155 billion Naira for food distribution does little to address the root causes of poverty and economic hardship in Nigeria. While short-term relief in food aid might provide temporary respite, it fails to create sustainable solutions that empower citizens to improve their living conditions. Nobel laureate Amartya Sen argues, "Development consists of the removal of various unfreedoms that leave people with little choice and little opportunity of exercising their reasoned agency." In this context, the government's action does not foster development but perpetuates dependency and helplessness among the populace.
This move comes in the wake of other questionable expenditures, such as the billions invested in changing from the national anthem to the old national anthem abandoned in 1977, the billions spent reconstructing the vice president's residence, and the budget allocated for purchasing a new aircraft for the president. These expenditures highlight a troubling pattern of prioritizing the comfort and luxury of political leaders over the needs of the citizens. They are a testament to the fact that the leaders are predators feasting on their citizens. As Chinua Achebe aptly noted in his seminal work "The Trouble with Nigeria ." The Nigerian problem is fundamentally a failure of leadership: "The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership.
There is nothing wrong with the Nigerian character. There is nothing wrong with Nigerian land, climate, water, air, etc. The Nigerian problem is the unwillingness or inability of its leaders to rise to the responsibility, to the challenge of personal example, which are the hallmarks of true leadership."
Furthermore, the decision to spend such a vast sum on food distribution ignores the critical need for investment in Nigeria's infrastructure and public services. The country's roads, healthcare, education, and power systems need repair and modernization. For instance, the healthcare system is notoriously underfunded and ill-equipped, leading to poor health outcomes for millions of Nigerians.
According to the World Health Organization, Nigeria has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, a grim indicator of the state of its healthcare services. Similarly, the educational system suffers from inadequate funding, outdated curricula, and insufficient facilities, hindering the country's development potential.
In the face of these systemic issues, the government's decision to allocate 155 billion Naira to food distribution can be seen as a tactic to distract the public from the real problems.
It is a move that does not "rejig the economy," Instead, it is a temporary fix that does nothing to put money in the hands of the poor citizens, fix the roads, or restructure the decayed institutions. As economist Milton Friedman once said, "One of the great mistakes is to judge policies and programs by their intentions rather than their results." The intention behind the food distribution might be to provide relief, but the result is a continuation of poverty and dependency.
The larger question arises from this situation: where is Nigeria heading? The government's actions suggest a trajectory leading the country toward further economic and social decline. The leadership sends the country into an abyss by prioritizing self-enrichment and superficial fixes over substantive reforms. Former South African President Nelson Mandela once warned, "There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than how it treats its children."
The Nigerian government's current policies reveal a troubling disregard for the future of its citizens, particularly the younger generation, who will inherit the consequences of today's decisions.
The Nigerian government's approval of 155 billion Naira for food distribution is a misguided and irresponsible move that fails to address the country's real challenges. It enriches the political elite at the expense of meaningful development and perpetuates a cycle of dependency and poverty among the masses.
To ensure a brighter future for all Nigerians, the government needs leaders willing to invest in sustainable solutions, such as infrastructure, healthcare, education, and other critical sectors. Without such leadership, Nigeria risks descending further into economic and social instability, a path that benefits everyone except those in power.
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Opinion