New Generation Of Politicians Regards Money In The Treasury As Theirs – Falae

Nigeria is 65; however would you complaint our travel truthful far?

I americium disappointed that we are inactive wherever we are astatine 65. The information is that Nigeria is inactive acold beneath the level we expected it to be. In each sector, we are behind. In presumption of development, which includes education, security, and economy, we are acold down wherever we ought to be. So galore things are incorrect with us. Take, for instance, education; successful our days, we had dependable education. But today, erstwhile idiosyncratic presents himself oregon herself arsenic a professor, you wonderment which assemblage helium got his professorship from erstwhile helium speaks to you. We person half-baked graduates each implicit the place.

In presumption of security, radical are inactive being kidnapped connected our streets today. When I was a kid, I utilized to question to and fro from Lagos alone. Nothing happened to maine passim that time, but erstwhile I became a grandpa, I was kidnapped from my workplace present successful Ilu-Abo. There is nary moving h2o anywhere. We utilized to person moving h2o present successful Akure, but that has go a happening of the past. There is nary cardinal sewage strategy successful astir parts of the state isolated from Abuja. The question is, what has happened? What has changed successful the prime of enactment astatine each levels?

I had the privilege of reviewing Papa Ajasin’s autobiography aft I came retired of detention successful 1999. And I work successful the publication that Papa Adekunle Ajasin, erstwhile helium became the politician of Ondo State, had 2 cars of his own, which helium took with him to the Government House. Soon aft getting there, helium said helium gave 1 of the cars to his party, the UPN. They had nary car, truthful helium gave them 1 of his cars. Soon thereafter, the lone remaining car, the motor knocked. And Papa Ajasin said helium didn’t person wealth to repair that car. The politician of the authorities did not person the wealth to repair his car, which broke down.

And that was the concern by the clip the subject took implicit successful 1983. And Papa Ajasin was stranded successful the authorities house. He had nary means of returning to his location successful Owo. He had nary car. Today, if you are made president of a section authorities council, wrong 3 months, you volition person 2 beauteous cars.

Why didn’t Papa Ajasin person those cars? Because helium concentrated the state’s wealth connected the payment of the radical and connected escaped acquisition successful the state. And with the constricted resources they had, they electrified much than a 100 communities. They built a dam for water, etc. He established Ifon ceramics, Ikole brickworks, and acceptable up Owena slope wrong 4 years with precise small gross they had. Everything was spent connected the payment of the people. That’s wherefore Papa could not spend to repair his ain car. That has changed now.

I don’t cognize of immoderate politician today, successful immoderate portion of Nigeria, who, aft leaving office, volition not beryllium a billionaire.

Are you sure?

Yes! I deliberation that is becoming the standard. And that is precisely wherefore things are the mode they are. When the heads astatine each levels, federal, state, and local, are taking attraction of themselves, of course, the radical are getting poorer, by definition.

Has the state done good successful presumption of economy, security, and employment?

I’m atrocious I’m coating a precise bittersweet picture. But that’s the reality. I’m not saying determination was nary advancement since independence, of course, from 1 University College successful 1960 successful Ibadan, contiguous we astir apt person 5 oregon six 100 universities. I deliberation galore of them are so-called. The fig of graduates has accrued a thousand-fold. Forget astir the prime of what is coming out.

On employment, successful your last twelvemonth astatine the University College, Ibadan, large companies would travel from Lagos and Ibadan to interrogation students astir to graduate. And you would beryllium offered employment earlier your graduation. You conscionable had to prime and choose. But today, astir of the companies person near Nigeria.

Isn’t that sad?

Companies similar Dunlop and truthful galore others. Many of them person relocated to Ghana. Why? Because this situation is hostile to business. Power is unstable. It’s not affordable. There’s nary security. Infrastructure is lacking. The roadworthy is bad. So, each successful all, we’ve been precise poor.

Meanwhile, our colonisation is growing. The request for jobs is growing. The request for everything is increasing. Our capableness to nutrient is diminishing. It’s lone successful the northbound that the authorities authorities inactive gives agriculture a batch of attention. The governors person a batch of tractors for them. They springiness them a batch of inputs, including irrigation water, herbicides, and fertilizers that volition alteration their farmers to nutrient capable nutrient for themselves and for others. But down present successful the south, it is arsenic if this agriculture nary longer exists.

I people 2 roads present each year. From Ilu-Abo to my farm, that’s astir 20 kilometres. I people it with my money, and th...