Budget 2012: Rubbing salt on our collective injury by Olufemi Adebiyi

The average honest Nigerian is the subject of this piece. He is currently injured physically, spiritually, emotionally and financially. As if these are not enough, his ability to rationalise events and move on, in spite of all the odds, is now being abused by those who should counsel him not to lose hope. He wakes up not sure of what a new day has in stock for him – whether or not he would be able to survive the day in the light of deteriorating security in the land. The day he summons courage to go out, not only is he unsure what lies in the field, he is full of apprehension and prayers, all at the same time, to return home intact. The day he chooses to remain at home, the epileptic power supply makes life unbearable. He runs to the church or mosque to find solace; there also, if he is not afraid of the terrorists’ bombs, he is thinking of how he can cope with, or escape so much ungodliness and worldliness that have now taken over what ought to be holy places.

The average Nigerian is believed by many to be educated, yet those who govern him treat him and relate with him as if he has never been to school. Or, what can you make of the melodrama surrounding the fuel subsidy saga? The tongue of the Nigerian has been waggling as to how a budget line could be over-spent by more than 500 per cent in an election year without the chief executive and driver of the budget knowing. Despite his current low estate, the Nigerian still has his senses intact and is waiting to see how the whole matter will end. He is interested in knowing whether the Nigerian CEO was ignorant of this unusual and unprecedented budget variance or whether he simply turned his eyes the other way to enable the spending spree serve a pre-determined and intended purpose.

Then, we have the unprecedented appointment of the wife of a sitting president as Permanent Secretary in Bayelsa State. While agreeing that the Permanent Secretary position is now a political appointment which the governor of a state has the power to make (no thanks to one of the most unfortunately reforms that destroyed the once globally acknowledged best civil service in Africa), it would have been nice to know what her last career position was before taking sabbatical for her first lady role. The Nigerian should have been spared the justification and rationalisation by the beneficiary of this unusual act, but no; he must be further insulted because it is assumed he has lost his senses to the rat race he is now forced to run. This was the nutrient-deficient meal the Nigerian was still struggling with on his now contaminated and germ-laden plate when the story broke that a piece of land once allocated to a former First Lady with proper documentation, has now been re-allocated to another First Lady, both of the same party. As a matter of fact, the latter used to be the second in command to the former. Although this matter is in the court (or is it for out-of-court settlement), the Nigerian feels he should be spared this type of insult, which is driving him to insanity because all attempts to justify this, rather than blow the particles away, are turning them to sediments.

Of all the special projects started by Nigeria’s ‘First Ladies, right from the time of the late Mrs. Mariam Babangida, who brought glamour and attention to this constitutionally unrecognised office, how many of them are still alive? Who said the one the incumbent is pursuing, which is now bringing her in conflict with her predecessor, will outlive her? Instead of hurting her former boss the more (having lost her husband in office – otherwise he probably would still be president now in his second term), shouldn’t the Christian in her prevail – even if the Abuja politicians are nudging her to the contrary? Well, as my late mother used to say, ‘the cane that was used in beating the senior wife is still in custody for the junior one’.

You can see how badly injured the Nigerian’s sensibility is. But as if that is not enough, the National Assembly is now rubbing insult on this wound with its action on the 2012 budget. It started at first like a “suffering and smiling” matter (apologies to the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti) for the Nigerian until the House of Representatives bared its teeth at the Presidency. It became a matter for deep regret, when the Senate, known for its usually mature and calculated interventions, also joined the fray, threatening the Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to appear before it. What was the matter? That a budget that was passed in April had only been implemented by less than 40 per cent; that the minister lied by canvassing a figure of 56 per cent; that the Executive must know that it (the Legislature) has the statutory power to do what it is doing! Haba! And when the minister eventually appeared, the lawmakers swallowed the humble pie. The questions that popped up at my face are: What does it take to be properly educated over a subject matter before blowing your top in ignorance? Is financial allocation and spending equivalent to budget implementation or value-for-money projects that can be verified? Given the huge deficit in the 2012 budget, shouldn’t someone know that 100 per cent implementation depends on government’s ability to source funds for the deficit? Even if such funds are available, when has Nigeria suddenly transformed to a perfect economy with the capacity to implement her budget 100 per cent?

Please, we need sanity in this land. We know, in the words of John Maxwell, that a person who becomes a leader by virtue of his position should grow up to it, otherwise he cannot claim to be a leader. Our legislators should use their positions judiciously. In exercising their power to summon citizens, there should be mutual respect at such meetings. It is basic courtesy that when you ask someone a question, you allow him to answer. Interjecting him while still speaking does not suggest civility. Our legislators, who truly are our representatives, should always remember that the average Nigerian is a courteous person and that should be reflected in the discharge of their functions. In areas where there are knowledge gaps, they should make efforts to fill the gaps.

The recent noise on budget implementation amounts to rubbing salt on the injury of the Nigerian. Such should not happen again. In the words of one of my professor friends: “The illiterates of the 21 century are not those who have never been to school, but those who refuse to learn, unlearn and re-learn.” I commend this word of wisdom to all our leaders – whether at the Federal, State or Local Government levels. Readers are leaders, and knowledge is power. Our leaders must spend more time developing themselves and deepening their intellectual capacity. It is a requirement for outstanding leadership in this century.

Olufemi Adebiyi | adebiyifemi@gmail.com