The Consequences of things do not always corroborate with the magnitude of the event that has caused them. Forexample, it would be ‘nostradamesque’ to predict that the assassination of the Archduke of Austria, Franz Ferdinand, would have caused one of the greatest wars on earth thus far, mainly The First World War .
Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa is on edge. Notorious for corruption at all levels has been recently stricken with Acts of Terrorism from the self-acclaimed group Boko Haram. Nigeria, albeit Africa’s biggest oil producer, imports refined petrol due to mismanagement and lack of resources to refine oil
into petrol and other fuels. Many pundits affirm that Nigerians regard cheap fuel as the only benefit they get from the nation’s oil wealth.
Then on the Dawn of 2012, Jonathan Goodluck does the unthinkable: A Removal of a fuel subsidy, which in turn causes petrol prices and transport fares to double.
Let’s look at the numbers:

If gas price goes from 3.25 $ a gal to nearly 7$ a gal in the US, it is almost guaranteed that America will undergo a revolution. So the anger is justified. Folks are allowed to march. But I SEE BEYOND THAT.
The subsidy removal, like the assassination of Franz could possible be the event that sets a cascade of revolution in Subsaharian Africa. We have just witnessed the Arab spring in 2011. Lo and behold, in 2012 the movement spreads south, until, from Cairo to CapeTown, Africa is purged of its malaise, mainly a phenomenon comparable to “an Ostwald Ripening” where the wealthy over time strip the poor into poverty, by bypassing, amending, disrespecting the constitution when they see fit.
Most may direct their anger at President Goodluck, for his failed policies and his inability to protect Nigerians from Boko Haram. But I propose something slightly different, perhaps even revolutionary.
I say thank you Jonathan. You’re the good luck Nigeria has been waiting for. For the first time, since I can recall, a decision from the top, the highest office, has in a very direct way affected, the ailing people at the lowest of the lowest. This is important, because in Nigeria, like in most other african countries, citizens are so far removed from the political process. So far in that when they are passionately involved, the majority of them of course, it is for the wrong reasons. Now the subsidy removal, in a singular way, I can assure you, will engage an electoral process that is based on substance and plans of the candidate, rather than tribe affiliation. And in such cases, indifference, which has been rampant in the citizen predisposition to its leaders (at home and abroad), raises questions of sanity.
Randall Terry said “Most of the Ten Commandments are negative. The purpose of Law is not to mandate good behavior. That concept comes from a REVOLUTION” precisely the French One. In the words of a Nigerian Activist Japheth Omojuwa himself, a personal inspiration in the twitter world for me as well: “NIGERIA HAS JUST EARNED HERS”

Like this:
Like Loading...