By Isah Aliyu Chiroma
“The message of reconciliation, of nation-building, of granting amnesty, indemnity, has struck a powerful, favorable chord. And people can understand that we’re here not for purposes of retribution but to forget the past and to build our country.”
Nelson Mandela
The withdrawal of subsidies, the swearing-in of the 10th National Assembly, the election of Godswill Akpabio as president of the senate, and Tajudeed Abbass as speaker are just a few of the events that have made headlines this week. As of right now, the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), both of whom are under investigation, have been suspended following the signing of the student loan bill. We were surprised by the action, and as citizens, we can now breathe easier knowing that our nation is in good hands.
To get a clear picture of where we’re going, we must first understand the significance of the president’s action, which resulted in the suspension of the CBN governor and the chairman of the EFCC. Their suspension is to allow for a proper investigation into their conduct while in office, and for the CBN governor, it follows the ongoing investigation of his office and the anticipated financial sector reforms.
Many times, life may present us with opportunities, but in the long run, our decisions will cause us pain. We change from the distinctive people we once were into something so novel that even ourselves are shocked by what we do. Living up to the expectations of the people is the most crucial aspect of being given the chance to serve your country. One must be extremely cautious while writing such histories about his actions, especially when taking critical stances.
There have been significant setbacks to the country’s economy as a result of some of the initiatives that the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefile, started. The naira redesign is one of the policies that is prominent. I recall a conversation I had with a peasant who often traveled to the city to sell his wares during those difficult times. At that time, he told me a sad tale in which the items were at the market but the customers were nowhere to be found. He claimed that the previous time he visited the city, he was unable to sell anything and had to borrow money from someone to pay for his transportation home. This is only one of the numerous stories that have affected people’s lives. What can we say, though, is that we are grateful to have survived those uncomfortable moments. But in order to provide a whole tale of those unsettling moments, we must look back on people’s lives and hear their own perspectives.
For Abdulrasheed Bawa, the head of the EFCC, it was the claims of abuse of power. After greeting the former governor of Zamfara State, Muhammad Bellow Matawalle, accused him in an interview with BBC Hausa of asking for $2,000,000. The EFCC chairman refuted the accusation made against him by the former governor. However, after the inquiry is complete, we will hear the entire side of the tale.
However inaccurate our portraits of them were, those portraits do suggest, not only the conditions, but the quality of their work over the years they had been in office and the impact of their policies on our consciences. The distinction will be obvious enough at this time to help us determine what we need as a country rather than what is thrown at us after our most difficult periods in our nation’s history to the course we are sailing. On this new match’s road to awaken our history, crucial actions must be taken that occasionally may benefit some and occasionally even capture the recruiters of the new government.
Every action done by the new administration marks the beginning of the creation of a new Nigerian, and those actions will be crucial in determining the direction of our future. According to the president’s recent selections, it seems that the jobs’ actual owners have been brought on board. The fact is that we must work together and assemble the team members who can contribute from their depth of knowledge in order to paint the ideal portrait of the society we seek.
We must have the patience to endure in this newly created climate and the battle that will mold who we become. At some time, we could feel like giving up because of how easy it will be to fall into the prison reality of this shift. When we hit our elastic limit, which happens frequently during growth, our patience in waiting for the shift to take place acts as the engine that keeps us going. Many individuals may be opposed to the atmosphere, especially if it appears to be condensed to them, but the rain will undoubtedly follow the cloud.
We still clearly recall the president’s inauguration address, which stated that his administration would be run in accordance with the law and the constitution. The only way we can have an eternal solution in the public sector is to bring anybody found guilty to court in order to achieve this. Someone will always take action to do anything if an offender is located but not punished since the person he is looking at has never received punishment.
If we must change our country, then we must be ready to embrace what the change will come with, both the bitterness and the sweatness side of it. But in the long run, those steps taken will be of importance to the citizens, which generations to come will also benefit. Because no one is above the law, I gently suggest that the current administration maintain its composure, live up to the great expectations of its constituents, and deliver justice to the country.
We are rooted to see the Nigeria of our dreams, a good dream as we travel through this time of transformation. Yes, we can!