I AM NO LONGER NIGERIAN

Hello everyone,

Thank you so much for reading the last post which gave more insight on the Big Brother 2020 contestants. I see you all and thanks for your support.

 Can we talk about the situation of our beloved country Nigeria for a short minute? This week has been replete with news of the decay in our country politically, economically and in all other aspects. 

Things are not looking up and for once, all my friends in Canada are taunting me that I should have joined them when I had the chance. I used to tell them I love it here in Nigeria but all of a sudden, I do not have that confidence anymore, it is lost.

 

THE NIGERIAN FLAG Formerly of greatness

I have never been an advocate of brain drain or permanent migration to another country. This may be borne out of my stance of deep loyalty to Nigeria or maybe the underlying fear of the possibility of being treated like a second class citizen in a white man's land. I have had  eye-opening experiences with some foreign people here in Nigeria and their perception of a black person does not sit right with me so I feel like I am more grounded at home here in Nigeria than anywhere else. 

 Even as much as I love visiting Dubai, that's all I want to do, go visit and come back home. Nigeria is always home but these days, not so much. Even Dubai is no longer a fan of the high-spending Nigerians, thanks to the favourite delinquent friend of the politicians, hushpuppy.

What prompted today's topic was the news that FIRS (Federal Inland Revenue Service) has ordered all property owners and their agents to charge a whooping 6% stamp duty on all tenancy and lease agreements with tenants. Why? As if the agency commission and other annoying additions on rents are not enough! So now, to rent an apartment will be such a herculean task for everyone even without an increase in income level or any economic reprieve. Why should people pay additional levies when the government cannot even account for the current taxes we are paying? All they do is to siphon funds and divert them for personal aggrandizement at the expense of the Nigerian population.

You know who bears the brunt for all these evil policies? The masses and let me tell you something, you and I are now masses. If you notice that your expenses have risen because prices of food commodities have gone up, you are masses my dear. You are masses baje baje. If you notice that you now fear for your dwindling savings and wonder how you are going to survive without a steady alternative source of income, you mass bro. 

We see this everyday and it's Norm (Akinfadeyi foundation)

 This week as well, Sanwo-Olu, the governor of Lagos State approved a hike in bus fares. Please does this price hike affect Sanwo-Olu's families? No, it only affects the masses which includes you and myself. Yes, I drive a car but these things come back to bite us in our innocent asses. Let me break it down because we cannot even eat ordinary plantain the way we used to anymore.

The market woman who sells food items in Lagos has to take several buses to Ketu or Mile 12 to purchase items in bulk and sell at a price that will enable her earn reasonable profit. If she takes multiple expensive buses to Ketu, she will definitely spread that cost on her items and you have to pay what she puts as selling price to shop for the home except you are ready to start planting your own food produce. Good luck with that. Does your home even have the space? We are all living in cupboards in this Lagos.

Is it even fair to hike prices and introduce stamp duties in a “corona economy” when the population is 45% unemployed? Businesses are not running at full capacity and the entire nation is cowering under the pressure of a pandemic. Why are those in government not affected by this? They have amassed money they did not work for so they can obviously afford any exorbitantly-priced items. Have you heard the amount of money that is unaccounted for every single day amongst these politicians? They steal in dollars, they steal in properties, they steal in the billions, they embezzle the citizen’s entitlements and these are all daylight robberies because they steal with impunity with no one to bring them to account. We all saw the one that fainted during a probe this week and a slew of all these corrupt people in power have gone the route of feigning injury or sudden sicknesses to get away from scrutiny until we all forget about them.

 

NDDC'S MD faints during a probe for fraud. "Feints"

 Our problems as Nigerians include forgetfulness, corruption and cowardice amongst a host of other developmental flaws that will not help us grow if we do not re-consider our ways. Someone once said that for Nigeria to be great again, a revolution has to happen and in revolutions, thousands if not millions will die. No single Nigerian is ready to die for Nigeria, myself included. I do not want to die for my country because they may share money during the fight and everyone will go back to status quo.

What’s going to happen with this new levy of 6% stamp duty on property acquisitions is that it will also be squandered by either the government, the housing agents or even landlords because let’s face it, the average Nigerian is corrupt.

So back to my title, at this point, I have given up on Nigeria. I never thought I would ever say this but looking at how the country was when I was a child compared to now, the rot is too deep. Let’s not even talk about the religious sect of the country, another arm of the country oppressing the masses but let’s not get heretical. 

It is time to either fight or take flight. I am not a fighter, I am a lover, most especially a lover of life and enjoyment. So just like the coward that I am as a true Nigerian before before, I am also running away from Nigeria at the slightest chance I get as soon as the international airways open unless something gives even if it is a niche. Electricity, education, youth empowerment, grassroot growth, industrial development and other structures that serve as the bulwark foundation of an economy are non-existent in Nigeria. 

No bleach can wash it off. (Igbo focus)

 It may take me years again, years of repetitive hardwork, after the 18 years of hardwork I have given the Nigerian nation but I am done with this green passport, its green does not represent wealth at all, its green represent a moldy decay. Let’s not even talk about the white colour of the flag, it is stained with the scarlet blood of several victims of the law. Nigeria has failed us. Done!