Stiff-Necked Fools

My title and the cartoon describes it all.

A country's leadership having all at its disposal to make life good for its people and even themselves, yet because of attention to frivolous issues, unimportant issues, they all tend to suffer. Calls to mind the story of Aneke.

Aneke was a very wealthy man who once lived right at the banks of the River Niger. The sad reality of Aneke's situation was that he was either too stupid or too selfish to even grasp the basic things he needed. You see, Aneke, even with all the water at his disposal, resorted to bathing with his own spittle everyday! You ask why? He thought the River would run dry if he took water from it!

It ;s almost the same with the Nigerian Leadership. Massive profits have being generated over the years from sale of crude oil, yet even the most basic things, Nigerians still lack. even the leadership is suffering.

At the time of writing, it is reported that the President of Nigeria, is currently in Saudi Arabia undergoing treatment for acute pericarditis (what is it?).Treatment Saudi Arabia? Why not get treatment in Nigeria? Well, the simple truth is that he does not believe in the efficacy of treatment in the hands of Nigerian doctors. Moreover, his government and previous government have failed woefully to deliver a sound health care system like the one he is availing of in Saudi Arabia.

What has Saudi Arabia got that Nigeria does not have? Is it oil? They both have it in abundance, the only thing lacking in the Nigerians is the ability to harness their profits to the benefit of the system. Where the Saudis have decided to use oil proceeds to make Saudi Arabia a better society and a sound and governable system, the Nigerians have squandered their oil profits. The leadership has either siphoned the proceeds into their Swiss bank accounts or they have spent the money on 'white elephant' projects that have not benefited their society.

As long as this mentality of acute stupidity continues, the nation as a whole will continue to suffer. In my opinion, it seems as if time is running out. Nigerians may end up wallowing forever in this vicious cycle of irresponsible leadership. The previous President's wife even died in Germany under the scalpel of a grossly inefficient doctor. She went over for a simple 'tummy tuck' and ended up in a hearse!

The leaders of the nation are content to share the nations wealth amongst themselves, while the poor masses continue in their abject poverty, suffering everyday and smiling as if there are no pains, hoping and praying that God will send a savior. They fail to realize that the savior they need is really themselves.

The president is in Saudi Arabia now, getting probably first class or second class treatment because he can afford it. What about the man or the woman in the streets who cannot afford all that? What is there in store for them? More suffering? The leadership of Nigeria really needs to sit up and tackle the bull called corruption by the horns, maybe then things will start to take shape.