Harold Pinter, years ago, opined that “one way of looking at speech is to say that it is a constant stratagem to cover nakedness.”
Today, it rings true. In fact the truisms are startling, owing to the current wind of lies the government of Nigeria has told in recent times to cover up its inadequacies. It is gut-wrenching to think that, in spite of the disrespect amid pestilence that Nigerians suffer daily, all we hear are lies to cover up.
Paying attention to the news in Nigeria today is akin to spraying an insecticide in the room and staying put.
Government officials seem to forget that gains made in the fight against insurgents or bandits today, will only be comparable to the victory of King Pyrrhus; victory overshadowed by losses so massive that the trimph loses its significance.
While all of this goes on, the tragedy of the commons constantly plays out. Everyone loots resources at the expense of every other person.
The kidnap of the Kankara boys brought a lot to light. The presidency insisted that only 10 children where missing, yet 344 boys were rescued. It is so disconcertin, one does not even know who or what to believe any longer. Matters of national interest are varnished with disagreeable lies while media houses are quickly fined for fake news.
Somehow, we forget too quickly that what we mock will surely overtake us. The country has been overtaken in crime and criminality by heinous barbarism. Insecurity has been on such a constant rise that embarking on a road trip in countryside Nigeria is similar to overdosing on an already deadly drink. That’s how bad it has gotten.
Of course, we can disagree with government, but as Nigerians, we must support our fatherland. It also has to be said that government must come to terms with criticism, which is the easiest form of citizen support in a country. The government needs to stop its republican sycophancy and explore reasonable interactions with the citizenry, if only to move the country forward.
Until then, our personal motto must be “for God and country always”.
God bless us all