The word CLUELESS was reinvented in Nigeria about 10 years ago, referring to the President Jonathan administration.

At that time even a vulcaniser could send his kids to school apart from clothing and housing them. All of us could do things that we were supposed to do in the society relatively well. The only thing that seemed to be the problem was caused by the Mau Mau rebels who are presently holding our dear nation in a stranglehold, calling themselves a government.

When they lost the previous election they had promised to make the country UNGOVERNABLE for the then Jonathan administration.

Do YOU remember?

They said if they didn’t win -it didn’t matter to them HOW- it would be a battle of the BABOONS AND THE DOGS.

Do YOU remember?

They PROMISED THAT BLOOD WOULD FLOW LIKE WATER ON THE STREETS, and started killing people including Youth Corpers.

Do YOU remember?

Then Boko Haram started. Suicide bombings started. Kidnapping started. You probably remember the CHIBOK girls and so many others.

Do YOU remember?

There was insurbodination across the land, governors refusing to take orders from a sitting president, undermining him and obstructing him in all ways imaginable.

Do YOU remember?

So the country became ungovernable – AS THEY PROMISED.

Blood flowed on our streets – AS THEY PROMISED.

Government was undermined and there was subtle insurrection against the government and the people of Nigeria – AS THEY PROMISED.

And when it peaked, they invented the word CLUELESS to describe a man who said his ambition was NOT WORTH THE BLOOD OF A SINGLE NIGERIAN and his administration, versus those who threatened BLOODSHED. A Ph.D former university lecturer versus a person with a NEPA BILL as his certificate. AOBJ was coined by these same Janjaweed rebels who wanted power just for the sake of it, but had no idea what to do with it for Nigerians – ANY OPTION BUT JONATHAN. So they took power and repeated their war cry of CORRUPTION. But today we have seen that where the administration they replaced was accused of stealing meat from the pot, these Houthi rebels came and for 8 years STOLE THE ENTIRE POT!

• The Dollar:Naira ratio in 2015 was averaged at $1:N197.8
• Petrol pump price was N67 in 2012 and moved to N97 per liter in a bid to GRADUALLY remove subsidy. The Janjaweed rebels went to town in a broil and claimed there was no such thing as fuel subsidy, forcing the administration to reduce it to N87 when their protests were killing the economy. They got to power and IMMEDIATELY started removing the same subsidy they claimed did not exist, and had claimed there was NO REASON ON EARTH while petrol should sell in Nigeria for over N50 per litre. Today, one litre of fuel in Abuja is officially N670.

Do YOU remember???

• This year we have heard the EFCC report that over N29.6 trillion Naira was lost to the country just between 2018-2020.

WHO WAS IN POWER???

• This month we’ve read the audit report that the CBN HAS NO RECORD OF ALL MONIES ” RECOVERED ” BETWEEN 2015-2019.

WHO WAS IN POWER???

• We’ve had an empowered SITTING CBN governor buy a party nomination form for N100 million, run for president having bought billions of Naira worth of campaign paraphernalia.

WHO WAS IN POWER???

• We’ve seen one of their oligarchs advanced a loan running into billions of dollars, all paid back within the week. What does that mean to you?

WHO WAS IN POWER???

Do YOU remember???!!!

So here we are in Nigeria today, with a near-total government shutdown, inflation at 29.6%, contractors not paid, the SMEs all but dead, SMEs which should rejuvenate and grow the economy. The popular way to properly feed now is by crime, almost legitimized by the inaction of those who should act. Hunger now pervades the land, enthroned esteemed Royal Fathers are kidnapped, quartered and roasted by The Boys, fuel, that all-powerful commodity that magically drives ALL other prices in Nigeria is now N670 per litter where the minimum wage does NOT fill a a single full tank of gas for my car. Where the exchange rate as at today February 16, 2024 is $1:N1,600, and we don’t manufacture anything, depending on the value of the Naira to import even toothpicks (since we don’t manufacture even that) from China.

Today, what about that my vulcaniser in 2014 who could send his kids to school and feed them well in his personal house (even if it’s a shed in Kagini or Mararaba) which has now been demolished?

What is the fate of the clerk who earns N40,000 naira per month, or the security man who’s salary is N30, 000?

What is your young boy and girl you’re sweating to train at the University doing? Many have had little choice other than to go Yahoo, Yahoo Plus, kidnapping etc. THEY TOO WANT THE GOOD LIFE!

And to all the above, what is the response of the government to combating them?

A GLOBETROTTING SPREE specifically announced as NOT economic in nature.

Haaaaaaaaaa!!! WHO IS CLUELESS NOW???

In 1649 the playwright George Daniel committed this line to print: “Let Nero fiddle out Rome’s obsequies.”

In today’s Nigeria, Emperor Nero fiddles while Rome burns.

• Obahao Takete , a political pundit and civil society advocate writes from Abuja.