Saturday Morning Debate on WhatsApp

Like the Roman Senate of old, the above video made an entry on the platform, my friend CK fired the first salvo thus:
“The plight of the ordinary Nigerian is pitiable and the body language of those in power begs for a revolt. Nobody puts a gun to anybody’s head to serve. If it is difficult to display an austere life in the midst of poverty while in service, then they should get out of government to live like a king. The political class and government officials drive around in multi-million Naira SUVs while the majority are consigned inside tricycles or motorcycles. Every Nigerian is entitled to a decent living, but the ostentatious living of our leaders is a natural call for a revolution.
“To delay people’s anger, because that is building up anyway, the National Assembly must patronise local vehicle manufactures for their proposed working vehicles. We understand they have earmarked N5.5 billion. No foreign exchange content should go to the importation of civil servants working vehicles.
“Ditto the working vehicles for the incoming ministers and government aides. Let us upgrade the living standards of all Nigerians including those serving us. However, if these measures are beneath the self ego of our public servants then let them get out of government service. They have the right to live like a king we they have the money, but not now that we are trying to rebuild our economy”
FK, the calm voice of an elder went thus:
“Dare I say Africa is cursed? Yet we must keep hope alive. Baba Nigeria is the worst culprit. I think WE should start a campaign of love , selflessness and egalitarianism in Yoruba land, and let’s see where we go from there. Maybe we can get Nigeria, nay Africa to follow suit. Can we volunteer a creative and media strategy for our struggles? We can sell a brand of goodness to benefit us and others.”
CK came back:
“Let’s start with the legislators and ministers/aides. “Eni t’a bá lè mú là‘n lè’dí mo”! They will trim the presidency for us in due course”,
FK
I am thinking of the ‘push effect ‘. Legislators, aides,etc are the bulwark of oppression, they love and will maintain the current status quo. It is our pull of the general public that can push this wicked elite to comport out of shame and without violence.
SA, the legal mind jumps in:
“Lai lai. Every successive assembly starts with disputing the cost of the apparatus ! But i have always maintained that the real loss is not in the cost but the quality of the workmen. When Nancy visits Trump,we immediately find out why and the outcomes. Our own, since Saraki, they come out smiling, almost laughing at us! They all come from the same mother. Decentralise, the monster becomes smaller at least and we know at whose nose we should point the finger.”
CK
“We should expand it to no government procurement of any products without local labour contents in their production. The unemployment is one of the biggest time bomb, ticking! They control SON so quality control of what they procure is still their responsibility. Enough is enough o jare!”
Then the clincher from TA the erudite figure cruncher;
“An opposition party acting irresponsibly like ours fighting to get chairmanship of “juicy” committees of National Assembly and collecting all the illicit allowances without one of them even speaking up against. We have a conspiracy of the political class united to strip the nation bare.
“Even Moghalu’s party can accommodate an Ifeanyi Ubah as its Senate flag bearer. Please what’s the difference between all these parties. Yet people who demand a higher moral code in politics sit on the sidelines pontificating expecting God to come down and salvage Nigeria!
He added the rider:
“From the top. The head honcho must live by example and make example of those around him in the fight against corruption. Instead we have Ministers with cases against them to be sworn in in a few days. Who doesn’t know that that the case against the HOS is just to kick her out and repay her for her holier than thou attitude over Maina. Now that they have shown her that she is not better than them, she can go and sue for soft landing.”
ME: If only we could walk the talk. Enough of Suffering and Smiling, it is time to Start Strtegising. ????