Oluwatosin Enesi
Former Nigerian Ambassador to the Philippines, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Chief and a mass media doyen, Amb. Dr. Yemi Farounbi, OON, has raised critical questions about the state of governance and the quality of life in Nigeria since the end of military rule in 1999.
In a thought-provoking piece, Dr. Farounbi reflected on nearly three decades of unfulfilled promises by successive governments, questioning whether the touted visions of a “new Nigeria” have translated into real improvements for the citizens.
“For 28 years, each successive military regime promised us a new Nigeria better than what they met,” he wrote. “Since 1999, each Administration claimed that it was better than the preceding one. Each one claimed to be better than anything we have ever seen. Each one claims to be building a new Nigeria. And our lives are not improving.”
He noted that despite the lofty promises, citizens are growing poorer and more desperate.
“Our pockets are getting emptier. Our population is growing more and more, but we are getting hungrier and multidimensionally poorer. The jobs are disappearing fast. We hear of subsidy in the electricity that we don’t receive.”
Dr. Farounbi questioned the disconnect between government narratives and the lived realities of ordinary Nigerians.
“Each regime claims to be best. But our best seems to be in distant past buried in history of over 60 years,” he stated. “Are we the ones so dumb and unappreciative of the great things that our Governments are doing? Or is it that our Governments are not meeting our needs?”
He also raised fundamental questions about the nature of leadership in Nigeria and whether it aligns with the will of the people.
“Is it that both the Governments and the Governed have no common understanding of what we need? Is it that our leaders and us don’t share any common vision for this country, not to talk of common understanding of the dream?”
“Could it be that our leaders rule over us and not governing on our behalf? Could it be that the people are irrelevant in the governing process? Could it be that the wishes or preferences [of the leaders] are so superior to the commonsensical wishes of the people?”
“Could it be that the people are so woolly headed that they are irrelevant in the governing process?? Yet DEMOCRACY is the government of the PEOPLE…BY THE PEOPLE… FOR THE PEOPLE.”
Dr. Farounbi’s remarks have sparked discussion among commentators, with many echoing his sentiments as reflective of the growing frustrations among Nigerians who continue to grapple with economic hardship and a perceived lack of responsive leadership.
Our Reporter
