ADVERTISEMENT
  • The Membership Club
  • PT Hausa
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
Saturday, January 23, 2021
Premium Times Nigeria
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
Premium Times Nigeria
BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
nigeria corruption protest

Losing the Blame Game By Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani

byAdaobi Tricia Nwaubani
January 13, 2013
3 min read
ADVERTISEMENT

Being honest with ourselves is a risk that Nigerians must be willing to take

Adaobi Tricia NwaubaniLast January, thousands of Nigerians stormed the streets to oppose an insensitive government policy that suddenly hiked the pump price of petrol by over 100 percent, in a country where 99 percent of the population live on less than $2 a day.  Victory was soon declared by the historic‘Occupy Nigeria’ protest movement.  The government backed down on its stance and reduced the price of fuel.  A year later, I have not stopped wondering how many ill, newborn and pregnant citizens lost their lives during that period. The week-long strike declared by the labour and trade unions not only ground commercial activity in the entire country to a halt, hospitals were instructed to close their doors.

A doctor friend told me that members of the local labour union invaded the main government hospital in my hometown, Umuahia, on the first day of the strike, and chased away the medical personnel attending to patients.  When my aunt suffered a partial stroke and was rushed to a private hospital at which my septuagenarian father, assisting my cousin, had to carry his limp older sister up the stairs because the hospital made no provision for such purposes, my mother returned from a visit to the ward and relayed her observations in a state of horror: the hospital corridors were strewn with patients bleeding from grotesque wounds reportedly sustained in a bus crash.  Those accident victims might have been better attended to at more spacious and affordable facilities—if the government hospitals had not been unnecessarily paralysed.

Most Nigerians were in support of the strike.  The government had to be forced into being more considerate of the people that elected them.  But, surely, the protests could have been more strategic, with minimum suffering extended to the masses?  Banks, markets, filling stations, etc, were shut.  Did health facilities have to be as well?  A spokesperson for the oil workers union, while threatening on TV to shut down oil production if the government didn’t budge on the fuel subsidy removal by the following weekend, reeled out a list of grave repercussions if the group’s impending action was not averted.  “People will die in the hospitals!” he boasted with self-importance, repeating his threat over and over again.

This blatant disregard for human life and insensitivity to suffering displayed by the strike organisers, is proof that the problem with Nigeria goes beyond inept politicians.  History shows that the foundation for development is value for human life, the present-continous consciousness of a society that each person in their midst—poor, rich, weak or strong—is entitled to live and live well.  Nigeria’s leaders arise from among us.  They don’t fly in from Uranus.  Their attitudes are simply an extension of our customary predisposition towards one another.

Unfortunately, the Nigerian society has been socialised to believe that the origin of all our troubles is elsewhere.  Our intellectuals perpetuate the impression that we are some sort of rag doll people at the mercy of the next oppressor, with no willpower or responsibility over whatever direction we are tossed.  Slave merchants. Colonial rulers. Western powers. Government.  Fingers always pointing. Particularly interesting is how former government officials suddenly don new cloaks as soon as they leave office, and metamorphose into voices of the people and champions of the masses.  The masses hardly ever seem to notice or mind these infiltrations.  They are too busy focusing their hatred on the sitting government—or whichever enemy is in vogue—and any additional fuel to the flames of hatred and blame is always welcome.

The blame game has its benefits, without a doubt.  It is cathartic, generates causes for activist careers, and garners huge followings from among the helpless aggrieved.  But it can keep us busy right into the next millennium, with no substantial progress being achieved.  Motion without movement.

Some of us happen to believe that the dire conditions in this part of the world are subject to change.  Rather than playing games and whitewashing sepulchres, we are eager to investigate possible solutions by catalysing a process of frank dialogue, cultural criticism and, toughest of all, self-examination.  Being honest with ourselves is a risk that Nigerians—and Africans—must, at some point, be willing to take.  Any insider or outsider, who genuinely seeks to help us, should encourage this.

 

RelatedNews

Amidst recession, Buhari to spend highest amount on Presidential Villa since assuming office

VIDEO: Boko Haram carrying out attacks in Nasarawa – Governor Sule

VIDEO: How my three-year-old daughter was sexually molested in Akwa Ibom school – Mother

COVID-19: Why Ondo recorded three deaths, 39 cases in three days – Official

My aunt eventually died in that hospital, by the way.

 

 

  • WhatsApp
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
  • Telegram
  • More
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket

Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility

Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.

For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.

By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.

Donate


TEXT AD: To advertise here . Call Willie +2347088095401...


JOIN THE CONVERSATION

  • Disqus (5)
premiumtimes



PT Mag Campaign AD

Previous Post

How Nigeria military arrest, torture, exploit innocents at Giwa Barracks

Next Post

Lawyers demand sack of IG over murder of Oshiomhole’s aide

Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani

Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani

More News

Abubakar Shekau, leader of Boko Haram terrorists

Boko Haram: NHRC trains security personnel in Adamawa

September 17, 2020
The Nigerian Economic Summit Group

EDITORIAL: Unearthing the Cogent Lessons In the NESG-CBN Economic Policy Imbroglio

September 16, 2020
COVID-19: Coronavirus

EDITORIAL: COVID-19: Calling On Nigeria’s Billionaires and Religious Leaders To Step Up

March 26, 2020
SSS Officials

EDITORIAL: Bichi Must Go; Buhari Must Halt Slide Into Despotism

December 13, 2019
Godwin Emefiele, Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)

EDITORIAL: The flaws in Governor Emefiele’s five-year plan for Central Bank of Nigeria

October 16, 2019
Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore. [PHOTO CREDIT: Official Instagram account of Sowore]

EDITORIAL: President Buhari must release Sowore Now!

September 23, 2019
Next Post
Oshiomhole’s aide’s killing: Court orders police to pay N5m damages

Lawyers demand sack of IG over murder of Oshiomhole’s aide

Friends celebrate Nigeria Guardian’s Jahman at 50

Nigeria Guardian's Sunday Editor, Jahman Anikulapo, resigns

Discussion about this post

Search

#EndSARS: Latest Updates




Polaris Bank


JAIZ Ad


NITDA Ad




Advertisement






netherland biz school Advert

Zenith Advert

Heritage Advert
ADVERTISEMENT

Our Digital Network

  • PT Hausa
  • Election Centre
  • Human Trafficking Investigation
  • Centre for Investigative Journalism
  • National Conference
  • Press Attack Tracker
  • PT Academy
  • Dubawa
  • LeaksNG
  • Campus Reporter

Resources

  • Oil & Gas Facts
  • List of Universities in Nigeria
  • LIST: Federal Unity Colleges in Nigeria
  • NYSC Orientation Camps in Nigeria
  • Nigeria’s Federal/States’ Budgets since 2005
  • Malabu Scandal Thread
  • World Cup 2018
  • Panama Papers Game
  • Our Digital Network
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Projects
  • Data & Infographics
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • Parliament Watch
    • AGAHRIN
  • Opinion
  • PT Hausa
  • The Membership Club
  • Dubawa
    • Dubawa NG
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Digital Store
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

Our website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.