WHO FEELS IT KNOWS IT..
Those who were born in the 60s and lived their teenage years in the 70s will be well familiar with this line by Jimmy Cliff, the iconic musician of those years. This line popped in my head this morning as I reflect on the current activity coming out of the COVID-19 PANDEMIC - CLAMOUR FOR PALLIATIVE FOR THE POOR - or the current line - POOREST OF THE POOR. I am worried about the level of our lack of UNDERSTANDING OF OUR PROBLEMS IN AFRICA especially NIGERIANS. When we cry to our Government Officials for palliatives and tell them that we are hungry, we fail to realise that ONLY SOMEONE WHO KNOWS WHAT HUNGER IS CAN RESPOND APPROPRIATELY TO THE HUNGRY. The TRUTH/REALITY is MOST OF OUR POLITICAL OPPORTUNISTS have NEVER KNOWN HUNGER AND DUE TO NO FAULT OF THEIRS CANNOT UNDERSTAND what my brother Gideon Agwom Mutum is trying to communicate when he posts a picture of an empty cooking pot. Reminds me of a personal story of an encounter with a colleague of mine when I began my banking career in 1987. My salary was 4,550:00 Naira per annum divided by 12 comes to 397.16 per month. I remember I once told this colleague (who happens to come from a privileged background about ) that I was broke and her thinking was that I was low on cash, meanwhile for me it was "NOTHING NOTHING" - I was already on "IOU" - I must confess my reckless lifestyle at this time which was partly responsible for my financial predicament. But the gist of the story is that my colleague HAS NEVER BEEN WITHOUT MONEY.. I secretly checked her account balance and discovered that she has over 25,000:00 Naira as balance. On inquiry, she told me she still collect monthly allowance from her parents, she drives a Toyota Cressida, maintained by her parents and still lives with them. So when Nigerians cry to our Political Opportunists about hunger, they are like my colleague who cannot relate with a fellow colleague who complains about being broke. Most of these self styled leaders have never taken responsibility for anything in their lives - they have lived on public largesse generationally. Recent story about Boss Mustapha confessing his lack of awareness our Health facility deficit amplifies my point. ONLY HE WHO FEELS CAN KNOW IT.

There is no imaginable way that someone who resides in ASO ROCK (our presidential lodge) can feel what someone who resides in MAKOKO in Lagos  or JENTA ADAMU in Jos feels. Please don't BLAME THEM - BLAME YOURSELF WHO ALLOWS THAT CONTRAPTION. THERE IS HUGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AJEGUNLE AND BORDILLON STREET.

The skilfully wicked opportunists have created a situation where the poor and the disadvantaged rather than seeking to change the system, desire to one day become one of the opportunists at the expense of others -THIS IS OUR REAL PROBLEM.  

Back to Jimmy Cliff, as my focused track finished playing, the next TRACK was titled "HYPOCRITE" haha - I don't know if it was coincidence, providential or today being Sunday - PROPHETIC - my mind went to the DAILY COVID-19 briefing from ABUJA by the opportunists - nothing can be more hypocritical. How on earth can those guys ever give an accurate report of what's happening among 200 million people. The only Governor that gives daily is the LAGOS STATE GUY, even that is grossly inadequate. As fate would have it, the PANDEMIC REALITY now is that there is COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION OF THE VIRUS. 

Who can best give a situation report on a COMMUNITY TRANSMITTED VIRAL INFECTION than a COMMUNITY LEADER?

I know Nigerians always desire QUICK SOLUTION and for those who will COMMENT & ask me for WAYS OUT - SOLUTION IS AS OLD AS THE PROBLEM CREATED IN 1914.

The only hope for REALISTIC AND SUSTAINABLE TRANSFORMATION in a HUGELY DIVERSE NATION LIKE NIGERIA is a STRUCTURE THAT BRINGS GOVERNANCE CLOSER TO THE GOVERNED. 

There is no way a COMMUNITY POLICE OFFICIAL will unleash terror on a woman going on to purchase medication for the sick child - the police official might be even be aware of the health situation of the child because they would be living in the same community. 

The local health official cannot claim ignorance of the decaying infrastructure of the HEALTH CENTER because that's where he and his family receive health care. 

COVID-19 daily briefing should be delivered by a LOCAL GOVERNMENT CHAIRMAN flanked by his counsellors and neighbourhood society officials.

COVID-19 situation and our response is a cruel reminder that we are WRONGLY STRUCTURED TO RESPOND TO ANY CHALLENGE OR TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ANY OPPORTUNITY

Those who saddled with the responsibility of addressing OUR PROBLEMS CANNOT FEEL THE PROBLEM.

TODAY, being Sunday - let me do a bit of ONLINE SERVICE: Even GOD ALMIGHTY had to BECOME A HUMAN BEING IN ORDER TO SOLVE HUMAN PROBLEM because WHO FEELS IT KNOWS IT.

Let's REMOVE THE HYPOCRITES or as Jimmy Cliff ended the song - LET'S MAKE THEM PAY THE PRICE FROM TODAY

My Musing