Pres. Tinubu, Where Are The N40k Bags of Rice Promised?

Before the commencement of the recently ended #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests, one key political figure that made me realize that the protest was going to be an effort in futility was the President of the Nigerian Senate, Godswill Akpabio. “You will be protesting while we will be eating,” Akpabio said while mocking Nigerians who called and participated in the protests against bad governance. That was a slap on all our faces and the biggest red flag that this Tinubu government had already negated the protests even before it began.

Some will point to Akpabio’s indiscipline when it comes to making loose statements and say, “that is his way.” Even as Governor of Akwa Ibom state, the man was always in the news for talking rubbish. It was, after all, he, who inferred that the lawmaker, Natasha Akpoti, was a club lady when the latter addressed the Senate not too long ago. Ok, I agree. He is loose with words and shouldn’t be taken seriously, but, how about our dear President, Bola Tinubu. Should we, also, not take his words seriously?

Here is a man, who, became famous for his protests and activism against the military juntas in Nigeria. He was the people’s hero for it and one everyone feels, understands the plight of the common man. Maybe, that was why, on that premise, when he called for an end to the protests with the promise of driving down the price of a 50kg bag of rice to an astonishing N40, 000, from its previous N70-80k, many took him for his word and sheathed their swords.

Is it too early, now, to ask the question: Where are the bags of rice promised? It’s been a long time since that promise was made. Recently, I still bought a bag of rice for N69, 000. That is almost N30, 000 more than what Mr. President had promised. Under the scorching sun, I lamented the fate of my dear country—where politicians say just about anything to douse tension and continue “eating.”

Ladies and gentlemen, for the umpteenth time, we have been played: We have been played by a system that has been playing us even long before I was born. Lofty promises and castles in the skies is what we get at the end of the day. When a conman plays the same con over and over again on the same mark, the conman will never stop. All he needs do is mask the same con in a new format and get the same result. They (the politicians) are the conmen; we, the masses, are the mark. We never learn, gullible as we are.

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Call me pessimistic, but, when I heard that ridiculous N40k bag of rice promise, I instantly knew it was a big fat lie. It inspired humour more than it inspired hope. How could it ever have been possible? I mean, this is the same country that, during the lockdown period, hoarded palliatives meant for the masses and planned to auction it out to top government officials but for the invasion of those warehouses, where those palliatives were being hoarded, by the same masses. Geez. We’ve been down this road before. It never ends—like an endless cycle.

Hold on, I just remembered Mr. President also promised to negotiate with the activists and conveners of the protests. “Let us dialogue,” Tinubu pleaded. Just days ago, I read a publication in one of our media, where activists voiced out that the government were yet to call them for the meeting. Hahaha, fool again! You’ve been played again. It’s that simple. There’s no meeting, my dear. Go home and sleep. The government is too busy locking up protesters than listening to your concerns. You need to get this fact in your head and know peace.

I’m at my wits end, really. Reality has bred pessimism and the antics of the government doesn’t raise any counter optimism to negate that. The only thing that still baffles me is how sheepish so many of our masses still are. Nigerians are gullible people, sorry to say. It takes an almighty level of gullibility to believe the same lies over and again. I’m amazed, really.

At this point, I don’t even know what to propose anymore. Do we go back to strike? Do we still wait for a meeting that will never come, or, do we wait for the miraculous N40k bag of rice promised. I think the first option is the only viable one. We’ve been played. Let’s unsheathe our swords and go back to fighting for our rights once again. We can’t just sit back and do nothing while they take us for fools yet again. This cycle must end at some point. Why not now?