THIS week, I intend to publish some of the reactions and comments to my column from readers all over the world.
- Olawale Ajayi [email protected] reacting to my article: ‘Time when there were no beggars and thieves in Nigeria’; wrote: “Dear Aare Sir,
It is so refreshing to read from you and benefit from your wealth of knowledge and experience. As you have rightly acknowledged that part of our major national challenges stood on the tripod of insecurity, poor and inconsistent economic policies, and corruption.
As for the security challenges, I reckon that many of them are self-inflicted and poorly managed, while others have external dimensions like insurgency and terrorism. Local farmers and pastoral herder’s crisis costing many lives, livelihood, and in many cases sacking entire farming villages and towns leading to internal displacement of people and threatening food security for decades. These problems for instance persist due to poor leadership and lack of courage in the highest decision-making places in taking decisions that would lead to permanent solutions. I had suggested in https://www.thecable.ng/nigerias-middle-belt-one-too-many-killings/amp/ that the present federal government administration must find the rare courage to proffer permanent solutions to these multifaceted security challenges. The recent federal ministry of livestock development appeared to be an attempt to solve the farmer-herder crisis but the impact of this is yet to be felt. The issues of reengineering the security architecture of the country are yet to be given the much-needed attention, especially the overdue de armonizationolicing system. Some other insecurity challenges we have like the cattle-rustling, insurgency, co armonization idnapping for ransom, secessionist agitations, militancy, and wanting killings in different parts of the country are symptoms of many unresolved fundamental issues with the foundation of our country while some have cultural and ideological footing that requires hard decisions to resolve if we truly want to move forward.
Our country’s economic landscape remains one with so much potential but little productive capacity and productivity largely because there are many factors making our economy unattractive to industrial scale investment in the real sector. The records of how many manufacturing outfits folded up due to challenges ranging from government macroeconomic and foreign trade policies squeezing local manufacturers out of business in favour of cheaply imported products with substandard qualities remained a pointer for economic viability appraisal for future investments. The corruption of the petrol subsidy scheme by collaboration of officials and marketers in manipulating numbers and processes to defraud the system is legendary. Part of the argument against the scheme is that it encourages cross border movement of subsidized petrol to neighbouring countries for maximum profiteering thereby almost doubling the volumes and increasing the pressure of funding on our fiscal position. Apart from the financial loss in the scheme, it also discourages the much-needed investment in the downstream sector because the local investor cannot be compelled to sell at subsidized rates. It was clear that the petrol subsidy is not sustainable.
The gross mismanagement of the economy by the CBN’s uncontrolled ways and means advanced to the federal government, monetary policy with loose multiple exchange regime encouraging massive round tripping and value erosion of the naira against the likes of dollars and pounds cannot be left untreated by the new government.
While the present government economic policies of petrol subsidy removal, harmonization of multiple exchange rates, and naira exchange rates with the parallel markets remains a courageous step in the right direction of economic recalibration, the challenge has been that of managing the impacts of the policy implementation on already impoverished Nigerians whose conditioned would be further worsened. I argued in https://www.thecable.ng/hitting-the-ground-running-audacity-renewed-hope/ that government must continuously engage Nigerians directly and be ready to make significant sacrifices in solidarity with the people. The proposed programmes to cushion the impacts of the policies for individuals, homes, and businesses must be well-managed for better effect. In addition to this, public officials and the elite must tone down their ostentatious luxury lifestyles. It must be a shared sacrifice if it must be shared prosperity otherwise it may be another tale by the moonlight. It would be almost inconceivable to expect poor ordinary Nigerians to bear the sacrifice while the elites continue their luxury lifestyle. Regrettably, we have not done enough in this regard.
I am however optimistic that our situation can be salvaged from the current servitude to shared prosperity provided leaders and ordinary Nigerians can share the same sincerity, desire, and readiness to sacrifice.
With regards,
Wale Ajayi.
- Gabriel Alegbeleye [email protected] reacting to my article: ‘Age is not maturity’, wrote:
“Dear Sir
I read your write up on age limit for admission into tertiary institutions and I have the same view with you on the matter . What happened some decades ago on age limit between University of Ibadan (UI) and Obafemi Awolowo University(OAU) is enough to convince any doubting Thomas that age limitation on admission is a clog in the wheel of progress of gifted or even serious children. While UI insisted on 16 year age minimum for admission. OAU admitted younger ones who performed well in their academics. I’m ’sure that many of those that would have been tagged underage among them distinguished themselves in their fields of choice We are now in the computer (no longer jet) age and life expectancy is reducing. The children have varying backgrounds that will boost or retard their individual performance. I am of the opinion that the policy should not be allowed to stay. All possible means should be used to stop it in the interest of the nation. God bless you richly sir.
Gabriel O Alegbeleye (former Chairman NITP Ekiti State Chapter)”
- Ibrahim Buhari [email protected] reacting to my article in my weekly column: ‘Age limit to tertiary Institutions Admission’, wrote: “Sir,
Thank you for this. I hope parents and authorities concerned have take(n) note of your suggestions and act on them positively.”
- Patrick Thorpe [email protected] reacting to the article: ‘On the matter of age restriction into universities’
‘Dear Sir,
I have just read your article on the above subject matter and I must say, though, I was of the contrary persuasion, now I have seen “the light”. The arguments you have advanced are unassailable. I thank you for the thoughtful insights.
É pé fun wa Sir. Patrick Thorpe
- Babatunde O Akinrolabu [email protected] in his reaction to my article: ‘Dangote refinery: Suffering amidst plenty’; wrote:
“Sir,
Your incisive analysis shed light on the accursed Nigeria’s oil sector but the problem is always that when we know the problems, why is it usually practically impossible to get solutions to these identified problems?
We need more of your well informed interventions in our convoluted national trajectory sir.” (To be continued).
Thank you.
AARE AFE BABALOLA, OFR, CON, SAN, LL.D (Lond.)
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