Apart from government's insensitivity, what part does personal irresponsibility play to prevent change? I replied my brother thus...
(... just in case it's not seen elsewhere, here is my general response)
I will be answering all the comments you made about these Fashola quotes in one reply, since they more or less are related. I crave your indulgence, pls. Thank you, bruv.
For a minute, allow me to leave my regular turf of government bashing to beam the light on how we haven't been our own best friends when it comes to the kind of change we seek.
Flaunting wealth hasn't been the sole preserve of the extremely wealthy. It seems the culture of the Ovation magazine extravagance has ensconced itself deep in society's fabric at all levels, bruv. The poorest of the poor do not consider their immiseration when they elect to hold parties to commemorate birthdays and burials, weddings and funerals, naming ceremonies and "freedom" festivities. No! Instead, what do you find? They secure loans, break the bank, borrow from friends and foes alike to make sure everyone else and their dog know that they have arrived.
And how about all the Aso Ebi they are compelled to buy, with matching accessories and shoes, for one event or the other at almost every weekend? They have their bags and boxes bursting at the seams and joints with enough of these native attires they've sewn in the past to start a small boutique (and earn money) and they have incurred enough debt buying them all to be listed among the most indebted countries in the world (viz a viz, income:debt ratio), yet, let them hear tomorrow that their colleague's uncle's father's brother-in-law's niece's mother's sister's nephew's aunty's brother's sister-in-law's dog's puppy died and there's an Aso to go with the lying in state, they forget that they have not eaten since last week, that their rent is due, that school fees haven't been paid for last term before Christmas, and that they are categorised under the column "Living in Abject Poverty, Hunger and Illiteracy". They only want to be AMONG those who will SHAKE the ground and grace the occasion in STYLE.
So, they go out of their way to get the Aso and blame government for not doing enough to put food on their tables, clothes on their backs (forget their Aso for now) a roof over their heads and sense in their brains (and perhaps for not locking their door so that their neighbour's dog could enter their kitchen and eat the fish they've been drying over their charcoal fire for two weeks now)
Because you know what? It's comfortable putting the blame on government, it's easier to shift the blame, it's better to argue that it's not my fault the situation is what it is. Don't worry, we have the Moore Numentals and the Saka Gbolahans of this world to raise their voices in our favour should things get worse for us and government tries to get too factual.
Look around your hood. You see these fellas without jobs? Some have the best phones in the market. No problem with that if they utilise all the functions that set these devices apart so that it gives them value for money. But again, no! They chat, chat, chat and maybe do some light browsing or other basic stuff. If these brought money for them, well and good but for the most part, it takes money away from them. They're poor but always have the cheddar for internet data and BIS, always for the purposes of unproductive engagements that add little or no value to their impoverished statuses. But oh no. We must rile the government for not doing enough for us.
You're right about Fashola trying and that he can't undo the wrongs of years past. But the truth that is also worth knowing about what you said is that people will always suffer in any attempts at righting the wrongs of the past. Are people ready for that? My honest opinion, even I am not as I find that every once in a while I have to caution myself. Will you endure the pain of inconvenience in movement while the road leading to or from your house of residence undergoes repairs? I find myself complaining to no end. But it's necessary for change, yes?
These are sacrifices that need to be endured for change but we, Nigerians, you and I, have become too accustomed to the way things are done to give change a chance. Yet no one complains more than the one unwilling to shift a little for such changes to take place.
Let all buses henceforth only park at designated stops to allow passengers board, if not such buses will be impounded. It's you and I who will ask why, why and accuse Fashola of only being interested in punishing us, as if he knows how difficult it is and how far my house is from the designated stop. Yet, we say why can't this country be like others in Africa, talkless of those in the West.
Let all building plans be approved by government else they'd be demolished to prevent incessant cases of building collapse, you and I will complain unceasingly about government's insensitivity towards the poor who only wish to have their own roof over their heads accusing government of not wanting the poor to be their own landlords. You and I.
Granted the corporate and general dearth of irresponsibility on the government's side but there is no nation worth its name with such abject lack of personal responsibility that has progressed to any tremendous length. To think that Nigerians were deemed the happiest with all these is a testimony of how terribly abysmal our personal sense of responsibility has plummeted.
Where is the wisdom in accepting peanuts from politicians to help them rig elections and mortgage the future for ourselves and children? Where? Is it not Nigerians - flesh and blood - that perpetuate such evil? And when these riggers get into power, they serve to make life difficult for us, while we grovel in self pity. Where's the abnegation that is necessary for the general good? Doing something worthwhile for my country today so that tomorrow it will be better? Where is it? Oh, I shouldn't be the one, yea? It has to always be someone else to sacrifice but hell will let loose if it's time for gain and they scheme me out of it. No pain but gain must not pass me by.
It is not always the case but even if we can't excuse governments irresponsibility, personal irresponsibility is just as evil.
Footnote
The advantage of having invested time, effort and sweat into studying logic and politics is that it can also be vehemently argued in favour of the people against the government for every point so far raised but I do that more often on these here pages. The truth is, that perspective only looks at the issue from one dimension which is jaundiced 'cos it is lacking and imbalanced.
Ok, twas more than a minute, I know. Forgive me.
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