By Adeola Aderounmu
Nigerians are faced with hard times in 2012. The level and amount of suffering is to escalate beyond comprehension.
Petrol will now sell for more than N140/ liter.
This is a country where more than 100m people are impoverished, poor and in extreme penury. Mass poverty is rampant and will spread even more.
Wealth and wellness remain in the hands of the politicians and the few who have escape the menace of poverty.
On the first day of the year the useless government headed by one Mr. Jonathan announced the removal of fuel subsidy.
The cost of Transportation in Nigeria is very high and will get even higher. People will pay more to get to work and places of businesses. People who go to work 3 times a week will now probably go to work once a week or not at all.
Those who have managed 5 times a week will probably lower their attendance rate to 1-2 times.
Those who drive will become poorer because of the double cost of petrol. In short things will never be the same.
As soon as the cost of transportation increases, the cost of food will follow, hunger will spread.
In a country without social security and widespread unemployment, the consequences are unimaginable.
In addition the cost of goods and services will follow the same pattern and everybody will pay more for everything.
People will suffer more than ever before.
There may be a pressure of foreign based Nigerians to increase their allocations of money transferred to Nigeria. Families and friends will seek more help than ever before.
Mr. Jonathan and his vice president will not be affected. They have budgeted over N2 million per day for their food. In 2012, they get free fuel and over N1b for food only. The rest of Nigerians can go to hell! There is no greater act of wickedness. These men removed subsidy at the same time that they approved food subsidies for themselves. Nigerians will be foolish to live with this unacceptable madness. Jonathan should be kicked out of power asap.
Another group of people that will not be affected are the politicians in general. Nigerian politicians are the highest paid in the world and they rank among the most corrupt at the same time. There is no real attempt to stop or fight corruption in Nigeria.
The people are suffering and they will continue to suffer. People die from preventable and avoidable reasons as the politicians fattened up daily. Nigerians are amusing…how can they allow this to continue?
I have never seen a people so resilient and tolerant of madness. I will never see another like them-the Nigerians.
This is 2012, the challenges are diverse. From defending their regions to protesting against policies that enrich the corrupt and enslave the general populace, Nigerians are bracing up for violence and the hardest of time ever under the most useless presidency ever.
