There is no doubt, after all said and done about President Buhari’s administration; that critical progress has been made. Some of these achievements are in practical forms while some are soft in nature; making it difficult to feel or touch, unlike infrastructures like road constructions and railways that can be seen and easily felt. There is need to draw the attention of the Nigerian people to the revival of social values and moral reorientation going on at a micro and household levels, which is good for a better Nigeria.
Before President Buhari‘s administration, the Nigerian society was a place notorious for ostentation, conspicuous and wasteful consumption. Fake life reigned in the firmament of the largest black nation in the world. This was possible, because public resources were freely available to public office holders, under the flagrant administration of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that ruled Nigeria for 16 years and worsened the impact of corrupt and warped social values which past military regimes bequeathed to the nation.
It is important that we as a people acknowledge and appreciate the impact of the present government headed by Muhammadu Buhari in redirecting the social and moral values of Nigeria, from one based on ‘‘ Get- rich-quick syndrome ’’ to one of hard work and proper gratifications. Running a society on flamboyance, easy money and patrimonial relationships is a huge socio-economic problem of the Nigerian state. It is important to inculcate in our youths the values of ‘‘NO PAIN, NO GAIN ’’.
The change of government and difference in administrative style have made some value re-orientation possible, to the extent that individuals and families now ask questions on the management of resources, and public servants no longer enjoy slush funds as it was in the past. There is a new Sherriff in town and it is no longer business as usual!
The Buhari government has made tremendous achievements in different sectors of the economy, among which the successes in agriculture outshine others. Nigeria, up to 2015, was importing rice to the tune of several billions of naira to feed its populace. Within the space of two years, the transformation in agriculture made rice importation a thing of the past in Nigeria. Yours truly was excited to observe, to my joy and happiness last Easter; that the charity wing of the Roman Catholic Church in Nigeria – Saint Vincent De Paul Society, during the annual Easter material outreach to the poor; shared only Nigerian rice to the crowd of needy Nigerians who trooped to the Saint Martin’s Catholic Church Lugbe Abuja.
In our various homes these days what most Nigerians eat is local rice grown by the farmers in Ebonyi, Kebbi, Niger and several other parts of Nigeria. Now, Nigerian yam is being exported to different parts of the world to the advantage of Nigeria’s foreign exchange earning opportunity. If there is sustainability in the revolution and progress in the agriculture sector, Nigeria can revive the Cocoa industries, palm oil export and the groundnut pyramids of the post-independence era in the 1960s.
There is no State in Nigeria that cannot grow rice, which is a staple food in all parts of Nigeria. This is a value we have always had but avaricious spending and greed shown by people in public office, at all levels, have not allowed us to realize that we should not continue to eat what we cannot produce, nor produce what we cannot eat!
These milestones have been made possible by the change in attitude of Nigerians, who, realising the closure, by the Buhari Administration, of most avenues of cheap money and fraudulent contracts, have retraced their steps. They have now found fulfillment tilling the soil and in other blue collar jobs that ensure the dignity of labour and build the capacity of working population. No economy was developed without agriculture and technology playing crucial roles and these are not white collar jobs. These are lessons we must learn, if we are to move to the next level in our national development agenda.
The idea of economic development and revolution that will give massive employment to the huge youth population we have in Nigeria will not take place by directing the minds of our young ones and skewing our educational curriculum and opportunities to unscientific issues. Technology is power and it is very useful when society adapts its technological know-how to its agricultural practice and food production.
The Buhari administration has changed the attitude of Nigerians towards agriculture and food production. I have hope that a continued effort in this direction will be made to trigger technological advancement which will impact on all sectors of our economy.
As at today, the Nigerian economy is still in dire need of infrastructural renewal; therefore our economy cannot exit infrastructural deficiency without a huge local content in terms of technology that is needed to power the economy. That is why there is not enough power supply in Nigeria, the mass transport system is not enough and our agriculture is still very rudimentary. When we build a culture of technology, it will help drive our agriculture beyond subsistence to the level of agriculture as business. Our manufacturing sector will boom, and public works system and the transport sectors will thrive; because these are the sectors that spin jobs in millions.
Our population and economy need it. Efforts at changing the perception of Nigerians who see government as Father Christmas; and the average citizen’s ‘siddon-look’ should be intensified. Buhari government is already on that course. It should be encouraged. Let us all support it.
Written by Saidu Emmanuel.
