Sometime in life, we make choices and sometimes it is choice that makes us and define the rest of our lives. This is life, as it happens when you are busy making other plans. It is however amazing how life’s experiences end up bringing you something terrible which you least expected. Some call it disappointment, as the tones of their voices were shouting dashing hope, saying no coronavirus palliatives for Kwarans, that the masses expectations from the government was totally dashed is verified pitiable truth.
As the spread of the COVID-19 virus is proving difficult to contain, so are the consequences surrounding it, everyone know this. Fallouts from the Corona virus palliative in Kwara state for example brought so many reactions to the fore and as it is numbers are still rising.
May Almighty Allah return same size of favour and inadequate measurement to them all, I mean Kwara state governor and his government as chorused by many residents of the state. Kai, this is rather too much, heavy for my own heart, I couldn’t hold myself back but inquired what could have warranted such emotions and angers. But after listening to these bitter tongues, just like wounded souls, they narrated their terrible ordeals. It shows that their minds are made-up against the state governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq.
Nature’s sense of humour is great, because something must have arranged our itineraries this way. I can never imagine such condemnations from such people knowing their level of participations in the last general elections. But how did this happen, details makes events, please, read along with me.
At first, their sarcasms seems unattractive to me, but on second thought, I decided to listen as we walk along while these Mallams tried different sharing formulas to adopt on this ‘massive two cups of rice’. Imagine, they even asked me how best to go about their ordeal, but I told them it was beyond me but consultations to the state government may be better.
Abysmal efforts of the present government, I never thought I could be entertained with live tales of elections riggers especially not with one in particular. I feel free in situations like this which aroused my conciousness that evils men do lives with them, so I followed with their stories. After all, there is no occasion not good enough for artful spying.
Cramming their words into my ears against the stomach of my sense. One of them said, he would rather stay out during elections, than to vote for a government that cannot think better than giving just ordinary 2-cups of rice for a whole family. Claiming that they were all misled into believing in the ‘O to ge’ that brought in the government. Imagine two cups of rice, as if that came from the blues, I did not mind that until some others went further to narrate their ordeals and what they termed as insults to their ancestral egos.
Initially, Governor Abdulrazaq had reacted to a viral video decrying the poor palliatives allegedly meant to ease sufferings of some people who are observing the stay at home directives, his best line of defence is that the state government cannot feed everybody, which sounds odd to many. Residents of Asa local government area of the state went viral, showing alleged insufficient food items distributed to the people of the area.
Like many more, what could have warranted these Nigerians to turn against their state government should not go unnoticed. However, not for the governor’s sake but for the state and our dear nation, I had to take on these men when they never seem to want to stop. After taking turns to let me into their minds using unprintable descriptions on the person of the state’s helmsman. All efforts of mine to dissuade and persuade these men seems to dropped on deaf hears.
Not knowing that my ordeal is about to tally with theirs. I got home to meet my neighbours expressing their angers and displeasures on same issue. I couldn’t imagine the terrible looks on the faces of the ‘O to ge’ movement crusaders. Disappointment was the word, one 12.5kg bag of rice, three 1kg bags of salt, 3 small-size packets of seasoning cubes to be shared among more than twenty households with an average of 5-members per family may truly require governor’s intelligence in its sharing, many said they needed his expertises to do that effectively.
Half bread is better than none was my view; let us allow this government to prove its worth has always been my stand. But then, for how long and at what cost? Really, we are not interested in condemning anyone but residents of the state expected more from this administration than this show of nonsense not worthy of mentioning.
Truly regrets are in different shapes and sizes; a good example of a bad example I submitted. But how unpalatable palliatives became talk of the town is really worrisome. Those who expected nothing are never disappointed, but it is rather unfortunate for many in this category. That a government which they put all their hopes and aspirations could make them regret their actions and decisions within such a short time.
No courage without fear, I am one of the people who accepts changes as part of human development. So often, I don’t query much any turnaround of events, even if not too favourable. That’s what nature had to offer for now. And so much has been my belief since I was very young.
Even before coronavirus outbreak, most Kwarans are still leaking wounds, openly regretting what besiege them in recent time. Even faithful party members are crying not only in private but openly and hoping they can upturn this and change the change.
Sacrifice is what you do for people with love, no one is asking for a whole bag of 50kilogramme rice for every Kwarans, which the governor said will cost him N60 billion. Like he said, there are certain categories of people entitled to these palliatives, so how he arrived at such figures seems contradicting and confusing. There is nothing important than love of those who voted you in.
When you go up, you step up, little wonder they say good thinking results in good products, but when the product is terrible or bad, then it leaves much to be desired about the thinking faculty.
Many are sad that their commitments and sacrifices during the last elections were in vain when people at this critical period cannot get ordinary food for survival, especially the palliative at this critical hour of need. This government should reconsider its position and do things that would bring relief to the people and stop playing to the gallery. While excusing himself and his government, Governor Abdulrazaq thinks the online video was politically motivated. It is noteworthy though that Chairman of the palliatives committee, the Emir of Shonga, Dr Haliru Yahaya, said that “as far as we’re concerned, nobody who’s qualified had less than a bag of the items given. Everyone concerned, as picked by the committee, deserves one bag of the item”.
Between hope and hopelessness, this people narrated, gave me more than necessary details of all that he and his people did in other to win at all cost but to be paid back with this inhuman gesture, to me seems too much to accept. But as good fellow Nigerians, the burden of their reorientation fell on us all.
If you are in my shoes, you too may have no other option but to listen to tales like this. As explained by them, they were coming from their family houses where they went in the hope to carry lots of food items but to their dismay, what they are given not only troubled but tortured their minds.
Who can blame them? As a parent, how can you be proud of a teenager who is still bed wetting? On COVID-19 palliatives, the government hold no barred, in clear terms Kwarans can see the mindset of this government and its policy.
Pretty pathetic, I agreed with Mr Governor, maybe it was done specifically to tarnish the image of his government, he even said the video had been traced to people in the opposing political parties and think that the present time is not for partisan politics, but news from other parts of the state shows no difference.
I wonder why he would claim it is the handiwork of oppositions, and enemies within the APC party. Yes, that of the said video was released on social media, but what about those other life experiences. Kwarans are begging you sir to rise up to the occasion and stand above this, give your administration a good name, such video don’t lie, reactions even on the streets were overwhelming.
It is not any fault of theirs to want a better life, even with the available resources, such is possible. If a government think that after weeks of incarcerations, the best that could come from it is two cups of rice and Gari for a whole household, we need not only worry but be better prepared to make necessary changes through democratic means.
If you are, it is easy for a natural performer, you got to tune in. How others developed states and cities are doing it is not difficult to learn, this may not be a bad recommendation, to say the truth.
Any reason to hope? Truly let us ask ourselves, how on earth will you be proud of such awkward palliatives? In this age and time, imagine giving two cups of rice, few cubes of seasoning and less than a kilogram of salt for a whole family of average five members is exactly too ridiculous. Now, raising eyebrows to such dehumanising palliative towards people by the government itself is unpatriotic. So if anyone says ‘one-chance government we dey’, many will agreed to that don’t you think sir.
In a situation like this food is of essence, the purpose is to extend our live but who would advise this administration become course for worry to many. Leaders are volunteers, a natural performer that must not blow the show by his stance. Food is life, wake up Mr Governor.
*Ayobrown, Senior System Analyst, National Pilot Newspaper, writes via aayobrown@gmail.com
