Who owns Nigeria? On 24th November, 2018, I was invited as a keynote speaker to discuss with fellow youths on a topic titled “Nigeria and Nigerians: The Way Forward. That’s the genesis of my question. I asked fellow youths who have great interest in the progress of Nigeria. Some people chorused “masses” while others chorused “Government”. I laughed and shook my head at the responses I got because government officials are also Nigerians elected into offices.
Over the years, both teachers and mentors have unarguably declared that common Nigerians (the masses) are the unfeigned owners of the entity called “Nigeria”. I think this assertion is a product of selfishness because the rich ones also have their share in this inheritance called Nigeria. They are only wise and crafty like Nigerian prostitutes. As promiscuous men enjoy five-minute sex for a payment of #7000 per night so as Nigeria electorates enjoy #2500 on the election day and ended up struggling other days; they use what they have to get what they want.
The rich class(Politicians) bring stipends to the masses every election year and masses in return sell their conscience every election. The masses dubiously give Nigeria, our common patrimony to men who see governance as profit-making enterprise every election year. They control the wealth of the nation, run government like private enterprise and play the politics of mutual benefits.
They give military and police jobs to the masses so that they can shoot, oppress, enslave and intimidate their fellow poor ones while they allow the rich ones to serve as heads of NNPC and other juicy federal institutions. They are in possession of nation’s treasury, military and others. These people who decide the fate of common Nigerians are the owners of the country and unfortunately, Chris Nwabueze Ngige is one of the owners and he has spoken the minds of others. Chris Ngige was a governor of Anambra state in Nigeria from 29th May, 2003 to 17th March, 2006 under People’s Democratic Party (PDP). He was elected a senator for Anambra Central Constituency in April, 2011 and currently the minister for labour and productivity in the Buhari led administration.
Ngige is a medical doctor by profession. He publicly stated that Nigeria have surplus doctors. He uttered this statement as a minister of labour and medical doctor. Many Nigerians have asked Ngige where is the productivity attached to his office as minister over his recent outbursts. Chris Ngige and his friends do not use Nigeria hospitals.
Like their boss, President Buhari who travels to london at any slight opportunity for medical checkup depsite billions of funds allocated to Aso Rock Clinic, they go to london, India and Newyork for treatment. If these jesters do not use our hospitals, how do you want them to know about the true state of our hospitals? How do you want them to know that drug stores only exist on papers, government doctors have private hospitals they refer patients too and many more critical issues? Our hospitals are in sorry state.
People go to hospitals and come back in regrets. If it is not wrong diagnosis, it is delay in laboratory tests. I have once visited Asubiaro state hospital and it took me three days before I could see the doctor. I saw 3 doctors attending to hundreds of patients; these three doctors were also responsible for kids, mothers and men. It was a woeful tale.
There are 774 local governments in Nigeria; these local governments have primary health centres. 90% of primary health centres are in a very sorry state. These centres are characterised with dilapidated buildings, empty drug stores, insufficient medical staffs, non-availability of medical utilities and many others. In advanced countries, animals can not be treated in such centres.
Majority of Nigerians have lost interest and confident in our state hospitals and they now take solace in traditional herbs and self treatment. There is virtually no home where we do not have a mother or father that prescribes drugs for malaria and typhoid. I could remember one evening after a stressful day, a co-tenant was busy prescribing drugs for her son and she was so confident about it by giving the sickness two days after drug usage. I grow up unto the soft and caring hands of a loving father who has a small cupboard full of drugs. If you fall sick, just wait till he comes back from work, our family doctor will give you drugs and you will be fine. There are several times my loving father gives drugs to our neighbours for use. People go to these Iya Alagbos, with just #100, take herbs and get well. They cure all sorts of diseases at cheaper price. Thanks to Iya Alagbos, many Nigerians would have tasted death.
Iya Abiye maternity centres have taken up the duty of maternity wards in Nigeria. As Hundreds give birth in maternity ward, thousands give birth in Iya Abiye medical centre. People pay less for delivery and they truly give birth at ease. As people tesify to the quality of medical treatment they receive from these local doctors, there are hundreds who have lost their lives over wrong diagnosis and drugs prescription yet people move to these local centres day in day out simply because our government is a failure and there is a medical doctor who heads the ministry of labour always informing government officials who do not use these hospitals that there are surplus doctors.
Chris Ngige is very right. In Nigeria, to be a medical doctor, it requires more than medical college and severe medical trainings. My loving father who prescribes malaria drugs is also a doctor. Women who sell Agbo at market place are also doctors. Women who assist in birth delivery called “Iya Abiye” are also doctors. Neighbours who prescribe drugs for kids are also doctors. I have friends who also dress up wounds after football match, they are also doctors. Our loving mothers who put salt in water for bathing as cure and preventive measure for Ebola virus, they are also doctors. Chris Ngige submission is based on these analogies. There are truly surplus doctors in Nigeria but we have insufficient doctors in state hospitals; that is why you see hundreds of people waiting at receptions of state hospitals for consultation while thousands have no access to these hospitals.
A study revealed that more than 4000 Nigerian doctors practice in United Kingdom and they are doing very well. They recieve awards of excellence and get promoted because they are brilliant and smart. Mismanagement, diversion of public funds, corruption and poor state of hospitals were reasons why they left. They were forced to leave the nation as a result of sad narratives of our leaders. Chris Ngige is a politician and he has spoken the minds of his friends. They have no plans for the future of Nigeria as far as they can steal, divert and mismanage resources. As long as Chris Ngige and friends go to london for medical treatment, Nigeria will always have surplus doctors. As long as the rich and elite class can afford medical treatment in abroad, we will always have surplus doctors in Nigeria. Nigeria is in trouble. The elite have sucessfully waged war against security, they are presently facing health. Please if you find it possible, take the next flight and leave this nation. It is just a “scrap”. 1000 citizens per one doctor. What a blessing! Congratulations to the masses.
If the owners of the day pray for people responsible for the woes of Nigeria, the owners of the night will turn it into curses. God demusi awon arabi lae…
Email: adewale858@gmail.com. 08164411922
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