While some people sit and ruminate over the overwhelming condition reserved for them in our gloomy world, others have continued to ask necessary and imperative questions as to why the society, the government, and politicians have decided to create the most bumpy environment for their countrymen. The latter group is where we belong at DailyPost, as posterity will hold us accountable if we continue to feed the public with gory national gist, with little or no accompanied questions. We will not stop asking questions, as our strong and undeterred conviction is that a new Nigeria is possible. We bear no grudge against the present leadership, as we have continuously highlighted areas of visible national progress since GEJ assumed office, even though we are of the belief that a lot is still waiting untouched.
There is also no doubt, even for a second that we are fixated on our past successes and failures instead of concentrating and being raptly involved in the future. The lens with which we see leadership is becoming fuzzy by the day, leading to a systemic caricature. This is a problem.
The ongoing debate on the horrible conditions and rot in the police college in Lagos state has spawned great concern amongst Nigerians. In the 21st century Nigeria, our potential security officers are still treated like slaves even in their own country, calling to mind several other questions, on whether we all own this country. The imperative question is, do we all belong here? Is this problem associated with just the Nigerian Police? The answers are not far-fetched.
We are not stunned by the ongoing situation. This is because other extreme and unbearable conditions like that of the police college exist everywhere in the country. A trip to the prison will create a different gory image in our heads. Some government owned secondary schools have been neglected completely. It will shock most us to know that students of some secondary schools as we write receive lessons under trees with no single roof on their heads. Once the rain arrives, class is suspended, once the sun is out, class is over. Does this give us any sense of concern? Have you been to some government-funded hospitals around you? Can you count the number of Doctors and nurses in the Hospital? Can you remember the last time the hospital was renovated? Can you also reflect over the worn out chairs and tables in those hospitals? How many ambulances are found in some of these hospitals? Are the stretchers even in good condition? Do you know why people don’t go to toilets and bathrooms when in Nigerian hospitals? Many of such questions are begging for answers.
One of our staff was at the immigration office the other day, and it was an eyesore. We are talking about Police College, forgetting that we also have higher institutions with little or no infrastructures in place. Can we count ten out of the Federal Universities in the country that can boast of modern educational facilities? Most times, students are forced to protest for not having light in school to study for their exams. We don’t need to point at a particular school, but we are not oblivious of all the accommodation problems that confront a newly admitted undergraduates. Instead of battling with his or her new academic level, he battles with accommodation. Nigerian universities have little or no space for students. Even at that, are the few available hostels worth being referred to as hostels? It’s ridiculous.
Even with all the rejection and negligence, the Vice President’s feeding allowance alone can build 10 police colleges in the country. We have not ventured into transport allowance, call cards allowance, and others yet. An ordinary Nigerian would be amazed to know what has been budgeted for the upkeep of the State house. It’s sad.
Only Ram or goat allowance for a senator can build a hostel blocks in one of the Federal Universities. The transportation allowance of a state Governor can turn the state owned hospital around. It is shameful and equally painful that rural healthcare as we have it today is zero in most states. You will then ask, who is the Governor of such state that keeps ignoring the health of a state.
It’s with great concern for the nation that we can’t fold our arms in continuous depression over our artificial and stage managed condition. It’s a Theatre of Absurd, as many Nigerian youth today have continued to wish to have been born in a war zone, instead of Nigeria. We claim there is no war in Nigeria, yet thousands battle to survive hunger on a daily basis. We claim we live in peace, yet hundreds fall to bullets and bombs almost every week. We keep hoping that it will be better, yet thousands are left to go through terrible conditions.
DailyPost, like other media organizations will continue to frustrate corrupt leaders by standing against their intention of wanting to exploit our purpose in life at their own advantage. Most times, they want to be peaceful and secure, they want to have all the money. They want to enjoy all the comforts of life with the taxpayers’ money, yet they are completely indifferent towards the plights of the masses.
We ask Mr. President to swing into action, as the dilapidating state of the Nigerian system will become a serious security threat to the entire nation. The media revelation should be seen as a wake-up call towards the revival of the different sectors of the Nigerian system. We hope this will be taken seriously as it is not enough to tackle just the police college negligence.
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