Failure Government of Nigeria (FGN)

It is arguably true that the main goal of communication is to pass information. Sometimes, when communicating ideas, the actual meanings in a message may not be understood by its receivers. In other times, the actual meanings may be deliberately hidden in the messages. In Nigeria, many meanings are hidden beneath what the people see regularly and that is why the abbreviation FGN means and remains the Federal Government of Nigeria to millions of people. That is what we were thought in our primary and secondary school days. Even in textbooks, the meaning of the abbreviation is the same, as long as the three-letter signifier is used in the Nigerian context. However, the emergence of Covid-19 virus from China and its spread to Nigeria have exposed the actual meaning of the abbreviation. With hunger and starvations as the dividends of the lockdown, as enforced by the administration of Muhammadu Buhari, the consciousness of the affected gained a new insight that the abbreviation means the Failure Government of Nigeria.

Throughout the six-week national lockdown of the country, Muhammadu Buhari – the occupier of the presidential office – did not mention anything he and his oligarchs would do to alleviate hunger. His disinterest in the survival and economic well-being of the people is enough signifier of the truism that FGN means Failure Government of Nigeria. It is only a failure government that does not provide for the survival and sustenance of the people. The common people are always the victims of regressive leadership in a society whose public offices are dominated by autocratic looters.

From October 1, 1960, till date, the failures of what the people called FGN had been in existence. The 1960 Constitution and financial provisions for occupiers of public offices were designed for the few at the detriments of the majority and on this foundation, is the present-day socio-political drive of the country. Those in power were and are still more equal than others. In terms of financial rewards, health services, access to a first-class education, an unlimited inflow of foods, etc. those in power – the openly known and the covert ones – are the favoured, based on the side of the political coin to which they have placed themselves. For those on the receiving end of policies and pronouncements of the oppressors, only manna is the expected meal. Unfortunately, the trends continue with increasing intensity.

Associating the abbreviation FGN with failures without connecting it evidence that represents such could be an invalid claim, especially to foreigners and tourists who had visited some packaged locations in the country. From the 1980s till date, at least the followings are features that permanently changed the meaning of FGN:

(1) Continuous decline in the provision of public health services to the common people. The status of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan is an example.

(2) Provision of an easy-to-count number of poorly constructed streets, roads, and highways and abandonment of hundreds of thousands for later use in political campaigns.

(3) Repetition of the same manifestoes in deception for decades.

(4) Geometric increase in the rate of unemployment.

(5) Non-stop increase of foreign debts from one administration to another.

(6) Public announcement of the removals of subsidy on petroleum products and secret additions of it.

(7) Continuous privatization of state-owned institutions for the benefits of the power brokers. The airports in Nigeria are parts of the targets now.

(8) Consistent approvals and legalization of capitalist-driven interests are common in the nation. The regular increase of electricity tariffs, the imposition of bank charges (stamp duty, ATM maintenance charges etc.), uncountable forms of government-backed taxes are well known in this category.

There are only two sides of the coin. To only one can you belong at a time. Therefore, what the abbreviation, FGN means to you can only be determined from your angle of elevation or depression. 

If truly today (October 1) is a neo-colonial independence day, the listed features and more shall certainly continue. Only God knows when the independence of the country will start. Obviously, it is not yet huru because freedom from colonialism and neo-colonialism remains a tale to the common people. 

 

Dedication

Ms. Mojirayo Àjàó

Olúwasèyií Adéyemo

Dámiláre Àyànfé (a.k.a. Main Touch)

Ms. Abísólá Bóyè

Sylvester I. Adigwe

 

Happy birthdays to you all.

Each of you mean many things to me.