IF NIGERIA IS BROKE...

Recently, President Muhammadu Buhari told the world outside the shores of Nigeria that the country is broke. Many criticized him for choosing to so demarket the country in such manner but the truth remains that His views, for now are the most authoritative on anything Nigerian.
Funny too, the facts are coming out in favour of his view. In the first place  it is no longer news that the price of crude oil is at rock bottom yet revenues from this sector provide not less than 75% of the resources available to all governments in the land.
Thus, while during recent political campaigns so much and so many was promised, many governments, including the federal government, are waking to the reality that in many sectors, can't pay won't pay, is becoming the only option.
This option is what made the issue of petroleum subsidy removal the macabre dance it has become since, shortsightedly, Goodluck Jonathan was asked not to remove it in 2012 through country wide protests.
It is also the one now poised to Pitch elected political executives directly against organised labour over the issue of minimum wage regime for the nation.
The current minimum wage introduced by the Jonathan administration is N18,000. Organized labour has been arguing that it is overdue for review upwards and so, they may so demand soon.
On the other hand elected state governors recently came out of meeting united in their call for down sizing of the civil service or reduction in the minimum wage.
Can't pay, won't pay may not be that an open secret yet in some other areas but obviously it is discernible in mounting indebtedness to contractors; growing outstanding marching funds for joint partnerships in crude oil exploration; in the simmering grumblings from youths in the Niger Delta over the last stages of the amnesty programme; in creeping unpaid salaries in some federal institutions; in the suspense over  programmes like the national identity card project; federal road rehabilitation and indeed, over refund of amounts spent by some States to keep federal roads motorable within their domain.
So, if Nigeria is broke as an expression, has since moved further from 'if' since the Buhari pronouncement. And that is what makes follow up actions  and inaction to be rather curious.
For if Nigeria is broke one would expect a national broadcast detailing the situation on the ground and suspension or outright cancellation of high current expense political promises like the N5000 for each unemployed monthly; one meal a day for all pupils across the country and subsidy nonexistence.
None of that is on the cards. instead Nigerians are still being reassured that all the political promises will be kept and that indeed, strategies have been worked out to make then doable very soon.
If Nigeria is broke the above five months spent waiting for President Buhari's "noise makers" to be named could also have been used to initiate constitutional review that could eventually prone the number of ministers to say 18 with one rotated between two neighbouring states; and state governments could also have seen the need to speak with one voice on maximum number of political appointees;, maximum pay and allowances for such appointees; maximum budgets for political campaigns including donations; and on matching pay packets for other arms of government particularly the legislature.
If Nigeria is broke, there should have been a game plan too to increase revenue without turning it into cow milking to death and also, to encourage companies and individuals to contribute more to the till instead of the still growing army of parasites.
If Nigeria was broke, it would have been noticed too that because present day Nigerians are on the young side, there was an urgent need to control the population explosion that seems to be on- going with strong pressure on available resources.
If Nigeria was broke.... now wait a minute. Is it that Nigeria is broke and so, can not service and meet its international obligations or some governments in Nigeria are broke and so, can't pay, won't pay yet like Oliver Twist, they want bail out every month while guarding their right to spend and appoint as they like?

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