WHAT ARE NIGERIAN SUFFERING FOR?

These days the refrain from all and sundry is that Nigerians are suffering because there is hunger across the land and something should be done about it fast.

Well, it is a true statement and wish expressed even  by religious leaders who, up till now, seemingly looked onto God for solutions, blessing and divine intervention.

Not to talk of echoes of the same by political opponents of the APC, or better still, of the Buhari administration.

The refrain is also giving bite to the renewed anger of Niger delta militants, still spreading insecurity and forcing civil rights activists back to the open trenches for chibok girls, for national restructuring and more, not less, respect for human rights and truly fair elections.

But then, let us not miss the point. Yes, Buhari did not take fiscal action on time on the economic situation. He doesn't even seem to have done anything yet apart my government will ensure...

Yes too, Mr President says he and his team are working seriously on the economy but unfortunately, whatever they are doing seems to be too close to their chest or perhaps has been coming out in fragments instead of as strategic plan articulated for and sundry's understanding and team action.

Perhaps, the so called recovery effort is nothing short of fire fighting without adequate water supply or updated expertise.

But no matter the cause of present day hunger in the land, it has to be accepted that if it were in Buhari's power he would have wished it otherwise.

What then is in the President's power? Simple: Plans to:

1) Ensure that the expected recovery does not depend solely on what happens favourably to crude oil prices.

2) Ensure that Nigeria does not find itself in the same pothole again when crude oil or gas prices dive or worse, when the oil wells dry up

3) Finally, ensure that current suffering is mitigated as much as possible and indeed, not compounded with inaction, lack of national coherence, and wrong signals and policies.

Now, none of the above can be achieved by focussing on the refrain now on every ones lips: Nigerians are suffering, do something fast. In fact, the refrain could turn out to be a distraction or could stop many from applying to the common shove needed to get out of the rot.

What will instead help better is Nigerians are suffering, what can Nigerians gain from this by the time it is over? It is this question that will provide the goal to aim for and eventually, make any sacrifice given today worthwhile.

But certainly any one who thinks that Nigeria and Nigerians are suffering today in order to make its leaders feed fat, to ensure school pupils do not go hungry at school, to ensure that civil servants are paid when due and to ensure that the Nigerian military and paramilitary are armed, and well prepared to take on any internal threat to Nigeria, is yet to get it right.

For such a person or leader, hunger is always an enemy and never a spore to greater heights through more focussed efforts. Even God uses this tool by chastising those He loves, not to talk of parents who know too that poverty unites more effectively than abundant wealth. Provided there is love and justice in the family.

So, yes Nigerians are suffering but what should Buhari  articulate and drive Nigerians towards is not just how to end the suffering but more importantly, how to ensure it does not occur again under the same circumstances.