Legal practitioner, Robert Clarke on Wednesday opined that “about 75 percent of Nigerians are not feeling the benefit of governance and the good things that government says it is providing”, noting that the average Nigerian does not want to depend on government.
Speaking on a special edition of Sunrise Daily, in honour of Nigeria’s 54th Independence Day anniversary, Clarke assessed the economic condition of the nation, based on the three classes, noting that the rich who have access to several opportunities, legal and illegal, find the country as a “big haven”.
“When you talk of the middle class, which has been eroded in Nigeria, and which is coming back with little and little (it is not there yet), no nation can survive without a middle class.
He however described citizens in that class as those who send their children to private, rather than government schools”.
For them, life is changing but has many hassles because of the failings of government in infrastructure, Clarke said.
“I’m sorry to say, there is no impact on the life of the lower class man. The lower class (citizens) in Nigeria are still subservient to everything that is good. They scrounge to get a daily bread, to even eat two meals a day and to them, nothing is happening.”
However, the renowned lawyer noted that all hope was not lost.
Referring to President Goodluck Jonathan’s nationwide address, he said: “For the first time in my life, listening to speeches from Heads of States and past Presidents, I have a feeling that a new beginning is showing up in Nigeria, in terms of developmental prospects.
Whether these developmental prospects are going to be created by government or are going to be created by the private sector, is what is yet to be proved.
He commended the private sector for most of Nigeria’s development, but noted that notwithstanding, “I am bold to say that within the past 12 months and listening to Mr President, things are now taking shape”
He opined that “government itself, is now putting its hands into all aspects of developmental progress”.
Doing an analysis of President Goodluck Jonathan’s nationwide address, Clark expressed hope that Nigeria “will soon get to that stage” of development, following government efforts in the maritime and agricultural sector.
“I listened to him. He has also said that the amount of money Nigeria pays for importing (rice) has drastically gone down. That is kudos to this government but that does not mean that we have got there. We have not gotten there at all.”
