A social commentator, Zakka Bala, has decried the state of the nation, which he said has been characterised by increase in population and decrease in the standard of living.
“The issue of politics in Nigeria today is an index; Not a positive index”, he said, noting that “the politics of Nigeria today is very clumsy and is adding to the confusion that we are going through,” he said on Sunrise.
He opined that the nation was going thorough a litmus test and “preliminary results are not looking good”
“The only thing that probably appears to be rising in Nigeria has been the population” he said, insisting that a ratio analysis of all positive macro economic indices will show that “everything is nose-diving”.
He argued that the ratio of good healthcare, employment, infrastructural development to the 170 million strong population is not rising.
He further noted that the system of democracy operating in the country would not bring solutions as an “inclusive democracy” and not a “democracy of emasculation and vengeance” is the only way out.
“As long as we continue to practice this democracy of exclusion. This democracy of emasculation and vengeance we will just continue to widen the positive opportunities that will bring Nigeria out of the woods.”
Bala aired his views on Channels Television’s Sunrise programme.
Also appearing as a guest on the show, another social commentator, Biodun Sowunmi, stressed on the geographical dsparity in income and living standards between the North and the South.
Concerning the disparity in deprivation and unemployment, Sowunmi noted that the North has about 73 percent poverty ration compared to the South (East and West) with 37 percent and 27 percent compared to the South West.
“We built a country where people do not have meaningful development in all sectors of the country therefore we embark on a policy which in some cases leads to growth in some parts and in other cases it will not accelerate growth,” the analyst said.
However, political analyst and senior lecturer at the Lagos State University, Dr Adetokunbo Pearce explained that Nigeria’s woes originated from its days of colonisation.
“This disparity has been there in literacy, leading into employment” he said, arguing that Nigeria has not had enough time to solve the the problems which were inherited from Lord Luggard.
