What exactly do they discuss at the executive meetings?
My snooping this week piped into the most expensive and shrouded meetings of the federal, states and local governments in my dear country Nigeria. I just could not hide my inquisitiveness on what most of the states executives usually talk about behind closed doors, before they filter them out to the public.
The fact that these meetings are usually strictly for those in the corridors of power, from the President to his vice and his large team of ministers and special advisers, like wise in the 36 six states across the country, where the governor wears the crown as the chief convener, with his commissioners and special advisers taking up the expensive vacant seats inside their posh conference rooms, not forgetting our honourable chairmen and women across the 774 local government councils in the country.
My prying actually is on what exactly they say, propose or visualize for the rest of us? These are men and women who are said to be the representatives of the people and are selected, appointed or nominated to represent our interest and the country at large. So what have they been discussing in their weekly sittings over the decades? I am just wondering if what they have been discussing includes the shameful security lapses in the country and the daily lost of innocents Nigerians to man-made catastrophes and other government negligence. Do those who weekly sit on the various round tables loaded with rich meal, imported water, rich wine and other mouth watering chop-chop in our local councils, States Houses and our fortified Aso-Rock, really discuss what is going on in this country?
I am just wondering if they are conscious of the suffering in most homes across the land due to the outlandish price of kerosene and almost all foodstuffs in the market. Do the agenda on their tables contain issues of overhauling our decaying educational system and the need to instill patriotism and nationalism in our minds? Are they aware that some of their utterances, political resolutions like their undemocratic zoning and high cost of governance are actually creating division among us, taking us backward and shamefully tearing us apart? Do they discuss the value and dignity of their ordinary fellow country men and women and their contribution to the development and togetherness of this diversify nation?
Soon it will be another term of expensive executive meetings across the country as the new henchmen are sworn in and are expected to sit down on round tables and exchanged ideas and strategies on how to rescue their constituencies from further decay. Does it occur to them during these long elaborate meetings that they are sitting on the lives of millions of people whose future lies on the kind of policies and laws they decide to make for them? Are they in the know that millions of Nigerians are now suspicious and not too interested in their yearly budgets, as a result of the poor implementation of the previous ones and all the corruption and Boju-Boju associated with budgets in the country over the last couple of years?
Don’t mind my curiosity, I am just stimulating my appetite, wondering what they eat, drink and discuss in our various executive meetings across the country, visualizing on how relaxed and thoughtful these few selected people are during their secluded meetings. At least they don’t have to think of paying transport fares to get to work, struggling wildly to get just a gallon of kerosene; paying bizarre house rents and queuing up on long lines to access cheap healthcare or worry any longer about eating three square meals for the mean time.
My eyes right now are almost budging out from their sockets as I try to visualize those yummy meals at these weekly meetings and the mouth watering sitting allowances that goes with them. But honestly, I am still confused why these men and women are still finding it difficult and almost impossible to make things work across the thirty six states of the federation, including our pampered federal capital city, this despite their comfortable atmosphere, filled belly, and rich pockets. To whom much is given, much they say is expected. Why then are our executives finding it very difficult to give us that much we gave to them?
I am still snooping with my ears and eyes wide open, sniffing and trying to understand what goes on behind closed doors in most of the states as the executives sit down to deliberate on what they think is good for us. Are they aware that we are hungry and most of us can no longer think straight or understand their much propagated agendas and imported policies? From the north, south, east and west, the stories are almost the same, mass poverty, illiteracy, political thuggery, corruption,maladministration, nepotism, favouritism and self-centeredness. Do our executives usually deliberate on how to truly rebuild this country and make us a model for others to emulate, as our past patriotic and nationalist leaders did?
Do they actually see the naked decay in our social, economic and political lives? Are they mindful of the fact that we are far left behind in Information Technology Development, modern security strategies and policing? Are their eyes wide open to the segregation, tribal and religious bigotry among our various youths and elders alike? Do they see and discuss the shame in our cities, as millions of hungry neglected children are left to roam our streets in search of food to keep body and soul? Has it occurred to those at our executive tables that none of them created themselves and that one day they must leave their seats, die and answerable to their creator? Are they conscious that our potions of God’s bounties are in their hands and they must all account for the way and manner they distributed them among the people? Has it occurred to them that history shall always portray and judge them by what they did and how they did it while they were there?
Someone should please enlighten me on what exactly they discuss in our various executive meetings; I just want to know if they truly talk about the state of our roads and the hundreds of lives that are lost cheaply every day. What about our moribund transport system and our epileptic power supply? Do they have the vision and strategies on how to erase this 21st century disgrace and move us positively forward, where we have long expected to be? Are those at these flamboyant meetings really qualified and deserved to be there? Do they weekly access their policies and laws and follow up to see their results, instead of sitting down in their posh offices and relying on assumption and make believe? Are they truthful to themselves and their conscience? Are they truly doing what they are doing for God and their country?
It would delight my curious mind if someone could please tell me what our selected, elected or is it appointed executives discuss at their various luxurious meetings, because I am yet to see anything meaningful from their deliberations and subsequent resolutions over the years and I am extremely certain that my eyes are not deceiving me, I don’t know about you?
NEW NIGERIAN ON SUNDAY, JULY 17 , 2011
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