Israel Umoh
Today is marked, all over the world, as Christmas day, a day set aside to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Monday, December 25, Christians gathered in various churches to thank God Almighty for sending Jesus to die for the remission of sins of mankind.
During this festive period, many cultural organisations and groups and villages particularly in Nigerian and indeed in Akwa Ibom have been organising end-of-year parties, Christmas carols, fund launch, marriages/weddings, traditional plays, Church conventions/rallies, funeral services, fun shows, among others.
Government functionaries and political office holders and politicians have visited their subjects in nooks and crannies with gifts items.
Nigerian Federal Government had declared December 25 and 26, 2023 as public Holidays to enable many to travel homes to see their loved ones and relations in different places.
Apart, the Federal Government had slashed a 50% transport fare for travelers to enable many to visit their kinsmen and relations in the villages.
As the world marks Christmas day, Nigerians are gathering in Churches and hamlets reminiscing sinews of dashed hopes, failed expectations and unfulfilled promises.
In fact, the day is lost on many as they pray for a change in policies formulation and implementation by government at Federal and State level.
Their prayers and jeremiads in different Churches over the remarkable birth of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords have not diminished their frustrations and disappointments and hardships.
Despite the excitements that usually accompany the Yuletide season, many Nigerians are psychologically subdued due to cash crunch, transport fare hike caused by the exorbitant Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly known as petrol and chaotic employment.
On May 29, President Bola Tinubu announced the withdrawal of fuel subsidy regime, and many Nigerians gullibly applauded the move.
Subsequently, the Federal and State Governments have been struggling to send what they call palliatives to the less privileged which are like a drop in a mighty ocean to many impoverished households living below poverty line.
To placate the masses, Federal Government had to assure them of embarking on turn around maintenance of the four moribund refineries in the country, though Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) broke the news that Port Harcourt has recommenced operation.
Even at that, the hope of forcing down the cost of fuel is still forlorn as the company’s Managing Director, Mele Kyari had earlier shocked those who listened that the recommencement of operation at the refinery would not change the high fuel pump price.
This is exacerbated by the barefaced statement of World Bank, directing Federal Government to jack up the fuel pump price to N750 per litre.
Nigeria Labour Congress and many Nigerians who feel the pang of the fuel price hike have decried what they see as ‘insensitivity’ on the part of neo-colonial financial institution drawing precious blood from Nigerians who are hemmed in by helpless inflation preying on already worsening macro-economic situation in the country.
Tinubu, Akpabio, Abassi 2023 Christmas messages
However, the predators (those preying on the sufferings of the people and beneficiaries of government largesse) lack no cunning words to sedate Nigerians with pain killers called Christmas message to further soothe the gapped wounds.
President Bola Tinubu’s message “Fellow Nigerians, as we navigate this transition to stability, prosperity, and Renewed Hope, I urge you once more to hold fast and rest assured of my commitment to govern with vision, dedication, and empathy.”
Nigeria’s Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio acknowledged the pains caused by the Federal Government’s decision to discontinue the fuel subsidy regime, but said it was for the good of everyone, adding, “Our today’s pain will surely produce joyful gains in a very short time”
The Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Abass Tajudeen said “Let us use this occasion to ponder on the issues affecting our daily lives as a nation and how we can best address them, both as leaders and followers, the government and the governed.’’
In spite of the ‘assuring’ messages from their leaders, Nigerians have been k-legged (crushed) by some policy decisions of their leaders in this year’s Christmas that usually witnesses general merriments, aroma and flair by many.
In fact, Nigerians who are usually filled with frills and thrills and nostalgia during this festive season are denuded with hardships and sufferings and insecurity typified by murder, rape, kidnapping and ritual killing.
For ‘big men,’ the pot bellied politicians, the novea riche, the drug barons, the luxury/bullet proof cars’ owners, the impunity monied men/women, the cozy bureau exchange operators, the rosy bank owners, and ‘preachers’ that Nigerians should understand with government or make sacrifices yet they are not adding up the cost of governance, the jumbo salary earners, the fatty revelers, the night party goers, Christmas is not postponed because the predators swim in the ocean.
However, for the talakawas, the face-me-I-face-you neighbours, the food strugglers at public functions, the crumb eaters, the drawers of water, the hewers of firewood, the barefooted school children, the unemployed, the wretched single parents, the hapless graduates, the lamenting Keke operators, the two-litre car owners/drivers, the school fee hunters, the anything-for-boys individuals, among others, their Christmas is postponed until further notice. The preys are wallowing in the desert.
Who is acting the fake script of Christmas which in the 60s, 70s, 80, and 2000s Nigerians marked Christmas with pomp, but today they are playing the flipside of Christmas to the Gen Z and the oldies? Where is the Christmas that characterised panic buying among people, travelling to villages without escorts, the poor contented with their ‘malnourished’ meals, things moving easily, excitements on people’s faces? Who has postponed the 2023 Christmas celebration in Nigeria? Government, or economic hardships?
