In the wake of sudden clueless shifting guidance in Nigeria, the citizens got tired of their ceaseless and seasonless complaints; for their dear leaders are wickedly deaf. The Presidency, Legislators, Judiciary, Governors, Ministers, Commissioners, Directors, High-ranked-officers, Religious leaders and Traditional rulers, Administrators and clerks are all vile and evil. With price of things rising and never falling; the common man cannot afford common things. Yet, the high and mighty live comfortably amidst the uncomfortable conditions that they subjected their subjects. One problem after the other; there is no rest for the living and no peace for the dead in Nigeria. The people wail and blame everyone, including their ancestors. This country nawa o!

There is nothing the eyes shall see and shed blood; but the tears in the hearts of Nigerians drip blood. There is no never been seen before; for blood money and blood covenants rule the nation. People are killing people on purpose, while some others are killing people without even knowing. How can labourers labour in vain, if not that their leaders are vampires? Brainwashing-machines; terminators of lives and properties. Nevertheless, the people vote for these predators; who have sworn to win through ballots and bullets. Poverty is a sin, for the poor are forever gullible and vulnerable to all manners of deceits and delusions. How can you vote for the same group that made you suffer? How much is your life worth, that would prompt you to sell your choiceyou’re your right? When you sell your vote, you sell your right! Many Nigerians sell their future for the present; for they seem to never learn from the past. The problem with Nigeria is not the politicians, but the people.

The new naira notes swap of 2023, caused an epic confusion and controversy that is never been seen before. Hence, for the first time in the history of Nigeria; money was used to buy money. A change in colours; is that not funny? While the rich wails, the poor faints; for faith has nothing to do with this fate. This is a shame for both the sane and the insane. Come rain, come shine; Nigerians are never tired of suffering. To get tired in Nigeria is to die; for only the strong survives the struggles till success surface. As usual, the people always devise their own ways; for banks and point-of-sales failed at a time when they were needed the most. The present generation of Nigerians will never forget this hard and evil time, from the old to the young; including the mad, the blind and the deaf; everyone felt the pains.

As within, so without; for one must learn from the pasts and the pains. Every experience has something to be learnt; regardless of how sweet or sorrowful it was. Hard-time is part of the times every human being must face amidst the phases of life; for they are countless and unpredictable. Nonetheless, come what may, you must always be prepared like a scout; and never count your losses. Whatever happens, always have your eyes front; for what happened have happened, but what will happen is in your front. Consequently, as Nigerians suffer the consequences of a bad economic policy and planning; it is wise to learn from the lessons of that ugly controversy. Here are the five lessons you can learn from Nigeria’s new naira notes’ swap controversy; and the ways to be prepared for similar unforeseen events in the future:

• The Citizens Complicate the Controversy: Panic never soothes the pain, but worsen the wounds. In a time like this, clarity of the mind should be primal; for lack of focus would make one a fool. Information is power, but people only realize that when problems arise. Thus, those who are not properly informed or misinformed are bound for mistakes and misunderstandings. Hitherto, cashless policy was proposed, but the people negated that progressive idea; only to suffer the problems now. If not, how do you explain to the next generation, that people used their money to buy their money? Is this not midnight madness in mid-day? Most Nigerians live in the twenty-first century, but still think and act like their ancestors of 1800s. Mentality makes the mind worthy, but poverty perpetually poison poor minds; and elude them in embracing positivity and progress. In dire times, it is imperative that one puts on their adaptative life-jacket; for hard times also pass away. Hence, resist the temptations, and cool your temper; for it is temporary. Trying time is not a time to be upset, but to be more understanding.
• The People Act Powerless in Times of Power and Poverty: The masses failed to recognize their power, and bowed to poverty. The mathematics of life use lessons of past events as formula for dealing with present equations and situations simultaneously. There is no situation without a solution, but you must first, be clear of confusions; so as to avoid complications. Yes, the government make policies; but the people have the right to influence those policies to their favour. There is no politics and politician without the people; yet the people live in fear of the politicians, but the politician ought to be afraid of the people. The people have the power to change policies, and also to change unfavourable administrations. When you act weak and weary, you can’t speak out strongly. Challenges can be challenged, but the challenger must be prepared to tackle the challenges; that is how good changes came to be. The consequences of the 2020 EndSars protest impacted fear in the minds of Nigerians, and put an end to their power to protest; exactly what the government wanted. Fear remains the number one instrument of control, intimidation and manipulation; for it blinds eyes, deafens ears, shuts mouths and deludes minds. The people must rise and take power, even if it means ceaseless protests; till their voices are heard and answered right. If you don’t know what you have, you can never use it; for ignorance is not bliss but blindness. Stay woke and never weak.
• Hypocrites in High and Low Places: Everybody is a hypocrite; for people only sow where they are certain to reap. Look out and think out loud; for hard times reveal the true intentions and actions of the hard-hearted. In moments of trials, temptations are hardly resisted; for you must seek your survival before anyone nor anything else. You are not selfish; your natural instincts are at play. But if everyone only cares about themselves, who will save the others; or don’t you care about others? In perilous times like this, it is wise and kind to cool your temper and resist temptations; for times are temporary. Wickedness is weakness, for the meek can never be mean; and the strong never survives alone, but with others. Just imagine, few days that money was scarce in Nigeria; bankers became cruel to their customers. The same customers that is the reason for their existence. The same customers they advertise for; they left frustrated with anxiety. Give people a little opportunity to play god, and they would make the devil their assistant. If new money was to be swapped with the old ones; the banks ought to have the new ones available to swap with their customers’ old ones. In fact, the new money ought to be in circulation immediately after the announcement of their availabilities; instead, it was mostly made available upon the deadline. Is this not a purposeful act to suffer the poor masses? Central Bank of Nigeria; Nigerians are saying “Thank You”. Unfortunately, the banks in Nigeria were lacking in efficiency but full of evil. How can you subject your customers to hardships, for their own money; during an unprecedented hard time? Banks in Nigeria made families to starve. While men cried, women wailed and children suffered. It was no longer a case of having or not having money; but, do you have cash? New cash was sold in exchange for the old ones; lets clap for Nigerians! It is not easy to suffer in silence; for when the mouth is speechless, the heart suffers.

• Connections Connects the Rich and Disconnects the Poor: Who do you know? That is the only question when illegal becomes official. Contemporarily in the world, merit has been sacrificed on the altar of mediocrity; because of connections. The wrong people are in the right places, while the right people are in the wrong places; due to intentionally displacements of talents and skills. Yet, we expect positive developments and quality change; but nothing can come out of nothingness. When nothing goes for nothing, one with something becomes rotten. You can’t expect the wrong people to do right, especially when they have no regard nor respect for people’s rights. When human rights are denied; the less privileged cry and pray every night, to see the next light. People are suffering because of people. How can banks explain that they don’t have enough money for their customers in-line during a deadline? The financial institution ought to be the most serious and zealous sector of a national economy; but that of Nigeria still staggers. Creditors were treated like debtors; and debtors were chased to their deaths. The inhumanity of humans to humanity. Everyone turned off their empathy, with no pity for the poor masses; as money became the only answerable call. While the very rich had stacks of cash delivered to their abodes; others stood in bank queues, quarreling themselves.
• Politicians are Predators and People are Preys: The mission is to get power by all means possible; and if it seems impossible, politicians will do the unthinkable to win and dominate their people. The story of Nigeria is a long history of sufferings and hardships; yet, the people don’t seem to be tired of suffering. If not, how do one explain why the same people will keep the same party responsible for their sufferings in power? Why not vote them out in all entirety, and try a new party? That is how politics ought to be played. If a player is out of form, that player gets benched; while a player in-form takes charge. Without positive change, there will never be positive developments. The people are also the politicians, because a politician was once amongst the people; although they tend to forget their roots when they get salutes from the boots. The class struggle is intriguing, interesting and intensifying. As to how the minority rich intimidates and dominates the majority poor masses in the society; reflects that it is not by quantity but quality. The flock have no sense of their own; that explains why they follow and trust their shepherd without questions and reasonings, even if that shepherd is a stupid-fool. The herd-mentality is the root of all sentimentalities and biases in the society; based on tribe, religion and associations. Of course, in the land of the blind; a one-eyed man is king. The politicians play upon the poverty of the people. By not allowing their people access to resources of self-development; the leaders remain in control, because a hungry man is a vulnerable man. They rather use the youths as political thugs, than give them meaningful jobs. Till the people eschew hates and propagandas; they will continue to be slaves of the politicians. The politicians play their people against themselves; pitching tribe against tribe and religion against religion. In the end, everyone suffers; including the conspirators and the instigators.

Consequently, when a country is bad, there is no better days in the future; for things worsens as time goes-by. Currently, elections are about to start in Nigeria; and some people are still thinking and ruminating on who to choose for presidency. When facts are over fictions; and the truth is very glare for all to see. Yet, someone in Nigeria is confused on who to vote for president; amongst an upright man, a drug-lord, a criminal and a tribalist. When you vote wrongly, you are not exempted from the sufferings of that wrong choice. Suffer no dey tire you?

Dearly beloved; Nigeria as a case study, exemplifies a circumstance where the people are the ark of their problems. Vote out the bad eggs and egoists; and try out those eager to rule with vision like the eagle. Faith has nothing to do with fate, if one fails to plan well. When the people stand as one, no one can stand against them; for that is the origin of democracy. The government is of the people, by the people and must be for the people; for there is no otherwise in the midst of the wise. Learning is never over till death; hence, wake from your sleep and stay woke from slumber. Reality happens when you are not dreaming. The practice is physical; be prepared and be physically fit. Anything can happen anytime; but whatever happens, don’t be left out of time. If you keep on repeating the same mistakes, without applying the lessons you learnt from your experiences or those of others; you will never make it positively in life. Before you blame someone else, blame yourself and digest your regrets.

EMEKA CHIBUIKEM V✍️

X: @Victorviri