BY Orji Uzor Kalu.
This is the season of predictions and prophecies. They come from different quarters, each purveying one message or another – some favourable, some fearful. In all, these predictions and prophecies help to shape our future and serve as a compass to that which is yet to come. And 2015 is not going to be different. But the question on every lip is: what colour is 2015? What hope or failure does it hold for our dear nation and its people?
In our clime, people treat these predictions and prophecies differently. While some people underrate them and treat them with disdain, some others take them seriously. The reasons the two schools of thought behave the way they do vary and depend on the idiosyncrasies of each.
Last year was particularly not favourable to many Nigerians. Millions of our compatriots faced difficult times, occasioning pain and anguish. They had wished the year never came and prayed it would vanish like a dream. But it stuck like leeches, sucking their blood mercilessly. End, it must some day, but the sufferings became almost unbearable. Thank God many bore the pain with equanimity and survived into the New Year.
Now that 2014 had rolled over and a new year born, what hope or despair does it hold for Nigerians? What colour is the year going to show? I have taken time out, as usual, to do some introspection and soul-searching, and what I saw was bewildering, yet not totally hopeless.
Contrary to the doomsday prophecies about Nigeria, God has intervened to right the wrongs that had plagued us these past years. Let me state emphatically that Nigeria will not disintegrate as predicted, instead it will be released from the spiritual fetters to which it had been tethered, which will eventually lead to multiplier impacts on the lives of Nigerians.
Many may not believe that Nigeria’s woes were caused by infernal spirits that ganged up to eat up the fortunes of the nation. These spirits took their ascendancy from some esoteric forces with accomplices in high places and leadership positions. However, through the ceaseless prayers of Nigerians God has scattered them, paving way for the emergence of a new Nigeria that is to be born soon.
The frittering away of scarce national resources was caused by these wicked forces that had held Nigeria hostage all these years. The seeming hopelessness that stears Nigerians in the face is also a product of the negative influence of these devious spiritual forces. What reason can we offer for not saving for the rainy day that is about to come upon Nigeria? While the global community was busy saving we spent precious time squandering our own resources.
The world is passing through a severe recession, with dire consequences, yet our nation behaves as if nothing serious is happening. Certainly serious things are happening. We are threatened by a most severe crunch that only the grace of God can avert. Yes, only the grace of God will make Nigerians weather the storm that is about to strike.
From Europe to America, Asia to Africa, the fears are palpable. The uncertainty hovers in the sky with menacing audacity. Everybody is worried and strategizing on what to do to escape the impending cataclysm.
Only those spiritually fortified would be able to see the hard times that lay ahead. Definitely they will come!
The performance of the Naira over other foreign currencies was very poor last year. The slide will continue until such a time there is divine intervention to usher in the new wave that will sweep away the evil forces that have stunted the growth of Nigeria and its march to total freedom since independence.
Other economic indices will show negative signs. Inflation, unemployment, insecurity, and the like will persist for the greater part of the year. Nevertheless, they will begin to ease towards the fourth quarter of the year when some of the interim measures that will be enforced will begin to achieve the desired results.
The insurgency that has been our lot in recent times will subside towards the end of the year. Mark my words: subside. Progress will be made in the new approaches that will be adopted to fight insurgency in the country. The blood of many innocent Nigerians spilled in the past 6 years in the various unrests across the country has been crying for justice. God will bring His judgment to bear on those that have perpetrated these wanton killings and waste of innocent blood.
The major focus of the year will be the forthcoming elections. Some analysts have argued that the elections would follow the same patterns of past elections in terms of organization. But I have a different opinion. I foresee one of the best sets of elections to be organized by any electoral body in Nigeria this year. The elections will be peaceful, free and fair.
I am sure some of our readers would wonder from where I got the confidence to predict free and fair elections when many commentators had predicted bloodshed. Is there anything too difficult for God to resolve? Is it not yet time for Nigerians to breathe fresh air from our polluted past? For how long shall our people suffer before help comes?
Habitual election-riggers will have a hectic time. It is not going to be easy for anybody or group to subvert the wishes of the majority. It happened in the past because of the gullibility and naivety of voters. This time it is going to be a different ball game. Nigerians will vote for candidates of their choice and defend their votes. Those who think they will use the army and private militias to foment trouble or intimidate voters live in fool’s Paradise. They will be stoutly resisted.
There will be greater cooperation between the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies to ensure the elections go smoothly. This will manifest in the conduct and behaviour of the personnel of both organisations. I wish to advise the security operatives and INEC to stick to their gun of working for smooth elections or face dire consequences. They should not pander to the inglorious whims of self-serving individuals whose stock-in-trade is to destabilize Nigeria.
Security agencies who had received serious knocks from Nigerians in the past will turn a new leaf this year. They will be more responsible and responsive to the needs of Nigerians and show more resilience and candour in the discharge of their statutory duties. This new attitude will rub off on other Nigerians who will show a change of heart and toe the path of rectitude and integrity as well in what they do.
The indiscriminate killings of security men and women will be brought to its lowest ebb as new measures will spring up to proactively ward off impromptu attacks on them. This development will boost their morale and propel them into action to protect lives and property of Nigerians.
There will be a few upsets in the forthcoming elections. However, they will not be too prominent as to upset the applecart. A majority of those seeking re-election will scale through, even though it is not going to be all that easy.
Defection of politicians to other political parties will gain momentum in the first month of the year. Some of the defections will shake the foundation of some of the political parties, thereby creating new waves as election-day approaches.
A prominent politician will quit politics a few weeks to the general elections. And this will make many wonder which direction the elections will go. Although the signs are ominous there will be a Tsunami on the political scene such that any ear that hears it will tingle.
There will be a few somersaults in government fiscal policies at the federal level. These will, nonetheless, be corrected as soon as they occur. Since it has been predicted the government should take steps to avoid these errors, which consequences cannot be immediately deciphered.
Still on the economy: inflation will rise astronomically, while unemployment will bite harder. Some manufacturing firms will no longer be able to sustain their operations and will have no other option than to relocate to other countries or close shop. The rich will face hard times as they will be expected to share in the pain that is to come with some new government fiscal policies that will be introduced soon. The pain will be such that people will make a mockery of some of the rich who will also cry and gnash their teeth.
Unbelievably, hunger will ravage our land. Yes, hunger, unless we did something drastic to fight the steady impoverishment of Nigerians. It may sound strange to some people to hear about imminent hunger in a nation that boasts of rich mineral and material resources! But that is exactly what we have in our hands at the moment. Corruption has destroyed and disoriented this country. Like cancer it has continued to eat up the life of Nigeria. With time there will be nothing left other than bones.
Nigerians must stand up against corruption or they watch many of us die in installments. There is no doubt that Nigeria would have been more prosperous than it is today if not for corruption. I see a powerful force rising with ferocity to fight corruption this year. Believe me, it will come to pass. Those looting our common patrimony should realise that the day of judgment is fast approaching.
We must do something about our foreign reserves as we cannot afford further depletion this year. Those opposed to saving for the rainy day are nothing but enemies of the nation. Why should they oppose saving our excess foreign income for the period of scarcity if not selfishness? Nigeria has grown to a level that it should be able to earn and save instead of earn and exhaust. This attitude must be reversed if we are to get through 2015 unscathed.
There will be remarkable improvement in electricity generation across the country. Unlike 2014, this year will see changes in the generation sector where obsolete equipment will be replaced with new ones. In fact, the president is going to make a policy statement on the poor performance of the power sector. The speech will lead to some draconian measures that will affect some of the bad eggs in the sector and facilitate the process of managing the sector more profitably and efficiently.
The media will face difficult times this year as some forces will mass against it to whittle down their influence and disorient them from the objective performance of their constitutional duties. In any case, there is going to be serious resistance from the media in response to the development. The onslaught against the media last year was a child’s play compared to what is to come. So, I advise the media to brace up for a fight.
New private universities will be licensed this year to increase the chances of those seeking university education. Existing universities will receive lifeline from the Federal Government to boost their capacity for service-delivery. New Vice Chancellors will be appointed for federal universities. This will, however, cause some furore in the educational sector.
Work on the second Niger Bridge will commence in earnest this year. The Federal Government will show more commitment to the project in order to dispel the rumour that the government is playing politics with the project. In the same vein, some major federal roads, especially in the eastern axis of the country, will receive a boost. Budgetary allocations to the projects will be actualized this year.
Sports will experience a quantum leap this year. By sports, I mean not only football, but also all kinds of sports – ranging from taekwando to tennis. Nigeria’s absence in the CAF-organized African Cup of Nations will be felt at the mundial. Nevertheless, Nigeria will be compensated in some other ways as it will record shocking victories in other sports, particularly wrestling, handball and table tennis. The Federal Government will take far-reaching decisions on the way forward for Nigeria’s football. The result will be the cleansing of the football house and the management committees for other sports to make them more result-oriented and efficient.
The year will be difficult for tax-evaders as government is going to tighten the noose on them. As a result many Nigerians who had not been paying taxes will be forced to start paying. And this will lead to so much revenue for the government to cushion the negative effect of the sharp fall in global oil prices.
Frankly speaking, 2015 does not look as rosy as some analysts would make us believe. But, trust Nigerians, we will manage to sail through.
I urge Nigerians not to allow the opportunity to make Nigeria great elude us this year.
By the special grace of God we will succeed in enthroning probity, accountability and transparency in our public life, so that we will be able to see the emergence of a new Nigeria devoid of squandermania, hatred, ethnic and religious bigotry, and corruption.