Agenda Papers Editorial: Reforms are for the living & not for the dead… Tinubu should take note

Listening to president Bola Tinubu proudly announcing to the world that what he is doing to Nigeria and indeed Nigerians is carrying out world class reforms one would applaud him that he is doing something great.

It was even heartwarming when Tinubu added that his reforms are tailored after the great Chinese leader Dieng Xiaoping as such every right thinking person will applaud such moves.

To add flavour to the whole thing is that he made the great revolutionary statement in same China that has witnessed and benefited from the revolutionary reforms.

Reforms for the avoidance of doubt connotes making changes be it political or economic that will bring improvement at the end of the day!

Thus when Tinubu in far away China boasted that: I’m reforming Nigeria the same way Dieng Xiaoping reformed China and Nigeria will replicate China’s infrastructure success the uninitiated will ordinarily jump up in joy.

But is the reality on ground pointing to that direction and the answer may be an emphatic NO!

Starting from the ill conceived outbursts of now famous fuel subsidy is gone to the floating of the naira and jerking up of taxes, rates at a time public servants salaries were not increased and when the economy was terribly in a bad shape should tell even the dumbest that things are not going the right way.

Granted that it’s good to be ambitious and to emulate the good attributes of great leaders but that will not be at the expense of the lives of same people you are doing the reforms. At least the people need to be alive to enjoy the benefits accurable from such reforms.

Most importantly students of history never mentioned that the great Chinese leader and reformer Dieng Xiaoping at the time he was carrying out the reforms involved in frivolities and luxury of buying new presidential jet, yacht, beast car or renovating their vice president house with N22 billion. Reforms that calls for adjustments in life styles does not also include include buying of N160 million SYV jeeps for senators and for members members of the national assembly going home every month with nothing less than N20 million as salary and allowances.

Also there was no trace in the records of the wife of Xiaoping using a whooping sum of N250 million for mere decorations in just four months!

Reforms from all intents and purposes comes with sacrifice from both the leaders and the led. The citizens cannot be dying of hunger and starvation or tightening their belt while the leaders are adjusting their waist and belt due to too much enjoyment!

Words should be relayed to the president that Nigerians are suffering, dozens are dying daily and thousands going to bed on empty stomach all in the name of reforms.

He should be told in clear and unmistakable terms that reforms should be for the living Nigerians and not for the dead and skeleton which may not be alive to see the dividends and fruits of the reforms!