Who Is Deceiving Who?

 '... After having prepared this breakfast for my family, I'm left with just twenty five naira... If government has anything to do for us, they should on time.'(a caller's voice on Super 96.3fm some days past). If to take on the extreme remarks from people which I have purposely put in the rear view, we would aver that It is certainly no more news that hun Who Is Deceiving Who? ger kills, in contrary to the sentiments of the Nigerian leaders who purportedly assume that ko si oku ebi ni ori aatan(there is no such thing as hunger kills on the refuse), perhaps, they have no idea about the state of malady of their people. They no less believe they have provided<p align="center"></p> enough for the governed Who Is Deceiving Who?. Whereas, the metaphor of what is said is the question of concern. As a member of the vulnerable, my parents are one for hyperbole, I stand to give a purview of the pains of the people. 

For days in Ogun, our individual ears are filled to brim with narratives of the imminent palliatives from Social Investment Programmes founded in 2016 by FG. Of course, many looked with trepidation to benefit from the scheme as stated in the paragraph 54 of the presidential speech. We can keep 'hoping', virtually, hope is not like grains of sand. I definitely not going to beset myself with gloom, uselessly hoping to benefit from a disappointing leader, who lures me into believing in his mighty goals built in the air with flimpsy promises . But, eventually, nothing happens. That is the scope; it is the status quo. I, personally, have lost my conviction and hope in the current government sequel to the disillusionment it puts me. I doubt if the lost trust is reversible. While the one who is being deceived is known to you and I, the one who is deceiving remains an unanswered question. Of course, the APC is the PDP, and the PDP is the APC. 

We heard directly from the minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, categorically put that the ministry is aware of the Nigerians who live on daily wage, and so they are going to look for ways to get food to them in the mostly vulnerable areas. Also, she talked specially on cash transfer to poorest households in the country to cushion effect of the novel pandemic. All these, tell me where they are, if this piece gets to you, Minister.

What led to my political allergy at this point concerns the SIP's palliatives brought to us in Ijebu-Ode destrict in Ogun yesterday. Before then, I heard, some days ago, that the provisions would be in my locality on Saturday, 4th of April, and we had been put in this temporary suspense until it got to us today, Tuesday. Before that Saturday, I heard on the Friday preceeding it that the expected people are to register with a noble man know as Baba Osifodunrin in the locality with stipulation, though. The condition, thus, 'from an apartment, an adult person with PVC is expected... We're supposed to accredit just 100 homes.' The question is, is that person representing the members of his tenement? Or just himself? Or his family? No doubt, the last question is fine. I went straight down to the registration center to make my findings, but Sadly enough those anchoring the registration activities are no less confused than myself; while they posited that a vulnerable person is to be given in a tenement, face-me-and-face-you so to speak– an apartment reputably known for the class of people occupying it– some of the vulnerable who perceived an iota of thoughts in them simply added, it is beacuase they wanted to curb the crowd, that is why they would want representatives from each tenement. So sad! I was equally spellbound. Even though there was an impulse of thought telling me something was shaddy. What on earth! Tell me, how would they put up such ambiguous statement leaving people in confusion? Eventually, my impression was right; they came around, gave out about five kilograms each of rice, beans, and Garri with some other worthless grocery items to be used for two consequetive weeks. You know the implication? In my parents' apartment, there are 13 tenants in the tenement. So, what ratio would each person get? In a funny twist of event, we got nothing eventually. I personally confirmed from one of the distributors of the useless palliatives, who said that the list submitted contained hundred names but was reduced to fifty. Tell me, do we have just hundred homes in Ijebu-Ode for crying out loud?! Let alone the later reduction. So, who has the government helped? Itself, I presume. 

So, the current government is a disappointment of some sort, and has been alleged by its people of playing a sizable hypocrisy and operates a myopic system that only sees the immediate objects around it but much less the troubles of others. If that is not so, why do they have to pick just a vulnerable person amongst the host of other vulnerable? During election, did you tell us to send a representative to vote you, caring less about other voters in the same apartment? No! For both gubernatorial and presidential elections, you told us to troop out of our face-me-and-face-you to vote you in, and we did just that. Only to see that this is what you intend paying us with. Perhaps, we are already victims of destiny to know why? I am certainly sure, we are not! 

It is not out of place to argue that staying indoors is the first aid to this calamity out there. So, I no less support the move. But then, if this resolve works for other nations in the globe, I seem it is not absolute for us without exaggeration. Come to think of it. Sahara Reporter, a news outlet, in one of her news stories, stated that countless number of Nigerians realize below two dollars per day. Do you get the point?! That means, you own a small scale business and all you can make in a single day is around eight hundred naira, or below. Now, if this is the parameter with which the life of the poor, or vulnerable folks so to say, is defined, that means the government has done absolutely nothing to improve us! PDP was chased out because it was only in the office to talk the talk, which is not by anyway disappointing to me. But not APC, I gave this party all my trust, until it gave me and my people backstabbing, just as PDP. Perhaps, the PDP is the APC, and otherwise. 

They are not unaware of how the IBEDC distributes its monthly bills to the entire neighborhood across the federation. The government is the one who condemned public gatherings of fifty, but encourages coming out for insatiable palliatives. What a nation of ours! As if the Chinese government did not make such distribution to the masses, just before their individual threshold. Those who unfortunately benefited got two cups of rice, ants infested beans, and Garri, with four cubes of Maggi recipe flavour. Thanks for the disheartening palliatives. 

Everything cannot be discussed, no doubt, but truth be told, the effect of the promises of the Federal government is yet untraceable and cannot be identified by us, believe it. Just today from Punch News, the National Assembly just called on the Minister, Sadiya Farouq, telling her the ineffectiveness of SIP scheme. So, my observation is factual. An old woman said at the scene, 'you people are not fair with us. Now, you told us to come out one person per home; was this your demand during your election?! God will judge between you and us...'. Basically, no palliatives for us. Because, myself is one of the vulnerable, I must, yes! I must, be the mouthpiece of the voiceless. I commend the state Governor, His Excellence Dapo Abiodun(MFR) for his effort and sincere intention in the province. I equally implore you, Sir, that this piece is borne out of emotions from the vulnerable and we want it delivered to the appropriate authorities. 

I stand to be corrected.