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Christians all over the world will on Sunday celebrate Easter. No doubt, it will be remembered in a low-key manner, devoid of the usual pomp and ceremony. At no time in recent years has a combination of events conspired to restrain the joy that comes with such remarkable event in Christian history Notwithstanding, it does not diminish the substance and lesson of Easter. Make no mistake about it: this is a memorial that marks the significance of the Christian faith, the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Therefore, the essence of Easter is sacrifice, love, tolerance, forgiveness, courage, humility and endurance. It’s the ability to triumph over adversity which Christ himself embodied and demonstrated during his earthly ministry. But, have we internalised these virtues? That’s why Easter is a time of sober reflection on what Jesus Christ endured for our justification. It’s humankind release from bondage of sin that comes with having a good conscience when we do something wrong and obtain forgiveness. It’s a sign of victory, and confidence and reconciliation with God. But we must do something to receive those blessings by exercising faith, and know God, and serve Him faithfully. Coming at this unprecedented time of a common enemy, the coronavirus pandemic that has claimed millions of lives across the globe, and thousands in Nigeria, makes this year’s Easter, one worth remembering in a long time to come.
Everywhere you look, the rhythms of everyday life have been utterly altered. The fear of illness still threatens everyone, more than a year after the outbreak of the pandemic. Indeed, few times in our lifetime have we lived through a moment like this. The entire world looks subdued by this common enemy. It has woken us up from our slumber. Truly, and agonizingly, the thoughts , the apprehension across the country, the poverty in the land, they tear at our hearts, making most Nigerians not to really reflect on the essence of Easter. Overall, amid the expected low-key celebration of this year’s Easter, there is one remarkable takeaway: Sometimes, in our lifetimes and our walk of faith, we encounter circumstances that pose serious challenges to our well-being. It could be health, the economy, or family torn apart insecurity and humdrum of today’s Nigeria.
As Easter approaches amid insecurity in our country, the fear of traveling and a reflection on the essence of Christ’s memorial, provides a revealing look into how Nigerians are coping in this extraordinary hard time. Poverty has squeezed them into a corner. Not many know where their next meal is going to come from. They live each day as it comes. Many have given up on life. Even the government seems to have given up on making better things happen for the citizens or prevent worse things from happening. Despair seems to have supplanted hope. Their misery knows no bounds. It hasn’t been this bad in decades. The latest Misery Index says it all.
What sense does it make that Nigeria claims to be the largest economy on the African continent, yet a majority of its citizens are living in horrifying misery. The misery index which measures inflation and unemployment and helps to determine the economic well-being of the average citizen in any country shows that Nigeria’s misery index stands at 50.6 percent. This is by far above every other country on the continent. Indeed, with higher unemployment and inflation rate, most Nigerians feel miserable, and poorer. If in doubt, ask the folk next door. No jobs in spite of President Buhari’s promise to create jobs that will lift 100 million out of poverty in 10 years. The truth is that the government has failed to deliver on its promises.
With unemployment rate at 33 percent and inflation at 17.33 percent for the month of February, many Nigerians are living on the edge, prices of food items hitting the rooftops with Easter few days away. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the 17.3 percent inflation rate is highest in almost three years. It’s disheartening that Nigerians are going through these pains; with little help from government they elected to provide welfare and security for them in line with the Section 14(1) of the Constitution. In many states, the situation is even worse. We are getting closer to that dreaded tipping point where the citizens may be forced to fight themselves in the streets to survive. Last year’s #EndSARS protest was a sad reminder that frustration, anger and disillusionment are triggers in a misgoverned nation. This state of affairs is different from what is obtainable in other African countries, especially as regards level of poverty. For example, the Misery Index in 10 selected African countries shows that Nigeria is home to the most miserable people. South Africa is 35.7 percent, Angola 32.7 percent, Ghana 14.8 percent, Kenya 13 percent, Tanzania 12.9 percent, Algeria 12.8 percent, Egypt 12.1 percent, Morocco 12 percent, and Ethiopia 6.9 percent. That’s why many families are groaning under government’s flip-flop policies, with increase in electricity tariff and fuel hike two of the talking points in recent times. According to latest survey by NBS, eight out of 10 Nigerian households are raising the alarm over rising food prices, with 58 percent reported to have reduced their food consumption to survive. It is their response to the hardship occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic.
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The situation Nigerians are going through today, and at this Easter, had started before the outbreak of the pandemic last year. It only made things worse. Before the outbreak of the virus, Nigeria was in multidimensional deep hole of ravaging poverty. Such was the sorry situation that data from the World Poverty Clock revealed that six people in Nigeria fall into extreme poverty every minute. Besides, a 2018 report by American-basesd Brookings Institution labeled Nigeria as the “poverty capital of the world” with 87 million people or about 40 percent of Nigeria’s estimated 200 million population living below $1.90 a day.
The situation may have gotten worse now since the report was released three years ago. Where I live in Lagos, two men working at a nearby building undergoing renovation recently wrestled themselves to the ground over a loaf of bread. It was hunger writ large. Similar ugly scenes may be seen across the country this Easter. Do they know it’s Easter? Nigeria needs more restructured reforms that than the present administration of APC has done. Nobody is saying the Buhari presidency should provide all things, but it has not been able to provide the minimum needs such as security and the enabling environment for people to feel safe and businesses to thrive. Like a polarised nation whose members will prefer to destroy their father’s inheritance rather than share it, Nigeria looks like a company under receivership, with no jobs, no security, lack of safety net. The crux of the matter is lack of leadership. Neither has the followership helped matters.
Everywhere you look, it seems the country has lost its soul and the leadership completely lacking vision and direction where it wants to take the country to. I think Buhari means well for Nigeria. I also believe he has the moral strength and character. But these virtues are not enough. A leader who lacks vision and talent loses what it takes to fix a broken nation. How many times shall we say this, that this government has abandoned the compass that brought it into office.
When an elected government does that, it squanders the goodwill of the citizens. But all hope is not lost, only if the president can put his ears to the ground, his eyes on the ball, apply creativity and take concrete action to rescue the country from the present hole the governing party has dug for itself that is drowning everything and almost everyone. Altogether, a leader should make sacrifices for his citizens and country. That’s one of the enduring lessons of Easter. It’s Christ’s living message.
