Try to unlimit the question of subsidy on fuel alone, you get it holistic as it goes beyond the peripheral surface. Doing so culminates in the inferential decoding of the economic doom that has for long been a perpetual cancer for our existence. The scandals of subsidy transcend what we know about fuel only. It is, therefore, imperative to recognise the dialects of subsidy in Nigeria with a view to unraveling facts and figures.
To think about the other side of subsidy is not an economic misadventure but a justified agitation. It may not be equated with the crisis of fuel subsidy, yet it is actually a lingering subsidy of its own calibre with a considerable pedigree of consequences, but has defied our national consciousness. Our conscience has been punctuated not to focus and assess its economic maladies. For instance, our system is too decaying to eradicate the huge disparity among salary earners, one group being grossly under paid, thereby subsidising the other category who are paid stupendous allowances. It is a comparison of the laughable N30,000 minimum wage as against millions of naira earnings of a senator and a federal lawmaker. With just N30,000, a bag of rice cannot be purchased. But with millions of naira, a senator or House of Representatives member can establish a rice factory.
But in a constricted perception and version, fuel subsidy is a topic of overt corruption and economic sabotage for the government because it sees bulky corruption there than anywhere else. Yet, it is an economic bulwark and safety for the masses. Invariably, therefore, if fuel subsidy stays, the government loses. If it is sacked, the masses are the losers, perhaps winners in the long term. This is the kind of subsidy that is generally worrisome to the authorities. It does antagonise the government but its economic jargon is too complex for the masses to grasp.
At last, the era of ‘blackmailing’ fuel subsidy is gone as pronounced by President Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu. It was a painful decision, albeit, mandatory. Tinubu will feel the political pains of adopting this economic restructuring just as the masses will bear its negative repercussions. The open battle against fuel subsidy may come to an end but there will be some misgivings and what have you. The government’s justification will face a great challenge as in the doctrine of the end justifies the means. Thus, if fuel subvention is gone for good, the end result should be the same.
Never forget that Nigeria’s subsidy scheme is like robbing Peter to pay Paul. Whereas Peter is unjustly oppressed, Paul is privileged to enjoy from Paul’s belonging. This is a typical analogy of the other subsidy crisis in Nigeria between the subsidisers and the subsidised. We are generally assuming that the language of fuel subvention is the only subsidy language that must prevail for diversionary antic, but it has some dialects which are not elevated to the same level as the ‘politicised’ subsidy.
This dialectical exposition is expressed through free verses with clarity by the poetic construction of the erudite English Professor Niyi Osundare entitled ‘Nigerian Subsidy and the Real Subsidizers’. He is aptly creative and imaginative to stock our brains with profound reflections, to re-enforce the credible sources of thoughts for understanding this dialectical phenomenon. Aesthetically, he revolts from the ‘official’ language of fuel subsidy to the ‘unofficial’ dialects of other subsidies, bringing into focus two main classes, a dichotomy of the subsidised and the ‘real’ subsidisers.
It is just that Osundare has written a fantastic story of our economic mess, orchestrated by sundry themes such as Nigerians subsidising corruption, Nigerians subsidising incompetence and prodigal greed of rulers, we Nigerians subsidising budget padding with frightening figures for constituency projects, Nigerians subsidising the countless security votes. The sub themes further include Nigerian people subsidising government budgets and their recurrent plunder. Indeed, Osundare is a ‘subsidiser’ of this art of criticism to spotlight the subsidised elements of democracy, while there is a growing class of energetic and ambitious youths who are unemployed and exploited through other subsidy scams.
Now that fuel subsidy is gone, is that the end of subsidy debacle? Not at all! Who will question the magestic behaviour of squandemania exhibited by certain leaders who use public money to charter helicopters running into millions of naira? Can we halt the siphoning of the frightening figures of trillions that go into bogus constituency projects? Who can launch missiles attack against the fraudulent enrichment through kick backs? When are we going to end outrageous inflation of contracts by government functionaries? Who will provide security for the security votes that have left us unsecured? All these are classes of subsidies in disguise enjoyed by a few to the detriment of the majority. It is still unknown to us when they will be ripe for removal as is the case with fuel subsidy withdrawal.
From the looters diary, we see keen competition among looters that puzzles the mind and destroys our economy. We subsidise their looting because we agree to give them immunity. Going by available evidence, gender inequality has no place in the dangerous game of looting. From the plundering culture, we see whopping billions that are given as severance package to political appointees, thereby portraying political office as a source of maximum comfort and not a dedicated service. This is why more Nigerians are trooping into the political space, turning elections to a do-or-die battle to enjoy subsidies of democracy
Nigerians should re-think that the fall of fuel subsidy is never the end of an economic epidemic. Other dialectical subsidies are still with us and will continue to wreak havoc on the soul of our economy. Unless and until they are given the same ‘tough’ prescription as fuel subsidy, the prospect of our economy being healthy will continue to hang in the balance.
Abdullahi writes from Ringim, Jigawa state via [email protected]