Opinion
Evolution Of Culture Of Parasitism
This article was motivated by an editorial of The Tide newspaper of Friday, April 5, 2019, from which the following extract was taken: “Paradoxically, the people have remained poor in the midst of plenty, owing to a number of factors, including the arbitrary allocation of oil blocks and marginal fields by successive administrations in the country. The end result is that the wealth that is buried in the bowels of Oloibiri and in other oil-bearing communities in the Niger Delta region is being cornered by a few Nigerians and foreigners”.
In the beginning, humans were placed on Earth to “dress it and to keep it”, that is, to work; which proves that man was not born to an easy life, for truly, work banishes three great evils: boredom, vice and poverty. But we see that there is a great deal of evil in the world, making man to suffer from the restlessness of anxiety or from the lethargy of boredom. How did this state of anomaly come about in the natural history of man on Earth?
Parasite is defined as a plant or animal that lives on or in another plant or animal and gets food from it. It also includes a lazy person who does not work but depends on other people. In the history of the evolution of the human species, a number of anomalies came about largely through some curiosities and the desire to put the resources of the mind to test by taking on various projects.
Good as it is to put human abilities to task in the process of survival, there is also the possibility of personal vanity, conceit and vaulting ambition coming into play. Endowed with three vital capacities of self-exertion, inner alertness and earnest volition man has a natural urge to explore his environment and make the best of what is available. Coupled with the challenges that confront him daily, it is natural for man to try some new tricks or pranks both for the purpose of survival and for fun too.
Earliest of such tricks and pranks was the formation of hunting groups, led by courageous people among various tribes. From the practice of hunting games and prey for food, there evolved the need for self-defence in the event of external attacks from aggressive groups. It was from the formation of defence and hunting groups that there arose the forging of weapons of war and evolution of expansionist propensity among the early men.
Physical prowess and the availability of weapons of coercion resulted in expansionist expeditions, whereby there evolved the culture of slavery. It was not long that religious cults and institutions got involved in the fever of conquest and proselytisation, including brave soldiers of the cross. Unfortunately, the worst atrocities in human history can be charged to the doorsteps of evangelizing and civilizing groups. The old Roman Empire soon saw the need to use the expanding power of Christianity to sustain its influence. Soon arose the idea of might being right.
State authority and power embraced military, economic and religious control, such that the coercive might of state had these three arms as formidable allies. The culture of parasitism had been a long issue in human history, but its modernized version takes the form of national and international politics. The practice of combination of the three powerful allies (military, economic and religious institutions) has also been modernized.
At the international level, the culture of parasitism operates through big corporations and multinational conglomerates, with the game of monopoly serving as instrument of prey and coercion. Especially with countries which evolved through the rule of colonial masters, the culture of parasitism operates at two levels, namely, internal and external. In the case of Nigeria, the oil and gas industry is an obvious and visible preying ground, but the mystery of the operation is encoded in the “do-or-die” politics, thanks to the then General Olusegun Obasanjo.
To say that ruthlessness, treachery and deceit are the instruments of sustaining the culture of parasitism is to state the obvious. What is vital for the masses to understand is that the predators are usually faceless monsters with numerous tentacles. Like General Macbeth’s juggling fiends, predators and parasites often use numerous instruments of darkness to “tell us truths; win us with honest trifles, to betray us in deepest consequences!”
Great thanks to The Tide Editorial Board!
Dr. Amirize is a retired lecturer at the Rivers State University, PH.
Bright Amirize
From all indications, Nigeria possesses enough human and material resources to become a true economic powerhouse in Africa. According to the National Population Commission (NPC, 2023), the country’s population has grown steadily within the last decade, presently standing at about 220 million people—mostly young, vibrant, and innovative. Nigeria also remains the sixth-largest oil producer in the world, with enormous reserves of gas, fertile agricultural land, and human capital.
Yet, despite this enormous potential, the country continues to grapple with underdevelopment, poverty, unemployment, and insecurity. Recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS, 2023) show that about 129 million Nigerians currently live below the poverty line. Most families can no longer afford basic necessities, even as the government continues to project a rosy economic picture.
The Subsidy Question
The removal of fuel subsidy in 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been one of the most controversial policy decisions in Nigeria’s recent history. According to the president, subsidy removal was designed to reduce fiscal burden, unify the foreign exchange rate, attract investment, curb inflation, and discourage excessive government borrowing.
While these objectives are theoretically sound, the reality for ordinary Nigerians has been severe hardship. Fuel prices more than tripled, transportation costs surged, and food inflation—already high—rose above 30% (NBS, 2023). The World Bank (2023) estimates that an additional 7.1 million Nigerians were pushed into poverty after subsidy removal.
A Critical Economic View
As an economist, I argue that the problem was not subsidy removal itself—which was inevitable—but the timing, sequencing, and structural gaps in Nigeria’s implementation.
- Structural Miscalculation
Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries remain nonfunctional. By removing subsidies without local refining capacity, the government exposed the economy to import-price pass-through effects—where global oil price shocks translate directly into domestic inflation. This was not just a timing issue but a fundamental policy miscalculation.
- Neglect of Social Safety Nets
Countries like Indonesia (2005) and Ghana (2005) removed subsidies successfully only after introducing cash transfers, transport vouchers, and food subsidies for the poor (World Bank, 2005). Nigeria, however, implemented removal abruptly, shifting the fiscal burden directly onto households without protection.
- Failure to Secure Food and Energy Alternatives
Fuel subsidy removal amplified existing weaknesses in agriculture and energy. Instead of sequencing reforms, government left Nigerians without refinery capacity, renewable energy alternatives, or mechanized agricultural productivity—all of which could have cushioned the shock.
Political and Public Concerns
Prominent leaders have echoed these concerns. Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, described the subsidy removal as “good but wrongly timed.” Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party also faulted the government’s hasty approach. Human rights activists like Obodoekwe Stive stressed that refineries should have been made functional first, to reduce the suffering of citizens.
This is not just political rhetoric—it reflects a widespread economic reality. When inflation climbs above 30%, when purchasing power collapses, and when households cannot meet basic needs, the promise of reform becomes overshadowed by social pain.
Broader Implications
The consequences of this policy are multidimensional:
- Inflationary Pressures – Food inflation above 30% has made nutrition unaffordable for many households.
- Rising Poverty – 7.1 million Nigerians have been newly pushed into poverty (World Bank, 2023).
- Middle-Class Erosion – Rising transport, rent, and healthcare costs are squeezing household incomes.
- Debt Concerns – Despite promises, government borrowing has continued, raising sustainability questions.
- Public Distrust – When government promises savings but citizens feel only pain, trust in leadership erodes.
In effect, subsidy removal without structural readiness has widened inequality and eroded social stability.
Missed Opportunities
Nigeria’s leaders had the chance to approach subsidy removal differently:
- Refinery Rehabilitation – Ensuring local refining to reduce exposure to global oil price shocks.
- Renewable Energy Investment – Diversifying energy through solar, hydro, and wind to reduce reliance on imported petroleum.
- Agricultural Productivity – Mechanization, irrigation, and smallholder financing could have boosted food supply and stabilized prices.
- Social Safety Nets – Conditional cash transfers, food vouchers, and transport subsidies could have protected the most vulnerable.
Instead, reform came abruptly, leaving citizens to absorb all the pain while waiting for theoretical long-term benefits.
Conclusion: Reform With a Human Face
Fuel subsidy removal was inevitable, but Nigeria’s approach has worsened hardship for millions. True reform must go beyond fiscal savings to protect citizens.
Economic policy is not judged only by its efficiency but by its humanity. A well-sequenced reform could have balanced fiscal responsibility with equity, ensuring that ordinary Nigerians were not crushed under the weight of sudden change.
Nigeria has the resources, population, and resilience to lead Africa’s economy. But leadership requires foresight. It requires policies that are inclusive, humane, and strategically sequenced.
Reform without equity is displacement of poverty, not development. If Nigeria truly seeks progress, its policies must wear a human face.
References
- National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). (2023). Poverty and Inequality Report. Abuja.
- National Population Commission (NPC). (2023). Population Estimates. Abuja.
- World Bank. (2023). Nigeria Development Update. Washington, DC.
- World Bank. (2005). Fuel Subsidy Reforms: Lessons from Indonesia and Ghana. Washington, DC.
- OPEC. (2023). Annual Statistical Bulletin. Vienna.
By: Amarachi Amaugo
