Opinion
Water Of Mara
In the ancient entrance and walls of the Temple of Apollo were numerous admonitions, one of which read: “Look back to where you had erred and take steps to put things right again”. Apollo was regarded by ancient Greek people as the god of archery, prophesy, music and sun, and there were temples and devotees dedicated to the honour of Apollo. The admonition to “take steps to put things right again” required having the courage and willingness to drink “the Water of Mara”, which is an idiom. The Water of Mara is usually bitter.
A Nigerian politician was quoted as saying that the bandits, kidnappers, hoodlums, etc., operating in the northern parts of Nigeria, copied their trades and activities from the militants of the Niger Delta zone who were agitating for resource control, with reference to oil and gas resources. That was the ground to ask for amnesty as the Niger Delta militants had enjoyed under the Presidency of UmaruYar’Adua. Such logic or reasoning cannot hold any water because it is obviously wrong to compare agitation for resource control and the situation in the North.
Wherever people are not ready to own up their deficiencies and weaknesses, they usually resort to prevarication and equivocation which are merely intellectual sophistry. Such mindset makes it more difficult to take steps to put things right; rather, the use of excuses and scapegoats feature as usual political gimmicks.
When a former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, raised alarm not too long ago, about Fulanisation and Islamisation project, he was not joking or crying wolf, but informing Nigerians of the shape of things to come. Even before then, the hue-and-cry over Sharia law during Obasanjo’s presidency should have been a notice about the pursuit of some agenda. Let us not continue to pretend, because already Nigeria is classified in some quarters as an Islamic State. Frankly there is nothing wrong about that. Rather, there is something else more disturbing.
Those who know the mindset of the Fulani race would tell us that there is no separation between religion, politics and economics. Ray Ekpu, in Newswatch Magazine of March 20, 2000 said: “When Ahmad Sani, Zamfara State’s own Ayatolla Khomeini, announced with a freshly nursed beard decorating his face, that he was taking his state down the Taliban road, President Olusegun Obasanjo tried to downplay its impact by saying the matter would fizzle out… Instead, state after state in the north got infected by the Sharia epidemic”.
So there has always been the game plan of using religion not only as an opium of the poor and politicians but more as a means of pursuing economic as well as political ends. Many years ago, Professor Omo Omoruyi lamented that the nation’s military and security apparatus are skewed in favour of the Muslim North. There have been many subtle efforts to raise Islamic ideology as embodied in the Sharia law as vital national values in a supposedly secular and democratic country. We have a standing Sharia Police!
The time has come for Nigerians to bring the game of hide-and-seek to a halt and tell ourselves the truth, despite its bitterness. The nation is sliding towards dangers and steps much be taken to put things right again to avoid disasters. One of such steps is to separate religion from politics which should reflect in federal appointments. It has become clear to many Nigerians that religion is being used as a cover to pursue political and economic ends. The security situation in the country is a reflection of the shenanigans of toxic politics, with militant groups as bargaining chips.
The “Water of Mara”, as an idiom, has to do with taking the needful steps to put things right before the night comes. The starting point in such a project involves mindset. To live in the past under the illusion that present realities and challenges can be addressed with past prescription, is a wrong mindset. Earth-life is progressive and subject to changes, since nothing is perfect here. Rather, through learning experiences and the internalisation of the lessons contained therein, steps can be taken to fashion out what is realistic and needful for the present. This is the point which eludes conservative mindset.
For example, old injunctions to stone adulterers and witches to death cannot be a proper remedy for the present time. This is the line which advocates of Sharia law are prescribing and, even if that is acceptable to some people, ideals of democracy provide for individual freedom of choices. If Sharia law is good for some section of a nation, then that choice must not be imposed on others, especially when such imposition is being made in some clever ways, including violence.
One feature of human mindset is the ability of the mind to reverse itself as well as the stuff and contents deposited therein. The mind can reject and empty itself of unpleasant contents and replace them with new values, if there is such strongly felt new orientation. Therefore, whatever conditions that an individual finds himself, especially unpleasant ones, opportunities do exist for a change through a radical alteration in thought frequency. Being held back in the past is to hold the mind in bondage.
There are road maps in various forms to educate everyone that life on earth demands some duty, responsibility and obligations which may be bitter to take on. No one can climb higher when there are gaps and vacuums left unattended below. Unfortunately, indolence and pride cause many people to dodge some responsibilities, duties and obligations, neither would falsification and subterfuge provide an escape way. To drink of the Water of Mara is a part of the education which life imposes on everybody, especially when duties, obligations and responsibilities have been left undone.
The justice of life’s learning process involves penalties and personal atonements which no individual can evade or transfer to another. There is a system of justice and equity which human blusters, excuses and cleverness cannot sabotage. For us in Nigeria the time has come for the leaders of the nation to have the patriotism and courage to drink the Water of Mara rather than postpone issues that need to be addressed boldly. There is the need to work out a mutually acceptable road-map.
Dr. Amirize is a retired lecturer from the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt.
By: 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