Nigeria @60: How We Can Lift 500 Million Nigerians Out Of Poverty By October 1, 2021 By Bayo Oluwasanmi
“Wailers”, “haters” and “hailers” marked Nigeria’s 60th independence anniversary. They all agreed they killed a flourishing country. Certainly, they assisted at the funeral of the withered country. The conversation of how best to transform Nigeria into a human society will keep us busy and prevent us from relapsing into idleness till the 61st independence anniversary.
History of 60 years of our independence is an illusion of togetherness for a multi-ethnic diverse country. Nigeria has been haunted all her life by failure. Each anniversary moves us closer and closer to a breaking point. One of our longest running problems is unemployment. We need jobs that will employ million Nigerians. I believe we can lift 500 million Nigerians out of poverty by October 1, 2021 when Nigeria will be 61 years old. 100 million jobs will be created every year in each category discussed below. That’s 500 million jobs by October 1, 2021.
First, the Federal Government should initiate what I will call “Empowerment That Leads To Job Creation.” The government will purchase million wheel barrows for the unemployed to wheel around their different whares such as tomatoes, oranges, peppers, yams, cassava, handkerchieves, slippers, toothbrush, toothpaste, toothpicks, and other consumer goods.
Second, because Nigerians are too poor to buy Keke Napep, (remember, Nigeria is the world’s poverty capital), the government should empower them with bicycles. They will use the bicycles to ferry people from place to place by charging 50 Kobo per ride. They can also work as couriers using bicycles for inter-city delivery of letters, parcels, groceries, etc from office to office and house to house.
Third, we can have election thugs in all the 36 states of the federation to assist the Indifferent National Electoral Crisis in the conduct of free, fair, and credible elections. The election thugs will be responsible for killing political opponents, hijack voter’s cards, kidnap political opponents or even kill them, smuggle election boxes, and altering election returns. The INEC can use their help.
Fourth, government can assist our unemployed university graduates by providing them with portable sewing machines that are carried on shoulders which Yorubas call “Ejika ni shop.” These mobile tailors will roam villages, towns, and cities to solicit for customers who want to mend or adjust their underwear, brassieres, singlets, Baba rigas, agbadas, socks, belts, and other assorted thread bare dresses.
Fifth, government can launch mobile cobblers and supply them with tools. They will go from neighborhood to neighborhood and mend shoes, bicycle and car tires.
Nigerians, don’t worry, be happy. We’ll get there one day. After all, Nigeria was not destroyed in one day. It will take 500 years to build our country. The government is working hard – behind the scenes. Meanwhile, let‘s continue the celebration with songs, praises, and prayers.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
