In 2016, for the first time in the history of Nigeria, the price of one of the nation’s staple food (rice), like other commodities shot over the bar and placed many homes in jeopardy and tension. With the price of rice incredibly rising to between N21, 000 and N22, 000 per bag, unlike previously when the commodity was sold between N10, 000 and N12, 00 per bag, it became extremely difficult for poor Nigerians to feed. The desire of fellow Nigerians to meet up, and the spirited efforts made by the Buhari administration to cushion the crushing effect and stabilize the price, saw the introduction of indigenous rice to the public, known as ‘Buhari Rice.’
By Igbotako Nowinta
No doubt, the year 2016 is perhaps one of the most excruciatingly challenging for the masses of Nigeria since the British lowered the Union Jack and replaced it with the Green White Green in October 1960.
In 2016 many significant events occurred that shook the very fabric of the Nigerian nation. Even as the year is being gradually wrapped up, the Nigerian Army that has been waging a relentless war against the monstrous terrorists in the Northeastern part of the country suddenly broke into the last stronghold of the Boko Haram in the Sambisa forest (Camp Zero).
The presently much talked about or stridently publicized crushing of the insurgency is indisputably a major issue in a country that has witnessed horrendous and unparalleled security challenges via the strange introduction of suicide bombing into its clime by the terrorist group.
If Boko Haram adherents and foot soldiers have truly been put to asunder or thorn into shreds going by the claims of the military High Command in the country, then the Buhari administration must have fulfilled one of its tangible electoral promises.
The dislocation of Boko Haram by the military authorities, then qualifies in the opinion of this writer as the third most significant event in the year 2016 (3rd man of the year), because the devastation and destruction the dreaded Boko Haram has unleashed on the nation are unquantifiable and heart wrenching.
The horror of Boko Haram reminds one of the wholesale slaughter occasioned by the Nigerian civil war from 1967 to 1970.
The event that was of great significance also in the year under review was the demystification of some of the nation’s Supreme Court Judges who were allegedly said to be swimming in the pool of gigantic corruption.
For the first time ever some judges and lawyers were exposed as being neck deep in corrupt practices that has greatly undermined the sanctity of the judiciary in Nigeria as the last hope of the common man.
Thanks to the proactive activities of the Department of State Services (DSS) that carried out some midnight raids on the residence of some allegedly compromised Supreme Court judges, which has led to their current prosecution in the courts of the land.
Therefore, the rigorous shaking being carried out by the federal government in the nation’s judiciary is the second most significant event in the year 2016,which by implication qualifies as the ‘second man of the year’.
Before my ‘main man of the year-RICE’ will be discussed here, courtesy demands that one should take a look at other equally landmark events in the 2016.
The rescue of a chunk of the celebrated Chibork girls from the Boko Haram’s dungeon was an issue that took the fancy of civilized world. The Chibok girls were abducted by the rag-tag terrorists from their hostel, near Maiduguri, generating global interest and concern.
That the Buhari administration has succeeded in bringing some of the Chibok girls back to the comfort of their long suffering parents/ guardians was a major thing in 2016.
Shortly after President Buhari was sworn in to office as the fifth President of Nigeria, the Niger Delta region began to boil again, as old unresolved issues bordering on neglect, militancy, amnesty, underdevelopment, devastation, pollution and resource control etc. resurfaced like demons on special assignment.
Things assumed unfortunate and palpable dimension when the presidency threatened to apply the sledge hammer (military option) in resolving the delicate matter, as different shades and shapes of militant groups like the Niger Delta Avengers etc. started to bomb and blast oil pipelines in the zone on a daily basis.
As oil production started to drop and the economy of Nigeria began to wave and stagger, signaling imminent collapse, common sense once again dragged the agitators, stakeholders and the Federal Government to the inevitable negotiation table.
Resurgence of militancy indeed in the Niger Delta was an issue of urgent general public concern in 2016. The thorny issues are still being ironed out, as the presidency is studying and considering the multiple demands from the people in the region.
The cycle of rot and decay which the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) perfected in Nigeria for sixteen years (16), that saw mind-boggling corruption displayed in the Arms Deal scandal, Petroleum Subsidy regime and cruel glaring wastages in almost all sectors of the country manifested in the collapse of the system by the time President Muhammadu Buhari commenced his rule in 2015.
As the mantra of change was being introduced by the Buhari administration early in May 2015, via the introduction of Treasury Single Accounts (TSA), restructuring of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), stoppage of the much debated and hated Fuel Subsidy and other stringent measures to block wastages in the name of solidifying the economy, quite unfortunately the brunt fell mercilessly on the masses of Nigeria.
The attendant effect tragically is the current economic recession being experienced in the country today, which has led to skyrocketing prices in almost every sector of the economy.
In 2016, for the first time in the history of Nigeria, the price of one of the nation’s staple food (rice), like other commodities shot over the bar and placed many homes in jeopardy and tension.
With the price of rice incredibly rising to between N21, 000 and N22, 000 per bag, unlike previously when the commodity was sold between N10, 000 and N12, 00 per bag, it became extremely difficult for poor Nigerians to feed.
The desire of fellow Nigerians to meet up, and the spirited efforts made by the Buhari administration to cushion the crushing effect and stabilize the price, saw the introduction of indigenous rice to the public, known as ‘Buhari Rice.’
‘Buhari Rice’ no doubt has brought some succor to many homes in a way, as it is gradually forcing the price of imported down.
Some sitting Governors have even taken a step forward by banning eating of imported rice in their official diets. This development is geared towards looking inward to eat our own product in Nigeria.
The introduction of killer rice (plastic) into the system by some unscrupulous, greedy and evil minded businessmen in connivance with some profit-crazy exporters/importers qualifies rice in my opinion as the ‘man’ of the year.
Though, it is still being argued in some quarters that there is nothing like plastic rice; that the idea was conceived and sold to the public by those that want Nigerians to stop eating imported rice.
Rice as ‘man’ of the year, because 2016 made the commodity a super item that cannot be ignored on the daily diet in most homes in Nigeria, especially this yuletide season.
Nowinta wrote: Where We Are – A Call for Democratic Revolution in Nigeria
