Fix Download Nigeria Jaga Jaga Everything Scatter Scatter
Janvier Bender
The ordinary foodstuff seller along the road, the market man, and woman whose total cash possession was usually under twenty thousand naira went to bed hungry, angry, and frightened about the jagajaga state of things. Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) could not dispense cash. Banks that initially gave out little sums to their customers had nothing to give, while, it was alleged, hoarding billions of cash. The CBN insisted enough new currency notes had been disbursed to the banks. Their word against theirs!
Governance is too serious a contractual arrangement to be left in the hands of asphyxiated minds and emotions. The federal government should put together a group of experts to advise it on the way forward. The CBN has been severely and fatally compromised and cannot be trusted to take sound economic decisions. If the spirit of jagajaga continues to reign over the people, there is no guarantee that civil strife will not be the last resort of the people. Mr. President, just release cash to the people of this country, especially the poor and lowly! They are not the ones who will hoard money for elections!
When Obasnajo was President, somebody sang a song-Nigeria jaga jaga, everything scatter scatter and Obasonjo said your mother scatter scatter, that was then. Have things not scattered more now? Things are worst. Sometimes, I go to the markets and my heart breaks for young men and women who are bringing up young children.
But that did not deter then President Olusegun Obasanjo, OBJ, from having an altercation with the young musician who he challenged when he categorically rebuked him by stating that Nigeria is not jaga, jaga. As some Nigerians would recall, that happened after the song of lamentation was sung at a public event in which the then-president was in attendance. The song was a sort of affirmation of another song by a Nigerian artist that goes by the name, Ras Kimono, who is now late. It is titled:
Owing to the constrictions in our society as evidenced by the rampant violation of civil liberties by authorities, as evidenced by the fact that #ENSARS Protesters waving Nigerian flags and singing the national anthem were allegedly shot at by law enforcement agencies in October 2020, I cannot help but wonder if the incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari would like ex-president, Obasanjo who blasted an artist for singing Nigeria jaga, jaga, lambast any musician that sings protest songs reflecting the unprecedented level of misery that is currently threatening to snuff life out of many a Nigerian.