New Year Resolutions

At the beginning of every year, people all over the world make resolutions. Resolutions come in many forms; some promising to drop an old habit while some promising to accomplish certain feats. Whatever the resolutions are, you can be sure it is something that has really bothered the individual. I wonder if we do really need a resolution at the beginning of the year to get things right.

Setting goals does not really need a particular time to start. A Nigerian pidgin proverb goes thus: “any time your eye open na that time your morning start.” I hope you do not expect me to translate that into English. Well, I guess I just have to do that. It means “whenever you come to terms with reality that is the right time you need to get to work.”

We experienced so much in the past year which we pray not to repeat again. While listening to the New Year presidential speech from the Commander in Chief of the armed forces and the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, one thing came to my mind and I began to wonder what truly his New Year resolution was. After spending two years blaming the previous administration, it is never too late for the government of the day to take the bull by the horn and do the necessary. Incessant killings by Fulani herdsmen and the widespread hunger in the land are just a few of the challenges we want to see tackled in the New Year.

May I remind the present government of the day that this is democracy and so there is freedom of press and there is a need for opposing views all for the sake of a better country and for accountability. Indiscriminate arrests of persons with opposing views should form part of the New Year resolutions of the APC led government. While I do not speak for the main opposition party PDP, it is necessary to note that the press enjoyed so much freedom in the past under the leadership of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan who came under severe verbal attacks especially from members and associates of this present party in power.

I am also looking forward to the national assembly playing their parts as true nationalists and checkmating the excesses of the executive, you do not owe allegiance to your party more than the people who placed their trust in you. All members of the national assembly are not there for their individual selves but rather to represent their constituents, so therefore, before voting on any bill they should consult widely with their constituents. Their personal beliefs/opinions should not conflict with the beliefs/opinions of their constituents.

All that has been said above should be replicated to the state levels. We want to see our governors being more responsible and responsive to the needs of the people. The state assemblies being truly independent from the executives. The judiciary should do a thorough house cleaning job and come out better, stronger and cleaner.

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