‘I need not tell you, gentlemen, that the world situation is very serious’. This statement was the opening line of the speech given by Secretary of State, George C. Marshall, a speech that
led to the approval of the first known palliative, or intervention, in recorded history of mankind which was the US intervention for Europe after the World War II. More fitting for this moment, I need not tell you, gentlemen, that Nigeria’s situation is very serious and there is an urgent need for industrial rebirth.
The 1948 Marshall Plan was a response to the call issued by the Secretary of State, George C.Marshall, for a comprehensive programme to rebuild Europe after the second world war left
the continent ravaged with deteriorated economy, and very susceptible to exploitation. The Economic Cooperation Act of March 1948 was passed by the US Congress for the funding
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that rose to over US$12 billion for the rebuilding of Western Europe. The Marshall Plan led to a rebirth of European industrialization and also brought extensive investment into the
western Europe, a region already in ruins with shattered cities with a people facing debilitating famine. Within four years, the intervention plan brought about the needed capital and materials that made possible the rebuilding of the continent’s economy. Politicians have their very peculiar characteristics. They love bragging and noise making.
They prefer jests, straight insults and side-swiping rather than embracing selfless, action-backed, target-driven performances that are hallmark of highly productive, effective and efficient leadership. They can do anything to make the people’s financial resource looks like personal property; and they will present it as if it comes from their private pockets. And in the course of doing so, you will never see them deliver any package as intact as they are originally prepared. Send them with an egg to deliver to a beneficiary, they will lick the egg-shell on the way, just to have a taste of the egg. They are who they are: politicians, and nothing more. In a healthy environment, these class of people are not fit to lead when it comes to governance. Rebuilding Nigeria is a task that cannot be left to politicians’ self-adulating games.
The song on the lips of Nigerian politicians today is ‘palliative’, and they are using it to cause stampede, and sometimes, irreparable damages. By the way, Palliative comes from the Latin word, palliare; that is, ‘to cloak’. It is meant to provide reliefs, comfort and support to people living with serious illnesses. If someone is living with a life-altering illness, palliative may be made available to improve health and overall well-being. Nigerians can be said to be experiencing very serious, life-altering financial illness that is challenging the overall wellbeing of the millions of people who are already multi-dimensionally poor. So if they need Palliative care, it should be seen to be effective in relieving the symptoms of the
condition, because its focus should be to ease stress and improve overall quality of life. Not that it should add grievous sufferings, mentally and emotionally, to the bad situations the
people are passing through.
Just like it was after the second world war in Europe, Nigeria is currently confronted with acute famine and economy in ruins, caused by years of neglect of the productive sector.
Having being confronted with the reality of the 2023 economic reforms, the government’s functionaries are engrossed with cosmetic palliative care that is very insufficient, ineffective,
inadequate, unverifiable, unsustainable, and in most cases, mere audio deliveries. Taking a cue from George Marshall’s words, presently Nigeria is threatened with breakdown. The
town and city industries are no longer existing to produce adequate goods. Raw materials and fuel are in short supply; machines for local production are lacking or worn out and factories are now worship centres. Farmers or peasants cannot find they desire to buy, while those in the cities are short of food and fuel.
The pathetic situation Nigeria currently finds itself goes beyond provision of palliatives or the blame game and pushbacks here and there concerning such provisions. Beside the insulting
provisions where a community will be sharing a bowl of rice after noisy announcement of allocation of billions of naira, that the palliatives cannot go round poorest of the poor and last
them for two days means there is a need for urgent rethink. In the face of these shortcomings, how best should the people be helped to improve their living standards? What Nigerians need
is wealth creation empowerment. The people require urgent MSMEs funding interventions, and/or provision of tools to work with. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) need to urgently
facilitate the stimulation of MSMEs for massive local production by making micro, small and medium enterprise intervention funds available without further delay. Western Europe was once in economic ruins. The intervention capital and materials for industrialization that made possible the rebuilding of the continent’s economy. Aftermath of the 2023 reforms, it is clear what the economy needs is stimulation of the productive sector, the MSMEs, with funds for wealth creation, employment generation and job creation. Hands to mouth will never safe Nigeria from present day ruins. The people in the formal and informal sectors must be able to use their hands to work.
Ola Emmanuel is a business planning consultant
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