Looming Class Struggle In Nigeria

One of the most obvious implications of bad governance is gradual but steady polarization of the society into two main classes; one miserably poor and the other massively rich.

Though this phenomenon is common, however what perhaps makes Nigeria's case particularly worse is the growing amount of resentment and hatred that the overwhelming majority poor feel against the microscopic minority rich in the society, who in turn look down at the poor as envious and enemies of progress. In fact some of them assume that, the poor’s predicament is probably a divine retribution for some misdeed they must have committed in the past, hence they deserve what they are going through.  

On the other hand, it is quite noticeable nowadays how the poor’s joints have turned into platforms where they desperately seek to derive some relief from their persistent agony by discussing and exposing the financial and even moral scandals of the rich with a view to disgracing them. 

Interestingly, a writer has cynically observed that, due to the tiny population of the rich, their classy daughters can hardly find their marriage matches among the young single males. So, they in most cases end up as second, third or even forth wives to some rich people old enough to be their fathers (or even grand fathers).

Predictably, relationship between members of these two classes is characterized by a great deal of hypocrisy. The rich use the poor to the extent of their (the rich) needs and vested interests. For instance they can mobilize them for any social, political or religious events that require mass gathering. As a matter of fact they can even keep some of them as permanent retinue for miscellaneous purposes. 

All these in return of some small petty cash gifts and the tantalizing impression the rich make that they would always support the poor when in need. Nevertheless, the poor mostly play loyal and submissive out of desperation and would not –of course- hesitate to undermine their rich masters in return for a "better" deal.

However with the worsening socio-economic crises ravaging the country, the population of the rich is fast shrinking and the poor are in turn turning into paupers. This has limited the chances of the poor to even get the “opportunities” of being tantalized and exploited by the rich. And the “privileged” ones who get such “opportunities” are considered lucky indeed. 

Against this gloomy background, one can not help imagining a possible social unrest in the furture. After all, many observers had already predicted it long before and wonder how it has not yet erupted despite the prevalence of all its causes. Some attribute it to a special Divine protection, to which I subscribe in principle.

Nonetheless, I am sure this status-quo is not sustainable endlessly in view of the dramatic deterioration of the situation in the country. Because notwithstanding the notoriety of Nigeria in ethno-religious unrests, which have always unleashed horrible horrors, should any class unrest erupt, the consequences would be more catastrophic than ever imagined. This is because the masses of the exploited paupers would have realized how much they have been manipulated under religious or ethnic pretexts, while their exploiters prosper interdependently regardless of their perceived ethno-religious differences.

It is noteworthy that, as long as there is hope, poverty itself no matter how severe hardly sparks revolts. Instead what actually spark it are desperation and apparently perpetual deprivation and hopelessness, which bad leadership has unfortunately unleashed in Nigeria.

There is an urgent need for the stakeholders to preempt this scenario by providing good leadership, so that they can also enjoy their wealth amid reasonably poor people as obtained in all civilized countries around the world.

Mohammad Qaddam Sidq Isa -  www.qaddamsidq.blogspot.com