Sometimes I just sit down and begin to think about life, see as things have slowly become so hard for people, it didnt used to be like this and I'm very sure about that,before we didn't need serious planning to get things done or buy something, now we do, the cost of food keeps going up every day by day, to transport oneself to and fro somewhere is now also a big issue. And funniest thing is salaries don't increase, they remain the same, it feels like everytime they announce new government policy and it's meant to improve the economy, but then the common man never feels the impact of all these so called improvements
We have always known that government tends to favour the wealthy ones than the poor, and it's not just here in Nigeria alone, but also other parts of the world, they put money into banks, big organisations, large institutions, and they now call it economic growth, but really looking at it, you ask yourself where is the growth? because an average person is still suffering , still struggling to survive.
For me, and with what I know, when banks bail out, it does not reduce cost of living, and when these big industry gets funded, our electricity bill does not become cheaper,when the so called politicians talk about foreign investments , food don't suddenly come to my table, and see I feel all these big moves are only meant to protect those who already have money.
Here's the truth, the rich people already have connections, they have access, Information and opportunities, they already know who they will call, where to go, and how they will move around the system, the poor, on the other hand, are just trying to survive day by day, and most times, we don’t even know where to start from.
So now the big question is , is this corruption? or is the government really only for the rich and the powerful?
To answer this, for me, I think it's both...
You see corruption is a really huge problem, when leaders begin to see public office as a way to enrich their pockets, instead of serving the people, everything then goes wrong, Money that is supposed to be used for hospitals, schools, roads, and social welfare ends up in the pockets of these greedy leaders , and when that happens, the poor suffer the most.
But also beyond the corruption, I also feel that the system itself is already designed in a way that favors people who already have money, the system rewards those who can invest, save, and take risks, but how do you invest in something when you can barely afford to eat food? How do you save when even your entire income goes into you surviving?
Sometimes I feel like the government makes these policies from a place of privilege, It is like they forget what it means to live on a small income, they forget what it feels like to choose between buying food and paying for one's transport, they forget what it means to hustle every single day just to stay afloat.
And that is why many government decisions feel disconnected from reality.
It hurts because government is supposed to be for everyone. Not just for the rich. Not just for the powerful. Not just for people with connections.
The purpose of government should be to create an environment where everybody has a fair chance. Where hard work can actually lead to a better life. Where the poor are protected, not ignored.
I don’t think people are asking for luxury. Most people just want basic things. Stable electricity. Good healthcare. Affordable food. Decent schools. Jobs that pay well enough to survive.
These are not too much to ask, Sometimes it feels like the rich are just getting richer, and the poor are also getting poorer, and the middle class is slowly disappearing, seriously that is really scary.
Me, i still hope that one day we will have leaders who truly understand the struggles of the common man, Leaders who make policies with compassion, Leaders who remember that they are there to serve, not to rule.
Until then, many of us will just continue to feel like we are living in a government of the rich, while the rest of us are just really trying our best to survive.
