The right person who, as expected under normal circumstances, to keep the President abreast of the present state of our highways and the pains and perils associated with the movement of goods and services on our major highways in Nigeria, is his Minister of Works and Housing - Mr. Fashola (SAN). But to the chagrin of most Nigerians, a few days ago, the Minister told Nigerians that the perilous condition of our roads is grossly exaggerated. And that is why I am writing this essay because his declaration is loaded with innumerable consequences.
According to him “I know that this is going to be your headline, but the roads are not that bad." And that is called exaggeration. Logically, if the Minister tells you that our roads are not bad, that declaration is ipso facto a vivid manifestation of the level of awareness that President Buhari has about Nigerian roads.
Given Mr. Fashola's outburst, it is not out of space to conclude that President Buhari is obviously oblivious to the treacherous state of our roads. The President doesn't travel by road. The only time his leg touches the ground and feel the earth like the rest of us is when he is at his farm in Daura, Katsina State. The roads around his farm and private residence bear no semblance of what obtains outside.
Those in the position to update the President regarding the perilous state of our highways are in denial of the perilous conditions of the roads. Therefore, they do not consider it germane to disturb the President's peace of mind with bogus claims of potholes in our roads, which are cooked up by the wailers. No doubt.
The truth is, if Mr. Fashola is in denial regarding the true state of our roads - as illustrated by his recent declaration -, you don't expect the President to have a contrary view. And that's what disconnect is about - alien to your world and your reality.
So, you can cut him some slack (pardon) for not empathizing with Nigerians for the emotional and physical pains they contend with daily while traversing in tears and pains on our highways that recognizes no emotion. If Mr. President is shielded from the poor condition of our roads, invariably, he is blinded from the financial and economic pitfalls connected with delayed supply and delivery of goods and services, as well as the total wastage associated with numerous road accident and break down of vehicles.
Recently, the President inaugurated an Economic Advisory Team with fanfare. Well-intended. But what I have come to realize is that throughout my classes in graduate schools, electricity supply, and motorable roads are never mentioned, when it comes to the creation of new markets and economic growth. They are considered already in existence. In Nigeria, they are not. Therefore, whatever mechanism the advisory team structured for growth, they must not fail to make provisions for uninterrupted power supply and motorable roads.
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