In his address to the participants at the International Peace Conference at Al-Azhar (Cairo, Egypt) on 28th April, 2018, Pope Francis reminded his listeners that dialogue on a global level may occur if three basic duties are observed: The duty to respect one’s own identity and that of others, the courage to accept differences and the willingness to recognize the sincerity of the intentions of other people.

While we thank God for the ten months of the year, we look forward in hope for better months ahead. Though the previous months came out tough, with the cash crunch, high costs of commodities as a result of the immediate removal of fuel subsidy, the further devaluation of Naira, student loan policy, increase in custom duty and increment in electricity supply tariff, etc. All these have left Nigerians frustrated and disoriented. 

With all these frustrations, the phrase employed by our political players is: “It will favour us and our families.” The question is, should we believe this or take it as the usual capitalist strategy of exploitation? It can be argued that the bourgeoisies are at it again to raise the hope of the hopeless making them work hard and endure many difficulties believing that they will be rewarded or favoured by their endurance, just to exploit them and win their confidence yet no hopeful plan for them.

How can this hope of favour for ourselves and families be sustained when the economy of Nigeria defies the proper economy procedure? In real economic situation, so much money in circulation results to inflation while in Nigeria economy, deflation occurs when there are so much money in circulation because many people have so much to spend. The same holds true for the devaluation of Naira and removal of fuel subsidy. It is obvious that all the policies introduced in the past months of the year, are just there to make life unbearable for the masses. 

While it is good to compete with developed countries of the world and make policies, it is also wise that we engage with reality of the peculiarity of Nigeria and the available resources. If some policies are working in many developed countries, we should understand that many other things would have been set in place.

Who starts up a building without a proper plan and consideration of the financial implications if not a halfwit? How can student loan benefit the indigent students without parents? How many civil servants, artisans and farmers earn above five hundred thousand naira monthly? Is it not the case that a parent who earn such should be able to pay for school fees of their wards comfortably? How many graduate gain employment immediately in Nigeria that they have to pay back not less than two years after their service year? The answer to these questions still blow in the air and we are told that it will favour us and our families.

Is it not the case that we stop one level of corruption to open up means of more corrupt practices? If not the case, how can we explain the introduction of Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system (IPPIS) in the past, yet the office that is in charge of account in Nigeria is yet to explain and account for 109 billion Naira. 

If most of the policies never favoured Nigerians, how tenable will the ones projected to us favour us and our families? It is high time we began to look at the peculiarity of Nigerian situation before we venture into any developmental idea, if really Nigerians have the common good in mind. Nigerians also need to make plans that will curb sabotage on socio-economic growth in Nigeria. Over the years, because enough plans were not made, saboteurs took advantage of the present predicament to use every policy for their personal interest rather than for the common good of the masses. 

The idea of orientation before implementation of polices should also be considered before coming up with policies that will ‘favour us and our families' to avert a ‘hopeless hope’ situation.