The Burden of Entrepreneurship in Nigeria: Banking and Insurance As Frauds, Tax as State Robbery of Citizens.
After it became ignobly clear that General Sani Abacha was ignobly and perversely determined to destroy democratic governance in Nigeria, some academics with social consciences met at the Obafemi Awolowo University, to design the theoretical and practical strategies to terminate his madness.
The late Professor Festus Iyayi attended, with his academic cap on.
We decided to sensitize social and political groups through essay-writing and mass political agitations throughout Nigeria. It worked, but was hard work.
From NADECO to students unions, most Nigerians were campaigning effectively.
After the meeting, Dr. Festus Iyayi( as he was then) visited me at my OAU quarters. We discussed more on the anti-Abacha coalition and how to sustain it.
At a point in our discussions, I dabbled in economic thought of which Festus was an expert.
I put it to him that banking and insurance, when examined very critically are frauds, designed to prop up the capitalist system and these have been so well entrenched and the public has been inoculated to accept the system. I further outrageously said that tax in a way, is state robbery of the citizens, who are powerless to challenge this ruling class ideology.
I entered a caveat that states that engage in good governance and best practices delivery are entitled to collect taxes and not those taat fritter away and embezzle national wealth.
That to collect taxes from corporate bodies and individuals, which serve not the purposes of societal advancement, is unjustifiable and punitive.
The fact that it has been so, is a lame excuse that flows from lazy thinkers. That is the way it has been dawn is the cogent reason why man has not progressed much.
The entrepreneurs’ burdens’ in Nigeria, is huge.
He is in fact a victim of sorts. He or she is the subject of rumours, innuendoes, fabrications, half-truths, untruths, outright lies, defamations, libelous publications, base accusations, extortions and is regularly associated with every vice and not a single virtue.
Politicians, senators, government officials regularly chase them around for financial gratifications or else…
They are requested to pay fees for relations; friends and host elaborate birthday parties and other festivities, with gaieties and social festivities.
Some treat the entrepreneur’s wealth as commonwealth!!!
They are chief launchers and bear the cost of electioneering campaigns, otherwise, they will get no contracts, if and when the new political dispensation is on.
In his office, people wait for him. When he goes home to rest after working hours, he meets another groveling multitude.
Because his bank account is fat, some banks take their cuts.
The banks rob and they keep robbing, giving loans to those, who can hardly pay back.
Like Professor Julius Okojie of NUC, grants licences to traders and those, who have little idea about running universities, so some banks give loans to personalities, who do not pay back.
In Nigeria, anything goes. Just do it.
The Nigerian political chicanery season is here.
The debacle of the Anambra election, which should not surprise anyone, who knows the hard attitudes of the people is a pointer to things to come in 2015.
I have decided to put forward this resolution for adoption at the National Dialogue.
Whereas in any election of political leaders there must be winners and losers;
Whereas it has become standard practice for losers to reject election results even where the elections are adjudged free and fair;
Every political contestant should sign an undertaking to accept INEC’s results;
Should any political contestant go to court and loses, he should pay the opponents court expenses;
If a political contestant demands a repeat of the elections, he or she must pay the costs of holding such subsequent elections;
Should his or her claims be found to be frivolous, self-serving. otiose and malicious, the person or persons should be banned for fifteen years from participating in governance of political nature.
Soon, God will overturn, overturn and overturn, the chicaneries of man-made gods in Nigeria.
