It is not the discovery of new oil wells worth billions of Dollars, neither is it the discovery of vaccine or cure for a debilitating disease, rather, it is the discovery of millions of Dollars and Naira locked in well-secured fireproof vaults in apartments and shops belonging to certain elites.
From basic knowledge of Economics, one will quickly know that withdrawing cash from the economy is bound to cause problems. Money is meant to move from hand to hand as payment for service rendered or value created. To selfishly take such huge cash out of this cycle is to hamper the economy. That means we can as well all go to the banks, collect and keep our monies at home.
It has become glaring that the Dollar scarcity and the challenges that trailed it are the resultant effects of the activities of certain people who wanted to save for themselves and their children in the most callous way possible.
It is not out of place to believe that these huge cash - and many more undiscovered - have hampered the Nigerian economy, almost grinding it to a halt in 2016. Dollar became so scarce, manufacturers could not import machineries and raw materials, international travels also experienced a record-low. Infact, the Naira fell relative to the dollar, to as low as N500/$. This was of course greeted by a rise in prices - evidenced by inflation figures - considering this is an import-dependent economy.
These chain of events played out because lots of local and foreign currencies (in cash) were withdrawn from the economy without generating value or moving from hand to hand. The Nigerian economy has since not recovered from the humongous sums that were withdrawn from the national purse in the past few years especially during the last election.
The perpetrators of these acts need to know that beyond the present damage done to the economy, the future of Nigerians yet unborn is gradually being savaged. I imagine the cash found in Osborne Towers, Ikoyi is about the worth of the company where I am currently employed. This is an organization that employs about 150 people directly and many more indirectly.
Our politicians - and others who head agencies, ministries and whatever government institution - must realize they are only filling those various capacities for a time. Public trust must not be seen as something insignificant. Use those funds to develop infrastructure: industries that employ the young population, good roads, health facilities, constant power-supply, potable water and a peaceful environment.
After you have bought the houses in Abuja, Lekki or Ikoyi, purchased a private jet, sent your children to the best schools in Europe and achieved many other good things in life, you will still never feel satisfied, because, a man's life does not consist in the abundance of things he possesses (Luke 12:15 paraphrased).
Live to preserve our future.
Let the coming generation remember us and call us blessed.
Live and Let's Live!
