Economy: Govt’s policy deadlier than guns—Ofeimum

Famous Playwright and author, Odia Ofeimun, has said that the Nigerian economy has been destroyed by the government’s poorly thought out ideas and policies. He said that some inexplicable ideas formulated by government may have destroyed more lives than guns in the country. The front line author spoke in Lagos at the presentation of ‘Economists As Assassins’,a book written by Dr. Jimanze Ego-Alowes. While commending the author for the scholarly work, he lamented the way things are done in the country to the detriment of the common man with the politicians recycling issues. His words: “What economists have done to our country has come to a point of corking a gun because most of what we value in our life has been destroyed by bad ideas. The point is that some ideas may have destroyed life more fundamentally than guns do. So it is important that we deal with them.” According to him, politicians are not discussing the Nigerian society. “When people turn speeches and discussions into analyses, they are no longer in a position to save the country. When a political party in Nigeria says the other is clueless, it means Nigerians are clueless. If one is clueless, the other has to provide a clue. In Nigeria, no political party has provided a clue.” “There are so many things we don’t discuss properly in Nigeria because partisanship has ended the need for Nigerians to know the truth. Once you are marked to be on one side of a political party, you are required to lie against the other. If we go on with that, analysis will die. Those who are managing Nigeria’s economy have forgotten what it takes to plan for the future.’’ He said that ‘’Nigerian politicians can’t even define corruption and we want to fight it.’’ It is possible to define what you want to fight or let’s quarrel over the definition.’’ A prominent newspaper columnist, Henry Boyo, who said that the book is in total consonant with the economic situation in the country today, described Jimanze as “a very courageous and hard working writer, who speaks the truth all times. He is very creative and materially different from others.’’ Boyo said he was seriously shaken after reading the book because of its audacity and authority. He said was pleased with the way the author put down the deeds of some influential nationalists, adding Dr. Jimanze is not an impostor or borrower of ideas. Chairman of the event, Otunba Tola Adeniyi called Dr. Jimanze a great writer who needs to be celebrated because of his great ideas, originality of his thoughts in the book he described as philosophy of thinking. He called for an to the ‘era of art for art sake’, where artists and artistes do not recoup their efforts in material gains. Former Managing Director, The sun newspapers, Tony Onyima, described Dr. Jimanze as an easy going, quiet but dogged writer. Having known the author as a profound public thinker and social critic, He also wonders how he always stayed aloof of the controversies he writes in his books. Other speakers at the event shared the author’s aspirations noting that what Nigeria needs now are positive thinkers who will impact on the nation than recycling of issues.