David Hundeyin recently took to Twitter to criticize the political elite in Nigeria for their efforts to keep the masses poor. He pointed out that the country's poverty index has risen from 24.4% to 26.6%, and he believes this is no accident.
Hundeyin argues that those in power maintain control by restricting access to wealth and information. He explains that wealth brings power, and information raises expectations and the ability to enact change. If Nigeria's economy were to open up, the elite would lose their grip on power within a decade.
He highlights how Nigeria is one of the most challenging places to do business legally, innovate, import and repatriate capital, or even travel. Despite having a population of 200 million, the country lacks successful homegrown technology or innovation. Additionally, Nigeria is among the top four countries globally for annual conflict deaths, yet the government prioritizes restricting social media and internet freedoms.
Hundeyin also points out that despite signing up to ACTA and having a significant land trade surplus, the government enforces border closures that impoverish everyone and worsen inflation. He believes that overregulation and punitive taxation are destroying the Information Technology sector, which grew from 0% to 18.4% of GDP in 24 years.
According to Hundeyin, poverty and ignorance are tools used by African governments to maintain control. The elite's immediate reaction to anything that creates wealth or enlightenment for the middle and lower classes is to ban it. He cites the example of @GazetteNGR, which shook up Nigerian journalism in 2020, only to face immediate backlash.
Instead of building more roads to create economic opportunities, the government makes it difficult to buy and own vehicles legally. They also hinder the importation of phones and computers, profiling young men with laptops as "Internet fraudsters." Online freelancing and remote work are labeled as "Yahoo boy" activities, and cryptocurrency/Web3 is banned.
Hundeyin warns that giving the Nigerian government the power to control information and communication on the internet will only further impoverish the masses. He emphasizes that the ultimate goal of those in power is to be the millionaire rulers of hopeless destitutes, maintaining an everlasting underclass.
In conclusion, Hundeyin's tweet serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by the Nigerian masses and the need for systemic change to break free from the cycle of poverty and control.
0 Comments