The former Chairman of the Imo State Hoteliers Association and former Chairman of the Imo State Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Chima Chukwunyere, has described Nigeria as a 66-year-old child still “bedwetting,” saying the situation suggests that the country has a serious problem.
Speaking with newsmen in Owerri, Chukwunyere, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Domino Paramount Hotel, Owerri, said the Nigeria he sees today is not the country he was born into in 1965.
According to him, Nigeria once enjoyed dignity and respect in the international community, but the country’s situation has changed significantly.
Chukwunyere recalled that during his childhood and youth, electricity and running water were relatively available, adding that insecurity was not as widespread as it is today.
He said that although there were incidents of burglary at the time, criminals who forced their way into homes did not necessarily resort to killing people, unlike what is being witnessed in the country today.
He regretted that things began to deteriorate after the Nigerian Civil War, with terrorism and armed robbery gradually becoming widespread.
Chukwunyere also criticized what he described as the practice of politics based on religion and ethnicity, saying such divisions have contributed to the country’s problems.
He said it was shameful that Nigeria, at 66, was still struggling to provide a better future for its citizens.
According to him, no Nigerian child should have to look up to politicians as an example of what they have learned or achieved for the country.
He expressed concern over the daily killings across the country, particularly when the perpetrators and their locations are allegedly known to some people.
“The government that has not addressed cultism, how can it address terrorism.” he asked.
Chukwunyere also lamented the state of the economy, noting that some Nigerians can hardly afford basic medicines, including a N200 pack of paracetamol.
He further expressed concern that soldiers, personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and police officers still have to trek into bushes in search of criminals.
The hotelier, who is currently involved in anti-cultism and drug-abuse campaigns in Imo State, said modern technology could make such operations more effective.
According to him, drones could carry out surveillance of large areas within hours, while helicopters could also be deployed to cover several square kilometres and monitor criminal activities.
Chukwunyere also decried the high level of insecurity and the rise of internet fraud, popularly known as “Yahoo Yahoo,” in the country.
He questioned the quality of Nigeria’s democracy, saying that lies and deceit have become widespread in the society.
“We are Nigerians, yet we are crying.” he lamented.
