OPINION: "We are the demon killing our fellow Nigerians" - Damilola Ayodele

I have kept my pen peace for too long from the happening in this country, and I am beginning to lose my senses in the wickedness of us as a people whence we haul the blame on the government-by the way, Who is the Government? We poison our streams and ask the Government to give us borehole; we forget swiftly that we decide the fate of this country not APC nor PDP nor Buhari nor The Senate nor House of Representative nor Governors; but we the citizens hold the mantle to drive home the vehicle of our nation to the promise land...

I will forgive the driver that took me from Ibadan to Akure at a price more than I should have paid on a normal day because of fuel scarcity; I should have stayed within my city. But I was confused when a cab said I should pay 30Naira for what used to be 20Naira for less than 6km distance; little did I know that I wasn't well informed and educated yet about what is happening. I had a restful sleep and set to go to my beautiful 'Oja Oba' and I was told the fare is not 100naira from what used to be 50naira, Whaaaaaaaaaaaattttt??? I couldn't hold my civility as I screamed in the cab. "Why?" was the response my impulse could reproduce. Everybody looked at me like am an alien from an unknown planet-let me keep the story anyways...

I think we are the demon killing our fellow being in this country; that transportation cost is just too widely disproportionate to the fuel hike viz a vis scarcity. By the way, I will inform you that 'Forte Oil' sells at 87naira in Ibadan and Akure(that I am sure of, I don't know of other places). Before you question me, I know the queue is quite long. But I want you to think of where 'Forte Oil' got her own petrol from for them to sell at same price as NNPC, this means most of these filling stations get at NNPC cost price but sell to the common man at a price with excessive gains...

A little calculation here too will do some help. Mind you, car maintenance cost is not a factor of consideration here because the cost of maintenance has not increased with increment in fuel cost...

Fixed Variables:

Number of persons per trip=5 persons.

Assumed litre used from FUTA to Oja=2 litres (note: this is over estimated).

I will also use 90Naira, 150Naira and 200Naira as the cost per litre as case studies but be informed its still sold between 130Naira and 150Naira in Akure and most of these drivers still buy at NNPC and Forte Oil at 87Naira per litre.

Case Study A: When price of fuel per litre was 90Naira and transport was 50Naira;

Amount made per trip=50*5=250Naira

Cost of fuel per trip=90*2=180Naira

Profit per trip=250-180=70Naira

Case Study B: If price of fuel per litre is 150Naira and transport is now 100Naira;

Amount made per trip=100*5=500Naira

Cost of fuel per trip=150*2=300Naira

Profir per trip=500-300=200Naira

"Excess of profit=200-70=130Naira"

Case Study C: If price of fuel per litre is 200Naira and transport is 100Naira;

Amount made per trip=100*5=500Naira

Cost of fuel per trip=200*2=400Naira

Profir per trip=500-400=100Naira

"Excess of profit=100-70=30Naira"...

Does those case studies expose the way the government has robbed us or the way our fellow citizens have twisted our arms to cheat us of our little hard earned money??? Though, I am not supporting the government for giving oil marketers a chance to create artificial scarcity of oil but I am confused why we use every avenue available to extort our fellow suffering citizen. We talk, envy and want to be like 'the west', but we have not learned their sincerity, bravery, loyalty and love for one another whence we romance their other ways of life viz fashion, religion, school of thought among others-did I mention elegance mixed with stupidity!!!

My conclusion; the government owe us a leveraging platform to bridge the gap between the poor and the rich by giving us a 'Mass Transit System' which would be coordinated by the Ministry of Transport-The Common Sense Man once spoke about this on the floor of the Senate whence people like 'Security Dino' won't let him speak because intelligence is not a factor to win elections in a typical country called Nigeria...

In like manner, our transport owners for the time being should be nice and considerate whilst they do not make 'we' that are poor like them pay alone for the pain 'we' both suffer; they should be mild in making excessive gain over the suffering citizens that have to stay alive through their noses already...

Also, where the heaven is DPR and PPPRA-abi what is the name for the price control agency??? Are people not being paid by government again in these agencies or what is happening?? Somebody need to do their jobs and let's all be at peace; anyways, we know the way the dirty hands holding money roll but please, these agencies should at least pretend as if they are working by witch hunting some filling stations if not all abi...

Maybe lastly, Federal Government-i mean Minister of Petroleum(Federal and State; I won't mention names) not Presidency ooo, do something before the masses that are the end user of this product die finish nah; we need a solution not all the stories we listen to. I for one understand that you work day and night to solve this unrest but we need WORKING answers and LASTING solutions to this shame our Oil producing Nation is in...

For the record, I have always believed in this country and I will never stop believing until it gets better. I will do my best to stand by what is right and lawful within my sphere anytime, anywhere and anyday...

God Bless Nigeria!!!

Let's all be patriot!!

#IBelieveInNaija

Damilolayodele