I grew up during the Colonial rule of the British Government, which created the Central and three

Regional Systems of Government. These various Governments (Central and Regional) were steadily
building the necessary infrastructures in their areas of command vis-a-vis roads, electricity, potable
water etc

Electricity and tap water were available mainly in the big towns but it was spreading steadily across to
other small towns and villages.

Even in the big towns, it was rare to find water in private homes except in the Government quarters. But
there were public taps (in the big towns) within 15 - 20 minute walk, which could be collected in buckets.
Quite burdensome, no doubt but it was the starting point and so we understood it, with high hope for a
better future.

Indeed, water and electricity were the priorities on the request list of all towns and village unions when
politicians visited.

When Politicians visited the Towns and villages, it was the communities who entertained them. That is
our tradition and culture because they are our guests, unlike today, when Politicians give money to the
communities in what I term "Gifts that end in unending poverty"

Think of it, by the time they go round all cities, towns and villages distributing huge money, what do you
expect them to do after they get to power other than to recoup their monies and put the treasury in
their pocket? How then do you expect them to embark on any meaningful infrastructure that will
provide food for us?

This is why in the developed, civilized world, any Politician that gives money to anyone is seen as
inducing such person and he has no option of fine but prison. Such an action is seeing as treason.

So development could be seen to be progressing gradually because the Politicians did not use the
citizens as trade. And take note, there was no oil revenue. Revenue from agricultural produce was mostly
depended upon.
Actually, had the commitment to the nation, which the fathers, who governed the nation at those times
had continued, by now electricity would have for a long time been stable and water would have been
running in every home. Unfortunately, those who were beneficiaries of the sacrifices made by the
forefathers of the country, took over the reign of the government and they ruined the whole system with
their life of profligacy, selfishness, greed, wickedness and shamelessness. They can't be bothered to
catch up with the rest of the world.

The Postal Services in the past were very reliable. One could fairly accurately predict when posts would
be received at the other end. They were carried by the Trains and also by the Daily Times newspaper
Delivery vans.

The Post and Telecommunication Service (P&T) as it was called then, also had several of its own vans for
delivery purposes. Loss of mails was infrequent. All these have gone into history.

As time passed by, it became largely by accident if mails got to their destinations;

Electronic (e-) mail has provided some remedy however. But how many Nigerians have access to Internet
services?

The Train services in those days though slow in speed, were yet dependable. The schedules were kept
fairly satisfactorily. It is sad that not only could we not improve on it today or even maintain it at the
level, which it was but we have paralyzed it.

Had we kept the train services, imagine how free our roads could have been. Can any one estimate the
number of people who have been crushed by trailers on our roads, whose lives could have been spared?

Imagine how the trailers spoil our roads. Without many of them on our roads, imagine how lasting our
roads would have been and the savings that would have accrued to the government in road construction
and maintenance.

Imagine how convenient, cheap and safe, transportation of goods and farm products would have been.
Today, our air National Carrier is moribund, with no single aircraft compared with over forty it had in the
mid 70s. Imagine the number of Nigerians, who travel overseas every day and the revenue we are losing
to other countries.

The high Schools then, whether managed by the Government or by the Church missions or by the
Communities were modest and beauties to behold unlike the dilapidated ones we have today.

The ambition of any child was to look forward to the day when he would be enrolled in any of those
schools and become a member of its community and wear the school's blazer.

The then University undergraduates ate three course meals, thrice a day, at Government expenses. Few
salary earners could afford the kinds of meals they ate. Housekeepers prepared their beds. Water ran
freely in their baths & toilets. Their rooms, baths & toilets were kept by housekeepers. The University
laundry laundered their beddings and a limited number of their personal clothing. Facilities for quality
education were abundant. As students, they were robust, elegant and beauties to behold.

Many of them secured jobs while still writing their final examinations. They had loans to purchase
vehicles soon as they resumed work.

In fact, they got jobs during the summer vacations.

Those of them who attended Government Colleges (high schools) or Provincial Secondary Schools, in the
old Political North (including the present Kwara & Kogi states) later renamed Government Secondary
Schools received monthly pocket money. They received transportation allowance at each school
vacation. Books and uniform were supplied free. Parents did not have to be financially capable. All that
was needed was serious minds on the part of the students. Yet there was no oil revenue.

There was no person who completed high school in those days, who wanted to work and did not get job
At those times, there were employments for everyone, whatever his/her level of education. Workers
received their wages promptly.

Teachers with only Grade three certification lived like kings, taking care of their relations and relations'
children, unlike today when University graduates roam about the streets without jobs.

The priority of the governments at those times was the prosperity of the nation. They did not acquire
personal properties that cannot be explained within their legitimate earnings unlike today where
Politicians and many Civil Servants cannot even track their properties.

Once Upon a time in Nigeria part 2.

In the 1st sermon, I related how University Students in the past read in luxury at the expense of the
government.

There were Federal Scholarships and Bursaries. There were also States Scholarships and bursaries.

I do not know anyone who attended university in Nigeria and paid for it by himself. This occurred till
early in the 80's. If there was any student who in his first year, did not have Scholarship, it must probably
be that he/she did not apply in good time.

The Hall of residences were beautiful and immaculate clean. University workers kept them clean and
changed their beddings as if in a hotel. Students could eat in any of the Dining Halls and not necessarily
in his/her Hall of residence. The foods were superb and cheap, covered under scholarship anyway.

Awon iyara ti awon omo University wonyen un gbe dara lopolopo, o mo tonitoni. Awon osise lo un se
itoju won. Awon osise naa lo un te bed won bi igba ti eniyan wa ni ile ero (Hotel). Awon ounje won doso,
ko si won. Owo Eko ofe gbe gbe gbogbo re. Ko pon dandan ki akeko jeun ni ile ounje ti ile (Hall) re, o le
loo jeun ni ile ounje ile (Hall) miran.
Today, University girls squat with their co-male students in the same room, where the boy is a bit
financially buoyant or do live-in with totally strange men. This is the kind of sin, which poverty and
irresponsible government can make someone who wants to live Godly enter into. This is an example of
sin, which I always shout about, which poverty can make one to dip his/her hand into.

A first degree from Nigeria was rated just like the British first degree. A 1st or 2nd class upper Division
(21) degree from any of the then few Nigerian Universities was acceptable for enrollment into Ph.D
programmes in England and other countries of the world without any difficulty.

Let me return again to the High Schools of then. Those of them who attended Government Colleges
(high schools) or Provincial Secondary Schools, in the old Political North (including the present Kwara &
Kogi states) later renamed Government Secondary Schools lived in the boarding house freely, ate free
food and received monthly pocket money. They received transportation allowance at each school
vacation. Books and uniform were supplied free. Parents did not have to be financially capable. Yet there
was no oil revenue.

There was no person who completed high school in those days, who wanted to work and did not get job

At those times, there were employments for everyone, whatever his/her level of education. Workers
received their wages promptly.

Teachers with just Grade three certification lived like kings, taking care of their relations and relations'
children, unlike today when University graduates roam about the streets without jobs.

Both the Federal Government and the States' Government of yester years from time to time assessed
the man-power need of their governments. They recruited students right from the Universities and
sponsored them for further studies in the fields where the man-power were needed.

The subsequent governments of my home State, Kwara from 1967, when it was created up till 1979 was
very resourceful. They constantly assessed the man-power need of the government, recruited students
right from the Universities and sponsored them for further studies in the fields where the man-power
were needed.
I do not forget that the first crop of Town Planners we had in Kwara state enjoyed that status.

Most states in those years including the Federal Government did a good job in terms of man-power
training and infrastructure.

I was told that the first Premier of Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello, personally used to go round the
Government High Schools and suggested to the graduating Students, what future course they should
pursue eg Military, Police etc.

In the past, the wealth of the nation was not in the hands of any cabal. But today, only a few people
share the wealth of the nation among themselves. They however give peanuts to their sycophants while
the majority live in penury.

Let me give an example. At the beginning, Civil Servants did not necessarily have to struggle to go on
further education or training, they only received a letter to proceed, which may be at a local location or
somewhere overseas. And the selection of candidates for courses had no religious bias. It was by merit.

Those trainings were for the purposes of developing the staff for higher services and for the benefit the
nation. At the end of the course, the staff themselves are rewarded with promotion to higher duties with
higher remunerations, which brings better life.

This was why people lived in happiness in those times because things were organized. If we can return to
this kind of practice, we will all agree that it is not over for us.

Unfortunately the subsequent governments no longer care for the development of the nation.

And how can the nation develop when an individual carts home about N20m in a month from the
commonwealth, for sitting 2 or 3 times a week in Abuja?
How can there be any meaningful development in a country where there is a Commissioner of Police in
every State, yet each Governor takes N400m every month as Security vote, which is not to be retired
(not to be accounted for)?

Which other nation in the world does that occur and expect any development?

The World Bank has said it many years ago that 1% of the population shares 80% of the wealth of the
nation leaving the rest 99% of the population to scramble for the rest 20% of the wealth. How then can
there be jobs for University graduates or any other person for that matter?