There comes a point in life and in this country of mine, Nigeria when you stop reacting with anger to some things and you choose to reflect instead. As a citizen in my age and from experiences, I have learned that some truths about our government are uncomfortable, yet unavoidable.
One of such truths is this, Governments have always given favour more to the rich than the poor. It's not news, it did not start today, and it may likely not end tomorrow. Over a long time now, every form of our governance has arrived with fresh policies, reforms, and programs that only end up favouring those who already have.
Meanwhile, the common or poor man keeps waiting for relief that never truly reaches him or her. What is left for the poor are mostly crumbs, and even those crumbs come with long processes, conditions, and delays that will eventually make them miss it, or they never get it.
It is easy to see this as corruption alone because in many cases, corruption does play a role. But I choose to believe that the issue runs deeper than just corruption. Life itself is unfair so even if our government somehow try to support everyone equally, there can never be a perfect balance. There will always be rich people and poor people.
The real problem is what the poor people do with this present reality. Do they have to remain stuck in the belief that the only way out is the government support? Or wouldn't it be better to accept that their lives is in their control even when the government policies do not favor them?
This is where many of us struggle, we feel comfortable to blame the Government for everything and yes sometimes, the blame is justified. But we all know that blaming the Government has never and will never change our situations if we don't take actions for ourselves.
We've heard stories of countless people who went from poor to living comfortable, stable and wealthy. So many of them did not grow up with access or favored by Government policies, most of them lived under very unsupportive governments but still, they changed their stories.
This changes mindset or perspective. While Government can give opportunities, it cannot force growth into the life of a citizen. Two citizens can receive the same favor, and one will rise while the other fails. The difference is how each person sees their situation before the help.
I know this sounds like I'm in support of the government favouring the rich but that's not my intention at all. I know the struggles of the poor, and I do not excuse bad leadership. What I am saying is the poor shouldn't be stuck at pointing fingers at them without personal responsibility.
Well, the Government really need to do better, I'll keep praying and hoping that leaders will create policies that truly consider struggling citizens alongside the rich citizens, and not just on paper too. The poor must also decide not to settle or wait endlessly for a help that may never come.
This is my response to the #hive learners community prompt titled, GOVERNMENT OF THE RICH
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