The rate at which the government assets (both states' and federal) are brazenly being sold out these days, is now becoming quite alarming, questionable, disheartening and unacceptable. 

Without mincing words, I make bold to say that it was the former President Obasanjo (Nigerian Political Oracle) who set this inglorious prevenience, when he single-handedly sold out NITEL, in defiance of public outcry. 

This was followed by the disposal of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, (PHCN), which now operates under the new nomenclature of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, (NERC). 

The dire consequences of this administrative recklessness and ineptitude is the worsened epileptic power supply and outrageous tariff on the helpless consumers.

Presently, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), is poised for a showdown with this exploitative company, over the recent increase in electricity tariff, even when it's services are far from being commensurate with the increase.

In most states across the federation, the story is not different, as most government properties have been sold out, or rather shared by politicians and top government functionaries, with embarrassing culture of impunity.  

Here in Enugu State for instance, virtually all the government assets have been sold out, under the euphemism of "Monetization." Sadly, these are solid infrastructures left behind by our colonial masters as enduring legacies. 

Presently, we no longer have a GRA in Enugu. There is no more biological gardens called zoo. You can even hardly find any government-owned recreational centre in Enugu, as all of them have been fraudulently auctioned by the past administrations.

Taking a trip down memory lane, I recall with nostalgia, when as a boy growing up in Enugu in the mid 70s, precisely at No 2A Owerri Road, Asata where I lived with my elder brother, my Sunday outings were never complete without a visit to this wildlife park  (zoo).

But today, this Tourist Attraction Centre has been unceremoniously converted to what they now call "Ekulu-East Housing Estate," which of course the politicians shared among themselves. 

It goes without saying therefore, that if the past administrators of the (then) Eastern Region, now christened South-East, had vandalized this geographical entity called the "Rising Sun" the way our present leaders are now going about it, perhaps there wouldn't have been any space left to erect even a hut. 

These highly respected foremost nationalists, Pan-Africanists and elder statesmen with unparalleled antecedents and pedigree include:

* The Rt. Hon. Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe (The Great Zik of Africa).

* Dr M.I Okpara.

* Dr Eze Akanu Ibiam, and

* Dr K.O Mbadiwe, among other notable statesmen. 

These distinguished personalities were out to serve the public, and not to amass wealth for generations yet unborn, which is characteristic of our contemporary leaders. 

Our present administrators should therefore endeavour at all times to emulate these heroes, and eschew covetousness, ostentatious lifestyle and egrigious proclivity to quomodocunquize, for this world is certainly not terminating today. 

Many generations are yet to come, and there MUST be something for them to leverage on! It's high time we began to realize that cupidity doesn't pay!

For some time now, all the noise on our various Radio and Television stations about the distribution of COVID-19 relief materials seems to have died down, which means that the billions in both local and foreign currencies being donated to combat  and cushion the effects of this COVID-19 pandemic, must have been diverted, or rather gone the "Magu's" way.

As at April this year (2020), available records indicate that a total sum of #25.8 billion was so far donated by 107 Nigerian companies and some notable individuals as a relief fund to combat coronavirus in the country.

Needless mentioning the prodigious donations in hard currencies from International Donor Agencies, World Heath Organisation (WHO), including other nations and public-spirited individuals from different parts of the world.

This stupendous amount of donations in foreign currencies if mentioned here, could make one go bananas, hence the need to spare the reader this psychological trauma.

Still in the same month of April this year, both the print and electronic media, including the social media, were awash with the unsubstantiated reports that a whopping sum of #700 billion (COVID-19 relief funds), were lost to the fire outbreak which gutted the office of the Accountant General.

Though the Finance Minister, Ms Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed later debunked the claims, saying that she was mischievously misrepresented, as no COVID-19 relief funds were lost to the inferno, one still feels skeptical about the verisimilitude of her claims, as an English proverb says that "In the solar system, the possibility of a novel discovery is predominantly non-existent."

This is moreso when Nigerians had once been told that a python (in a most incongruous circumstance), swallowed millions of naira, while a baboon did the same thing within a short interval. Yet, neither the animal nor the reptile was caught to vomit them!

As usual, the cacophonous reactions of the enraged members of the public over these bizarre stories died a natural death, as both the "python" and "baboon" went scotfree. Therefore, it may not be out of place for one to be lost in a labyrinth of doubts in a situation like this.

A few months ago, if someone had told Ibrahim Magu (the suspended EFCC boss), that he would soon beg for a small space (in the cell), from those he had maliciously and fraudulently thrown into various cells in the country under the guise of fighting corruption, he would have directed his boys to administer a generous dose of Idi Amin's "VIP treatment" on such a person!

This is a lesson to those presently handling the COVID-19 relief funds, that a day of reckoning which remains sacrosanct is fast approaching.

Suffice it to say that apart from the northern stars, nothing under the sun remains constant. Otherwise, the embattled Magu should have treaded with caution when he was voraciously and unslakably swallowing billions of public funds (with embarrassing culture of impunity), like pythons and baboons. 

Now, the chickens have come home to roost, and nobody should blame the devil. The Kanuri-born police officer (Ibrahim Magu), failed to reognize the English proverb which says that "All articles that coruscate with resplendence are not truly auriferous."

Away from Magu's hypothesis. It is now an established fact, that the government's decision to relax the COVID-19 lockdown, even when the pandemic is still very much with us, is not only wicked, but also ill-conceived.

Until our leaders begin to realize the futility in their unbridled proclivity for cupidity, coupled with their provocative ostentatious lifestyle and covetousness, I'm afraid this country will  continue to be jinxed. 

It therefore goes without saying, that those whose preoccupation is to continually loot the nation's treasury, have always ended up in misery and unspeakable calamities.

And for those presently handling the COVID-19 relief funds, watch the EFCC guys closely behind you, since you have intransigently refused to learn from Magu's experience. To be forewarned, is to be forearmed!