For a long time, since the days of the military, we have been hearing Vision 2020. Anytime that year is mentioned, we wave it by as just another year that will come and go. Little did we know that it would be a symbolic year that will take the glory of God to even come out of it alive. Situated strategically at the tail end of the decade, 2020 won’t be forgotten in a hurry. Covid-19 pandemic that started in 2019 but wrecked her havoc in 2020 put the whole world on a standstill and brought the world order onto its knees. The events and occurrences of the year are so overwhelming and consuming that it seems the year is foot-dragging and doesn’t ever want to end.
The year exposed our ineptitude as a nation. Forced to stay and treat their various ailments in the country, year 2020 has shown that we have a long way to go in putting our health sector in shape. Have our ruling elites ever thought of a time when they have to feel the hopelessness being faced by poor Nigerians any time they want to access healthcare services? The wise among those who God allows to escape the calamities of this year among our elites should channel their gratitude towards giving Nigerians a perfect health care system that can withstand any future pandemic.
When the nation thought all was over and that the rest of the year would end peacefully, the EndSARS protests erupted immediately across the country. Almost the same time, looting of palliative warehouses started. Both events, though sad, is an indication that the political and ruling class are sitting on gunpowder that is billed to explode anytime. Unless something is urgently done to correct the culture of impoverisation of the Nigerian youths by the elites, a day will soon come when everything will go out of control. So, the year 2020, among many other things is a year of warning to leaders to sit right or be seated up.
This is also a year when many billionaires emerged. In the midst of the lockdown and people starving away, it was common to hear of billions budgeted for one relief project or the other. Whether they get to the real poor people or not will be taken care of by time. Ironically, some people started the year as pauper and are finishing it rich and vice versa. Call it a year of twisting fates.
Now, the year is winding out. The abduction of the 333 Kankara school boys in Katsina and subsequent release is one of the goodbyes the year is leaving us. As we are about to say ‘Thank You for Coming’ to the year, Covid-19 is saying ‘Hello’ again. May 2021 be good to us but surely, this is the longest year of the decade.
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Comrade Abdulateef Usman Abiodun, Ede, Osun State.
