Nigerians are worried about the unusual manners of public servants regarding running their political campaigns for the presidency, and at the same time running their public and government institutions, including the Central Bank of Nigeria, headed by Godwin Emefiele.
Emefiele sent this message to Nigerians: “Let them have a heart attack. It’s good to have a heart attack. I am having a lot of fun.”
For an Economist and principal custodian of the people’s Treasury, I wonder if it was part of God’s direction, for Emefiele to wish Nigerians heart attack, and when did he receive divine counsel to wish heart attack on a people who depend on him as a treasury leader for financial motivation and betterment?
How can people find meaning and inspiration in a chief treasury officer or a national financial advisor who proclaims loudly that they should have heart attack? How can such words be generous and beneficial in their lives?
How is it possible for Nigerian people to ever trust this President’s man, who is supposed to ensure financial and price stability, support a sound and healthy financial system in Nigeria, and provide economic and financial advice to the national government on their behalf?
For a man whose name is ‘Godwin’, why will he choose such dreadful and depressing words and use them against the people at the point of need.
Nigerians are going through financial distress. Elevated unemployment and greater economic pain across the nation are widening, resulting in troubling financial health.
It is now or almost impossible for a man with such a dark and tragic message to steadily provide clear treasury leadership and remain a trusted and dynamic global hand on behalf of the people.
Implicit in his words is the idea that Nigerians are irritating, plain-speaking thoughtless people for asking him to reduce their anxiety by solely focusing on the financial system that needs serious attention now.
For a man who is the nation’s treasury chief, every word from his mouth counts, as his words could come with a market and economic response that is particularly damaging for society.
It is essential to reduce the psychological distress associated with these words of pessimism, misery, and pain, which could increase the people’s stress, which in turn can lead to inflammation in the arteries, and other risk factors for heart attack. To reduce stress and save the hearts of the people, the source of the abnormal pressure, which is Godwin Emefiele must be avoided and pushed away from the people’s minds and faces.
Prof. Egbeazien Oshodi, an American-based forensic/legal/clinical psychologist and police/prison scientist, wrote in via jos5930458@aol.com
