By Muhammad Sagir Bauchi
Sir Adam Smith, in his famous book,”An Inquiry into the nature and causes of wealth of a Nation” discussed a topic that dragged the attention of some prominent scholars. The Topic is titled as “WATER-DIAMOND-PARADOX”.
As we all know, without water, one cannot live, even if there is diamond; but today, diamond is more valuable than water, despite that it is unessential in human life. With that, Smith concluded that “Value in Use” and “Value in Exchange” were irrationally separated.
Adam Smith is a proponent of Labour theory of value, a theory which states that, “the price of a good reflected the amount of labor and resources required to bring it to market.” Therefore, Diamond requires huge resource before bringing it to market, unlike water that requires less resource before reaching the society.
Even though, human can live with or without diamond, but can’t live without water.
Before the invention of paper noney, diamond was the means of transaction in the olden days, because of it is scarcity and value.
SECURITY is defined as the state of being free from danger. This means that, there’s security when one has no iota of fear of loosing his life, right and property in the society he lives.
SECURITY provides peace of mind, job opportunities and encourage investors; therefore, every society that lost SECURITY has loose those three things mentioned.
Achieving Food Security is one of the main objectives of the present administration of PMB and Northern Nigeria’s main pride is farming. But today, many farmers in some vast sections of Northern Nigeria are at fear afraid of visiting their farm lands, for the fear of loosing their lives; then, how can FOOD SECURITY be achieved?
Before the 2015 general elections, North Eastern part of Nigeria wishes nothing less than peace, that was what gave Northerners the guts to came out enmass to vote out the then administration of President Jonathan, with an almost certainty of hope that their security problems could be solved, and glory be to God, it was reduced to minimal level for some period of time. But as times goes on, the security situation deteriorated to the extend that militants are openly given the inhabitants of some villages the option of paying taxes if they truly want to engage their farmlands, in their own “Villages”! How can food security be achieved in such a situation?
Recently, in Zabarmari village and over Sixty people in other local government of Borno state were slaughtered like animals, for no other reasons but for not paying BH levies and living under the Nigerian government . Yet, the C-in-C only expressed “GRIEF” over the unfortunate incidence that claimed the lives of more than Hundred, despite the fact that the president came from same region with the victims. But during the largely Southern Nigeria’s led #ENDSARS violent protests, he was quick to address the nation and express his sadness over a viral “AUDIO MASSACRE” that was said to occurred during the protest! Does this means that Northerners lives are not too important to him or second class citizens that doesn’t deserves prompt action?
Throughout Four of PMB’s campaigns, from 2003-2015, SECURITY, CORRUPTION and AGRICULTURE were his major theme of campaign. But AGRICULTURE is now decaying, by implication, due to lack of security that is majorly cause by the corruption he promised to fought!
There is no region that deserves such ungodly and kids glove treatment with its security. For the NORTH; has the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air staff, IGP, Minister of Defense, DG DSS and NIA, and above all, the President!
A region with combination of such top security captains couldn’t stop the blood shedding in their own region; how do we expect them to protect the whole country from external attack?
During the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic, all efforts were put in place to contain it, may be out of fear that the deadly virus is capable of reaching and killing all. But the actions of Boko Haram and the other terrorists has only direct effect on the lives of the masses, because they had no means to use aeroplane, in order to avoid being kidnap, or has no abundant cash to use in purchasing foods that could stop them from farming.
How do we expect North to develop economically, while INVESTORS in agro-allied has no certainty in returns of their investment due to the current deteriorating insecurity?
I wish Sir Adam Smith is alive today, i would’ve told him that in his discussion of water-diamond paradox ; in a peaceful society, diamond is more valuable than water, but to the likes of Zamfara, Birnin Gwari, Villages of Borno and other places ravaged by persistent insecurity in Northern Nigeria; water is more valuable than diamond.
Finally, our simple demand to the president is not that usual presidential expression of shock from Aso Rock Villa after lives were lost, but an action to fulfill those 2003-2019 promises of securing our LIVES and PROPERTIES.
ibrahimsagir1227@gmail
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Sky Daily
