Dr Freaks Journal - The Basic Needs Of Man And The 2023 Elections

A friend opened up my mind to a fundamental observation he made recently, so please permit me to share same with you ....

In the process of identifying the problems of Africa and the underdeveloped nations of the world, with a view to proffering solutions to some of them, the friend in question identified what he called the most basic needs of Man, namely;

 (i) education, (ii) health, and (iii) retirement. 

Let me now break it down. The developed nations were able to identify these three basic needs early enough and dedicated a substantial portion of their earnings and savings to same. The developed nations of the world are so developed today because they got these three basic needs right. Meanwhile, most of the underdeveloped nations of the world have failed to prioritize any or most of these three.

Let us start with education. In the developed nations, qualitative education is not only largely free, it is compulsory. When you fail to educate your child, you're committing a crime and the State would sanction you. The greatest number of citizens attend public schools and the standard is topnotch! Sending one's child or ward to a private school is a matter of choice and not borne out of compulsion, unlike my dear nation.


Then, let us move to health. Health, they say is wealth. For a work force to be able to perform optimally, they must be in good health. Little wonder health is largely free and topnotch in most of the developed nations of the world.


Shall we then move to retirement. If you're below 65 years or less than 35 years in service right now, have you ever thought of your retirement? You know what, in the underdeveloped nations, it is cold and lonely out there if you do not plan ahead, but guess what, in the developed nations, every citizen looks forward to retirement. In retirement, you enjoy the best part of your life.

 You can afford to wear the best shoes, cloths and enjoy a lot of benefits from a society which you've served with your whole time and life. However, in some nations, the government may even borrow your pension savings from your PFAs. What a great shame. In the developed nations you see couples in their 90s holding hands and walking their dogs as early as 8.00am or even as late as 2.00pm and they are not even expecting Mr Death anytime soon. If you live in Lagos, kindly ask yourself this question, "when last did I see 70 to 90-year-olds taking a walk on the street of Lagos?" In my dear nation, in retirement, you're at the mercy of your children or forced to bury your shame (that is if you ever had one) and kowtow to politicians/fraudsters of questionable character and means in your supposed old age. "Man must sha wack." I laff in Ekiti.


If the underdeveloped nations of this world must liberate themselves from this vicious cycle of poverty of the mind and wallet, they must prioritize these three afore-stated areas of human endeavour.


If they come to you before the 2023 election, please ask them what plans they have got for you regarding these three.


Education is a right. 

Health is a right. The right to enjoy your retirement is tantamount to the right to life, so, it is also a right. Ask these clowns when they come to you and stop majoring on the minor, at least for once!


Peace out.

It's Kunle...