P3 - WHAT IT MEANS

Guess what January 1, 2012 and May 12, 2016 have in common? (That shouldn't be too difficult...)

Some four years or so ago (precisely January 1, 2012) I woke up to the sound of chaos and agitation (am sure you did too). The reason, when I inquired, was that a new price regime (which hitherto had been campaigned) had dawned for petroleum product; from #65 to #130+

The next few days and weeks (at least two weeks) were ridden with several aggressive protests: lives were lost (carelessly and willfully), properties (for government and individuals) were damaged, business and life (it seemed) was stalled. Fortunately, the anti-subsidy Jonathan-led government was forced to review the price to #87. The very same fate was repeated yesterday (May 12, 2016); petroleum price had made 'progress' to as high as #145; this time with a rather quiet and seeming approval from the people (for several perceived reasons, one of which could be that some of our people who revolted against fuel at #130 had recently spent two days in filling stations, ready to buy at #200, but ended up disappointed)... Well, I'll leave you to deduce the lessons from that, if there are lessons to learn...

From research and experience, petroleum price has always progressed (from #20-30 in 2000, #22-26 in 2002, #26-42 in 2003, #42-50 in 2004, #50-65 in 2004, #65-138 in 2012 in the 4th republic alone); always moving forward and never backward. I GUESS IT IS ONE 'PROGRESS' WE NEVER WANT TO EXPERIENCE. I call it P3 - Progressive Petroleum Price. One would expect, with the new pronouncement and circumstances leading to and resulting in it, that: more marketer are able to import petrol or buy from the government; healthy competition will ensue from the efforts by various marketers to provide satisfactory service; I honestly don't know about a 'regress' in the price. However, whatever the actual outcome of this pronouncement, ONLY TIME WILL TELL...

I am not so much interested in the 'progress' of petroleum price, than I am in the progress of the Nigeria state... Welcome to the dawn of a new regime...