GREEK PM ALEXIS TSIPRAS, HUMBLED AND NOW SEEING WISDOM IN 'TALK IS CHEAP?'

Icheoku says when he swept into office riding on a populist agenda, based on a flowery campaign rhetoric to roll back decades of austerity measure in his country in decline, little did the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras know that the formulators of 'talk is cheap' were well versed in letters and had great wisdom. Suddenly, less than six months in office, he is now totally subdued, completely humbled and literally begging for mercy as his country plummets deeper and deeper into economic sinkhole. How such a tiny island country of Greece, that practically produces nothing and with very tiny percentage contribution to global GDP, would think that they can just have their way, with her prime minister promising of heaven on earth to the people but without much to back it up, still baffles many thinkers. 

Now the country of eight million people owes more than they can pay, a total of about three hundred billion dollars, and like Oliver Twist are still asking for some more. So which creditor, in good fate, would, when the ones already lent has not been repaid and without any viable guarantees or plausible repayment plan, freely lend some more? Icheoku does not think it will be a smart business move to continue pouring more money into such a bottomless abyss of an economy, barring Greece's unconditionally accepting stricter terms on all future lending. It is time to administer the bitter medicine that usually cures the sickness; it should henceforth be a case of the beggar not having any choice in the matter. If the Greeks want money, the Greeks should comply with terms of getting the money, period; otherwise let their creditors count their losses and shut off the spigot for good. 

Unfortunately, like the Greeks, Nigerians will very soon also find out that their President Muhammad Buhari's campaign promises were equally all hot-air and no substance. Talk is cheap and campaign speeches and promises are even cheaper. Anyway, Icheoku wishes  Nigerians happy trails, as they, filled with their own wild expectations, await for the miracles that were promised them by their leader to materialize. But they might end up like the Greeks, beggars wishing to ride horses? Like Andy in 'Living in Bondage', a Nigerian movie, eloquently surmised that if only the whole nine yards were succinctly explained to him before he dabbled into it", Nigerians might soon so confess. Just like the Greeks' current 'had we known", Nigerians might soon regret if only they were seized of the whole facts, they would have voted differently. But is it too late for both countries to undo what they did, falling prey to soaring campaign rhetoric and now finding out that they have been taken for a ride and got shafted? Your guess is as good as Icheoku's, admitted the jury is still out on the case of Nigeria and for the Greeks, a called election might see Prime Minister Tsipras out of job.

Icheoku says that Greek's Prime Minister Tsipras u-turn is one sure example of someone eating the humble pie, forced to make a u-turn from his avowed rolling back of austerity and in its place more austerity. This  will leave Greek voters wondering what kind of trade they made, electing a prime minister to lead them out of their austerity only for him to lead them back into more austerity. Icheoku honestly believes that this was not the bargain the Greeks intended and they reserve the right to claim fraud and recall their prime minster from office. Regrettably, similar fate  ironically awaits Nigerians, as they too, like the Greeks, will very soon similarly wish they never traded Jonathan for the snake-oil that is President Muhammadu Buhari. But Icheoku will like PMB to prove us wrong as we cannot wait to swallow our words back; so President Muhammadu Buhari, make our day.