Nigeria, June 2 -- At exactly 12:01 a.m. on the first day of every month, a miracle occurs.

Phones vibrate across the nation.

"Happy New Month, dear constituents. May this month bring you prosperity, divine favour, uncommon breakthroughs, and limitless opportunities."

The message arrives faithfully. It arrives in January, February, March, April, and every month thereafter with the consistency of sunrise. No network failure can stop it. No budget constraint can delay it. No committee meeting can postpone it.

The politician remembers your phone number.

What remains a mystery, however, is whether the politician remembers your community.

Curiously, while "Happy New Month" messages travel at the speed of light, reports of governmental ac...