In previous articles, since 2007 I have always defended and given the excuse for our aberrant democratic practice as being nascent, (i.e. new, embryonic, blossoming, hopeful, promising, and budding). In fact, I try very hard to believe in my own folly, always trying seriously to believe myself that we cannot perfect our brand of democracy so soon. After all, as they say, Rome was not built in a day, and even the great democracies of the modern world like the United States of America and Great Britain also had several decades, if not centuries, of teething problems.
Now, after almost 12 years of groping about in darkness (literarily talking about the electricity problem in the country) I have come to the conclusion that our democracy should be termed “nauseous” instead of the gratifying “nascent”. Nigerians have succeeded in making democracy a farce, against all logical odds and historical precedents. In fact, we have, or are developing a new system of politics called “Selecto-cracy” or as we also like to term it “Demo-crazy”. Very innovative people, my people! But not always in the right direction!
Party politics is defined as political acts and principles directed toward the interests of one political party or its members without reference to the common good. So we see that party politics is mainly for the benefit of the party members. In Nigeria this is even more so where corruption and nepotism are the motivating factor for forming political alliances and seeking elective offices.
A Nigerian in office would like his/her party to be the only party; for instance, the leaders of the PDP want a one party dominance; they want to control everything in Nigeria from the local to the federal levels. Unfortunately, this is not for the good of the country itself or for the benefit of those they want to control – the people of Nigeria. In all fairness, this phenomenon is not unique to Nigerians; it occurs all over the African continent. It is a cultural thing, ingrained in us for centuries. Fortunately for us, Nigerians do not suffer fools gladly, and I believe ultimately, despite our seeming complacency and docility at the polls, we will get our act together and start rooting out bad politicians, bad leadership and bad political parties.
It's an elementary yet interesting question, "Would the 2011 General election, incorporating party politics, matter to the average Nigerian?" For most, the answer is probably yes. There is no doubt that most Nigerians, from the poorest to the most-well-to-do, from the crooked politician to the few well-meaning politicians, have an interest in where this country is headed, and that being the case, you would certainly have to be interested in who is pulling the reins. However, many of us are quite cynical in terms of our faith in the system that puts our various leaders – Federal, State and Local Governments - in their various offices.
The primary concerns that many Nigerians have about our political structure is not only the influence of money in the process, but the danger, and a very glaring one at that, of putting the wrong people in power, as we always seem to have done election after election (or is it selection after selection). Let's be candid here...the average Nigerian, who struggles every day to make an honest living as even a small time entrepreneur, hasn't got a chance in hell of ascending to an elective office at any level. Even if he has several brilliant ideas that can improve the lives of the people even minutely, improve the electricity, reduce corruption, provide jobs, and protect our integrity, etc, he/she is going to be sharing those in the pepper soup joints and beer parlours for the rest of his days, all because nobody’s going to ever give him a chance, not even his kin from his village. That's right my people, this presidential political system that we are trying very hard to work out is a very exclusive club...a club for mega-billionaires who achieved their dubious wealth through massive corruption.
It's scornful, isn't it? Every four years (that is, if the dates are not shifted or if INEC is well organised) we get inundated with a parade of very dodgy and questionable characters, proven (already holding one political office or the other) or unproven (calculating opportunists who want to hold office so they can continue looting the treasury), who declare their understanding of the common man, yet not one of them shares the common man's plight, in fact, they are far removed from the reality on the streets, yet you wonder “how can”? Weren’t you drinking or walking the streets with these guys just a few months ago? So why can’t they know what is hurting Nigerians? Why are they so insulated from the daily suffering of their people around them?
In Nigeria, there are today at least 64 political parties registered with INEC, I will not mention names, since they are too many, but all of our "Third Parties" are a joke, I call them Third Parties because, to be truthful, only two parties; the murderous and deceptive PDP and the undemocratic and equally deceptive ACN, are the big parties, (actually because we do not have a choice, we have to go with them despite their very grave shortcomings and miserable excuses for political parties where none of these parties will are based purely on ideology)
The point is, very few of us have actually ever heard of these parties. Certainly, none of us have ever seen them win a major race. When they enter, they don't have a chance, and the best they can hope for is to upset the balance between the big parties. So essentially, Nigeria is a two-party political system. Well, maybe throw in the CPC and the ANPP, and what have you got? Nothing really! Well, you get the idea.
So why do we have all these contenders? A close look at these “Third Parties” shows that the reasons for their being are most times not altruistic. Many alter egos of these emerging political parties just registered them to enable them control one or two states and rip the economic gains flowing from the allocation. With our gradual political maturity, these miserable excuses called political parties look threatened and I will not be surprised if these mushroom parties go extinct as it will not be business as usual. I see a situation where three or four parties will remain players in the political field. Eventually, they will dump their parties for the enduring parties.
Most people view a third party vote as a wasted vote. Ultimately it has no long-term effect on the election, and can often become tools of the major parties. In the end, however, third parties in our country have no real hope of winning any but the most insignificant elections.
But would our vote ever count? Check history! In Nigeria, history has consistently shown that the people who cast the votes decide nothing; it is those who count, that is, rig, the votes that decide everything. This is one of the reasons why the late legal icon Gani Fawehinmi said that in our country, "corruption has many grand children". Corruption is multifaceted.
Twelve years into this "nascent” or rather, “nauseous” democracy", little or nothing has happened to improve the lot of Nigerians. While illegal and excessive pay for legislators, fist-fights and bribe-cash display occur in the Legislature, unnecessary world-wide gallivanting, executive interference in the legislature, executive chicanery, electricity is still erratic, personal security of life and property is still non-existent, jobs remain a mirage, three-meals-a-day is a luxury for most, the people are "shuffering" but certainly not "shmiling." apologies to the late Great Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. Wasn’t it the late Fela again who labelled these our leaders “Vagabonds In Power” VIP? – What a great vision since the 70s?
Yet we talk about some elites jockeying and calculating for raw power in this forthcoming election of 2011. The voter registration process, party registration process, conventions and choice of candidates have resulted in bitter battles because clear electoral reforms to prevent rigging have not been put into place despite knowing about these several years ago. It is always “fire brigade” approach.
The current party chieftains are experts at rigging, and therefore know what kinds of trickery they each played to get to where they are now, and will probably want to prevent others from taking the same advantage of them now that they are re-aligned in different camps.
The irony is that despite our fears, our collective shouting and rendering our voices hoarse to deaf ears, we will survive the ensuing disaster, just as we survived, barely though, Obasanjo’s bare-faced election frauds of 2003 and 2007. Even now, he is still trying his hands in Ogun State.
According to Victor E. Dike “State Administration and Acrimonious Party Politics” (Nigeria Village Square, 23 September 2007) “Nigeria’s politics has been, and remains dominated by crooks whose stock in trade is corruption; and that is one of the reasons for Nigeria’s wasteful and ineffective governance and acrimonious party politics. For these crooks and their political parties a state could better be destroyed if they are out of political power. It has been business as usual in state administration in spite of all the fantastic campaign promises. …..The cast of characters in state politics seem to lack the moral purpose to affect the needed change in the grassroots. There has been no major shift in the nation’s political atmosphere; many of them do not understand the purpose of leadership and politics. Consequently, daily life in the grassroots has been harsh and brutish because like the previous corrupt governors and local government administrators the officials are working for their personal interest. However, because of Nigeria’s acrimonious party politics and corruption their monthly allocations are not being properly utilized”.
I will let you in on a secret or rather how I plan to vote. Simply, I am not voting for parties; I am voting for individuals. If the candidate in my local government ward is a PDP man and I trust him or think he will perform for my ward, I will vote him in. If the Local Government Chairmanship candidate is a man I think I can trust to deliver the dividends of democracy to my grass-root level is an ACN man or a Labour Party man, then I will vote for him. If the man looking to be my State Governor is a CPC man and I trust him to work hard for me and his state, then I will not hesitate to vote for him; the same goes for the Presidency, Senatorial, House of Representatives and the State Assembly. In other words, I am not voting according to the party; I am not playing party politics, I am voting for my choice of candidate, not political party. Fortunately, I am not a member of any political party in Nigeria.
But let us pray this works, but for me, this is the only method/solution I have now.
Let the Truth be said always.
Friday, 25 February 2011
Revisiting The Remunerations of Nigerian Legislators: Time For Action
I am really sorry I have to bring this up again, but my conscience, frustration and disgust will not allow me to rest. I have written several times about this issue, but because the situation is getting worse, I still have to write about it.
Whilst in Abuja just this week, I learnt that each Nigerian Senator had just collected 42 million Naira as their salaries, expenses and whatever. Each Member of the House of Representative had just collected 36 Million Naira. These are per quarter, which means each Senator gets (I will not say “earn” because judging from the very low quality services they provide to Nigeria, we could hardly say they earned these huge sums of money) 164 million Naira per year – and there 109 of these parasites. A simple calculation therefore means 109 Senators X 164 million Naira X 4 years = 71,504,000,000 or 71 Billion Naira for 4 years. In other words, each Senator will take home 656 Million Naira in 4 years. Not a bad little earner, is it?
For the House of Representatives, there are 360 of these parasites. Each gets 36 Million per quarter, which translates to 144 million per year per Member. The calculation of their drain on the Nigerian treasury is 360 X 144 million Naira X 4 years = 207,360,000,000 or 207 Billion Naira. Each member of the House of Representatives will take home 576 Million Naira after 4 years, laughing all the way to the bank.
According to some reports, “each Senator will pocket 720 million Naira in four years, while each House of Representative member will get 540 million Naira. These sums do not include the approved pay by RMAFC which they also collect. Senate President David Mark gets 250 million Naira per quarter; Deputy Senate President Ekweremadu 150 million Naira; and each of the eight remaining principal officers 78 million Naira”. Wow!
Lord have mercy on my poor people of Nigeria. What a waste? What a damn waste? What a thievery and cheating and injustice? And what an aberration of democracy? What an expensive type of democracy we are running here. I am in the dark here!
It is no wonder that Nigerians are yet to see the dividends of democracy, over 11 years later Nigeria’s democracy must surely be the most expensive ever run on this planet called Earth and if nothing is done quickly to stem this looting tide, it may come to a time that there will be no money to run the government beyond paying the swollen salaries and allowances of our public office holders. It is definitely unsustainable, profligate, and wasteful and does not yield the desired result. Our democracy, much as we desire it, is run by thieves, opportunists, charlatans and never-do-wells.
Compatriots, think of what these huge sums of money can do if diverted to building power plants to rescue us from our comatose power problem; funding railway and road construction; funding education; reviving agriculture; funding hospitals and dispensaries; rescuing our moribund sports development; developing the Niger Delta; even, paying salaries of teachers and the pension entitlements of our pensioners. I will throw in funding the proper training and arming of the Nigeria Police Force.
Okey Ndibe called it “A Feeding Frenzy”. NEXT's Musikilu Mojeed and Elor Nkereuwem christened it “An Assembly for Looting” saying “Considering that Nigeria's minimum wage stands at ?5, 500 a month, each senator's quarterly allowance "will pay for 2,909 workers earning the minimum wage." The reporters offered other tantalizing projections. If Nigerians were to fire the entire membership of the National Assembly, the savings would be more than enough to "fund the N88.5billion" Mr. Umaru Yar'Adua budgeted this year for building power plants. Alternatively, we could "fund hospitals and clinics" all over Nigeria, "fix the Benin-Ore Expressway, which has collapsed, or make a significant down payment on the Lagos-Kano railway line”. The Tribune editorialised this perilous trend as “Poverty Inflicted by Profligacy”. Whatever it is, Nigeria cannot sustain or afford this waste.
The fact is Nigerian politicians have turned themselves into instant millionaires just for being members of the National Assembly, paying themselves huge, obscene and unjustified salaries and allowances not commensurate with their very low productivity and without doing anything worthwhile for the country, for you and me, or for humanity. They are “Legis-looters”, “Dis-Honourables” and “Execu-thieves”.
What visible difference has their representations made in the lives of the represented Nigerians to give them the false idea that they deserve their present salary talk less of a pay rise? Please, someone tell me: how many bills have these odious, greedy and lazy thieves passed into law since 1999? Do we actually know what they are doing except some of them using big vocabularies? What are we getting in return for their large obnoxious salaries and expenses? Why are Nigerians funding their expensive lifestyles, and getting zero in return? What kind of legitimate work can anybody do in Nigeria that will fetch such atrocious remuneration or salary?
Our law-makers are overpaid and underworked and what do they do? The only time Nigerian legislators suddenly become vocal and creative (according to Reuben Abati) is when they are hustling for jumbo pay and allowances. This is the case not only in Abuja but also in the states, where the members of the Houses of Assembly are perpetually fighting the Governor to give them more money.
Most of the lawmakers, Federal, State and even the Local Government Councillors are mostly absent, running after and making dubious political and financial deals, “busy chasing contracts in government departments or peddling influence around town, or busy harassing companies and MDAs over which they exercise oversight functions”. (Reuben Abati). Anytime they say they want to visit MDAs, etc, it is actually to go and demand and collect money from the hapless civil servants, or else they will institute investigations into their affairs, they always threaten. Compatriots, yes, it is that bad.
At the same time, no Bill gets passed unless individuals and organisations pay bribes to these “legis-looters”, despite their already huge remunerations. Yes, believe it. I know. I have been keenly following a struggle to get the National Assembly to pass a Bill to establish an agency which will be of tremendous benefit for the health and safety of Nigerians and huge sums have had to be paid to lawmakers just to get the bill passed, and it has not even happened. They keep demanding more and more everyday.
For Ministries and Government departments and parastatals to get their budgets approved, they have to factor into their respective budget what will go to the legislators as bribes.
Yet, how many Bills and Acts have these politicians passed since 1999? Help me out here, dear brothers and sisters. I am in the dark here. I can’t put my finger on a single Bill since 1999. Their services to this battered and abused country are not commensurate to their remunerations, and this is the bottom line!
How many of our legislators have Constituency Offices, for which they collect the allowances, and where they are supposed to regularly meet and listen to the concerns of the people who they are supposed to be representing?
How many of them implement Constituency projects in their communities, for which they also collect huge sums?
These opportunists, thieves and charlatans have hijacked Nigeria’s political well-being and economic wealth and it is the ordinary Nigeria who continues to pay the price.
This has got to stop. One way it can stop is to reduce very drastically the remuneration of lawmakers and other political offices such that it will be unattractive to potential thieves and looters and that only people who sincerely want to serve will see such small remuneration as enough motivation to contest elections to these office and be committed to good governance and delivering desired results. Right now, we have only self-serving politicians – executives or lawmakers. The obscene salaries and perks are what is attracting thieves to the serious business of governance and lawmaking, and this is why these thieves will always rig elections, commit murder and assassinations to position themselves where they will steal, shutting out genuine and sincere democrats who want to do well for the welfare of their people.
Secondly, as I have written before (A Democracy Of Profligacy and Outright Treasury-looting, http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/akintokunbo-a-adejumo/a-democracy-of-profligacy-and-outright-treasury-looting.html ), Nigeria does not need a full time bicameral legislature (In government, the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. Thus, a bicameral parliament or bicameral legislature is a parliament or legislature which consists of two Chambers or Houses); in other words, we do not need full time lawmakers or two assemblies – Senate and House of Representatives. What is needed is a unicameral legislature (the practice of having only one legislative or parliamentary chamber) that will meet for a maximum of 30 days a year and afterwards, they would go back to whatever their various professions are, if they have any at all.
Or maybe we need to change back to the Parliamentary system of government or democracy. This Presidential system, although a good option, is not being operated properly by Nigeria. In a country and society as corrupt as ours, we now know that it very open to gross abuse by unscrupulous and self-seeking politicians.
I am firmly and definitely of the opinion that that legislative work in Nigeria should be a part-time commitment. Only persons with a visible means of livelihood should be allowed to become lawmakers, and the various legislatures do not have to sit so often.
Lawmaking should NOT be a full time career, as we have it in Nigeria. I am proffering a solution which is a part -time National Assembly that sits for no more than 30 days a year. There’s no reason why a country half the size of the State of Texas will have as many legislatures as big as the whole of the United States.
Ideally, legislators should be paid sitting allowances and work on a part-time basis. This is what obtains in several states in the U.S, whose system of government we claim to be copying. If the attraction of effortless money is removed, we're certainly to see an enhancement in the quality of lawmakers. The leeches who are in it for the cash will take their game elsewhere.
In my article “In A Lighter Mood: The Way We Seriously Feel About Our Leaders” (http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/akintokunbo-a-adejumo/in-a-lighter-mood-the-way-we-seriously-feel-about-our-leaders.html 29th August 2007), I wrote “Therefore, any new political reform should address this. Legislators must be paid expenses only for their service to the country. The current system is very profligate, expensive and attracts thieves and mediocre. Expenses must be for attendances, cost of keeping constituency offices open, and if they have to be given car, housing and transport allowances, these must be properly allocated, scrutinized, monitored and commensurate with the service provided by these people. Judging from recent revelations on the wastefulness and profligacy of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Senators, etc, the cost of running Nigeria’s democracy is too high, and especially given our penchant for lack of accountability and corruption, this has to be brought under rigid and strict control. Our unscrupulous political class should be discouraged and deterred from going into government to make money. Hence make it unattractive to them.
Having said all these, who will change it? We are in a dilemma, big trouble, because the very politicians who can change and implement our suggestions are the same people benefiting immensely, corruptly and illegally from it – the Senators, the Representatives (or the Legis-looters). How can they deny themselves the opportunity of looting more money? Where is their conscience and moral and political will to change the system from within, by themselves? How can they be part of the problem and then proffer the solution?
Dear compatriots, how do we overcome this problem and change this system? The problem is not abating, it is getting worse. Next year, they will again move to increase their remunerations. I am out of ideas, please help!
These unscrupulous and conscienceless looters are draining the very life out of us. And others are waiting in the wings to take part in the looting too. We must stop them before it is too late.
Let the truth be said always.
Akintokunbo Adejumo is the Global Coordinator of Champions For Nigeria Organisation (www.championsfornigeria.org)
Whilst in Abuja just this week, I learnt that each Nigerian Senator had just collected 42 million Naira as their salaries, expenses and whatever. Each Member of the House of Representative had just collected 36 Million Naira. These are per quarter, which means each Senator gets (I will not say “earn” because judging from the very low quality services they provide to Nigeria, we could hardly say they earned these huge sums of money) 164 million Naira per year – and there 109 of these parasites. A simple calculation therefore means 109 Senators X 164 million Naira X 4 years = 71,504,000,000 or 71 Billion Naira for 4 years. In other words, each Senator will take home 656 Million Naira in 4 years. Not a bad little earner, is it?
For the House of Representatives, there are 360 of these parasites. Each gets 36 Million per quarter, which translates to 144 million per year per Member. The calculation of their drain on the Nigerian treasury is 360 X 144 million Naira X 4 years = 207,360,000,000 or 207 Billion Naira. Each member of the House of Representatives will take home 576 Million Naira after 4 years, laughing all the way to the bank.
According to some reports, “each Senator will pocket 720 million Naira in four years, while each House of Representative member will get 540 million Naira. These sums do not include the approved pay by RMAFC which they also collect. Senate President David Mark gets 250 million Naira per quarter; Deputy Senate President Ekweremadu 150 million Naira; and each of the eight remaining principal officers 78 million Naira”. Wow!
Lord have mercy on my poor people of Nigeria. What a waste? What a damn waste? What a thievery and cheating and injustice? And what an aberration of democracy? What an expensive type of democracy we are running here. I am in the dark here!
It is no wonder that Nigerians are yet to see the dividends of democracy, over 11 years later Nigeria’s democracy must surely be the most expensive ever run on this planet called Earth and if nothing is done quickly to stem this looting tide, it may come to a time that there will be no money to run the government beyond paying the swollen salaries and allowances of our public office holders. It is definitely unsustainable, profligate, and wasteful and does not yield the desired result. Our democracy, much as we desire it, is run by thieves, opportunists, charlatans and never-do-wells.
Compatriots, think of what these huge sums of money can do if diverted to building power plants to rescue us from our comatose power problem; funding railway and road construction; funding education; reviving agriculture; funding hospitals and dispensaries; rescuing our moribund sports development; developing the Niger Delta; even, paying salaries of teachers and the pension entitlements of our pensioners. I will throw in funding the proper training and arming of the Nigeria Police Force.
Okey Ndibe called it “A Feeding Frenzy”. NEXT's Musikilu Mojeed and Elor Nkereuwem christened it “An Assembly for Looting” saying “Considering that Nigeria's minimum wage stands at ?5, 500 a month, each senator's quarterly allowance "will pay for 2,909 workers earning the minimum wage." The reporters offered other tantalizing projections. If Nigerians were to fire the entire membership of the National Assembly, the savings would be more than enough to "fund the N88.5billion" Mr. Umaru Yar'Adua budgeted this year for building power plants. Alternatively, we could "fund hospitals and clinics" all over Nigeria, "fix the Benin-Ore Expressway, which has collapsed, or make a significant down payment on the Lagos-Kano railway line”. The Tribune editorialised this perilous trend as “Poverty Inflicted by Profligacy”. Whatever it is, Nigeria cannot sustain or afford this waste.
The fact is Nigerian politicians have turned themselves into instant millionaires just for being members of the National Assembly, paying themselves huge, obscene and unjustified salaries and allowances not commensurate with their very low productivity and without doing anything worthwhile for the country, for you and me, or for humanity. They are “Legis-looters”, “Dis-Honourables” and “Execu-thieves”.
What visible difference has their representations made in the lives of the represented Nigerians to give them the false idea that they deserve their present salary talk less of a pay rise? Please, someone tell me: how many bills have these odious, greedy and lazy thieves passed into law since 1999? Do we actually know what they are doing except some of them using big vocabularies? What are we getting in return for their large obnoxious salaries and expenses? Why are Nigerians funding their expensive lifestyles, and getting zero in return? What kind of legitimate work can anybody do in Nigeria that will fetch such atrocious remuneration or salary?
Our law-makers are overpaid and underworked and what do they do? The only time Nigerian legislators suddenly become vocal and creative (according to Reuben Abati) is when they are hustling for jumbo pay and allowances. This is the case not only in Abuja but also in the states, where the members of the Houses of Assembly are perpetually fighting the Governor to give them more money.
Most of the lawmakers, Federal, State and even the Local Government Councillors are mostly absent, running after and making dubious political and financial deals, “busy chasing contracts in government departments or peddling influence around town, or busy harassing companies and MDAs over which they exercise oversight functions”. (Reuben Abati). Anytime they say they want to visit MDAs, etc, it is actually to go and demand and collect money from the hapless civil servants, or else they will institute investigations into their affairs, they always threaten. Compatriots, yes, it is that bad.
At the same time, no Bill gets passed unless individuals and organisations pay bribes to these “legis-looters”, despite their already huge remunerations. Yes, believe it. I know. I have been keenly following a struggle to get the National Assembly to pass a Bill to establish an agency which will be of tremendous benefit for the health and safety of Nigerians and huge sums have had to be paid to lawmakers just to get the bill passed, and it has not even happened. They keep demanding more and more everyday.
For Ministries and Government departments and parastatals to get their budgets approved, they have to factor into their respective budget what will go to the legislators as bribes.
Yet, how many Bills and Acts have these politicians passed since 1999? Help me out here, dear brothers and sisters. I am in the dark here. I can’t put my finger on a single Bill since 1999. Their services to this battered and abused country are not commensurate to their remunerations, and this is the bottom line!
How many of our legislators have Constituency Offices, for which they collect the allowances, and where they are supposed to regularly meet and listen to the concerns of the people who they are supposed to be representing?
How many of them implement Constituency projects in their communities, for which they also collect huge sums?
These opportunists, thieves and charlatans have hijacked Nigeria’s political well-being and economic wealth and it is the ordinary Nigeria who continues to pay the price.
This has got to stop. One way it can stop is to reduce very drastically the remuneration of lawmakers and other political offices such that it will be unattractive to potential thieves and looters and that only people who sincerely want to serve will see such small remuneration as enough motivation to contest elections to these office and be committed to good governance and delivering desired results. Right now, we have only self-serving politicians – executives or lawmakers. The obscene salaries and perks are what is attracting thieves to the serious business of governance and lawmaking, and this is why these thieves will always rig elections, commit murder and assassinations to position themselves where they will steal, shutting out genuine and sincere democrats who want to do well for the welfare of their people.
Secondly, as I have written before (A Democracy Of Profligacy and Outright Treasury-looting, http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/akintokunbo-a-adejumo/a-democracy-of-profligacy-and-outright-treasury-looting.html ), Nigeria does not need a full time bicameral legislature (In government, the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. Thus, a bicameral parliament or bicameral legislature is a parliament or legislature which consists of two Chambers or Houses); in other words, we do not need full time lawmakers or two assemblies – Senate and House of Representatives. What is needed is a unicameral legislature (the practice of having only one legislative or parliamentary chamber) that will meet for a maximum of 30 days a year and afterwards, they would go back to whatever their various professions are, if they have any at all.
Or maybe we need to change back to the Parliamentary system of government or democracy. This Presidential system, although a good option, is not being operated properly by Nigeria. In a country and society as corrupt as ours, we now know that it very open to gross abuse by unscrupulous and self-seeking politicians.
I am firmly and definitely of the opinion that that legislative work in Nigeria should be a part-time commitment. Only persons with a visible means of livelihood should be allowed to become lawmakers, and the various legislatures do not have to sit so often.
Lawmaking should NOT be a full time career, as we have it in Nigeria. I am proffering a solution which is a part -time National Assembly that sits for no more than 30 days a year. There’s no reason why a country half the size of the State of Texas will have as many legislatures as big as the whole of the United States.
Ideally, legislators should be paid sitting allowances and work on a part-time basis. This is what obtains in several states in the U.S, whose system of government we claim to be copying. If the attraction of effortless money is removed, we're certainly to see an enhancement in the quality of lawmakers. The leeches who are in it for the cash will take their game elsewhere.
In my article “In A Lighter Mood: The Way We Seriously Feel About Our Leaders” (http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/akintokunbo-a-adejumo/in-a-lighter-mood-the-way-we-seriously-feel-about-our-leaders.html 29th August 2007), I wrote “Therefore, any new political reform should address this. Legislators must be paid expenses only for their service to the country. The current system is very profligate, expensive and attracts thieves and mediocre. Expenses must be for attendances, cost of keeping constituency offices open, and if they have to be given car, housing and transport allowances, these must be properly allocated, scrutinized, monitored and commensurate with the service provided by these people. Judging from recent revelations on the wastefulness and profligacy of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Senators, etc, the cost of running Nigeria’s democracy is too high, and especially given our penchant for lack of accountability and corruption, this has to be brought under rigid and strict control. Our unscrupulous political class should be discouraged and deterred from going into government to make money. Hence make it unattractive to them.
Having said all these, who will change it? We are in a dilemma, big trouble, because the very politicians who can change and implement our suggestions are the same people benefiting immensely, corruptly and illegally from it – the Senators, the Representatives (or the Legis-looters). How can they deny themselves the opportunity of looting more money? Where is their conscience and moral and political will to change the system from within, by themselves? How can they be part of the problem and then proffer the solution?
Dear compatriots, how do we overcome this problem and change this system? The problem is not abating, it is getting worse. Next year, they will again move to increase their remunerations. I am out of ideas, please help!
These unscrupulous and conscienceless looters are draining the very life out of us. And others are waiting in the wings to take part in the looting too. We must stop them before it is too late.
Let the truth be said always.
Akintokunbo Adejumo is the Global Coordinator of Champions For Nigeria Organisation (www.championsfornigeria.org)
Of Nigerian Democracy, Governance And Profligacy
I have spent a total of nine months in Nigeria since my relocation experiment started and everyday I wake up to see what those ruling us have done and are still doing to Nigeria, I become despondent, desperate and disillusioned. I sometimes want to give up and when I reflect, despite my long-held belief that Nigeria will change for the better, in the face of all the evidence I see and hear and feel and experience everyday, I privately think, “No, Nigeria will not change, at least not in my lifetime”.
For someone like me, a man who is convinced that all we need is a “Few Good Men and Women” to change Nigeria, I see all these hopes evaporating away on a daily basis.
It is a fact that while some Nigerians are doing better, most Nigerians are not faring well at all. The society as a whole is doing far worse, and whose fault is it?
The Yorubas have a saying (and I am sure other tribes have too) that “we should do things the way they should be done, so that the result will be what we want or expect”. What kind of nation do we have if, after all we have been through, and all we know, and all we have, we still refuse to do what is right for ourselves, or rather, our so-called leaders refuse to do what is right? How far more can we expect to carry on without doing the right things before we implode? These are questions that must be answered now.
There is more urgency now in doing the right things because the world economy is getting worse, but our leaders are either ignorant of this fact, or ignorant of the consequences, or they just don’t care what happens to us and the future they will leave behind. Actually, I do not expect an ex-convict or ex-policeman or ex-soldier-turned State Governor, Senator or other law-makers to be able to grasp the complexities of world economy and political issues to be able to determine what is good for their people. Even their so-called erudite advisers (read hangers-on, sycophants and spongers) are just there for the money, so what can they teach their “ogas”? Especially now that we do not have the money anymore to get things done, because we have wasted the money and the opportunities.
Compatriots, we are in very deep shit (pardon my language) in this country. We keep on shouting, threatening, begging these evil people ruling us, and they never listen to us.
I am very sure that Nigeria runs about the most expensive, profligate and wasteful democracy in the world. Look at it this way:
• The presidency and state governors appoint a despicable number of aides, mostly useless and as we know, they are just saying “thank you” to these aides, whose contribution to the well-being of this country is at best, spurious and undefined. One state governor, I heard, had almost 700 special assistants, special advisers, etc
• Governors are awarded almost 80 million Naira a month in what is called Security Votes, which they don’t have to account for. Beside this largesse, they still loot the treasury, demand and receive massive bribes, neglect the people and waste our money.
• Our lawmakers, federal, state and local governments practically laugh all the way to the banks without any iota of work or service to show for what they are paid to do, and what they steal. Their service to the nation is hardly commensurate to the huge sums they allocate to themselves as salaries, allowance and perks; yet you still see them rushing about for government contracts. They want to have it all.
• Election time is drawing near, and most elected (or should I say, selected), officials have abandoned their employment and duty of governance and are spending public funds on getting themselves re-elected (or re-selected, as it may be)
• State Governors seeking second terms have bought hundreds of vehicles to campaign for re-election (I am really having problems with this election or selection, but please where you read election in this article, think selection) and hardly attend to the functions of governance. I don’t have to tell you that funds for re-election campaigns do not come from their personal pockets; it is state money, yours and mine.
• Those governors not seeking a second term because the Constitution, fortunately for us, does not allow for a third term, are now busy tying up loose ends, destroying evidence of corruption, murder, etc and still looting the treasury.
(These are money that should have gone into providing healthcare, good urban roads, schools and the attendance education of our future generation, potable water, electricity, railways, clean environment, etc.)
• The Presidency recently bought 3 presidential jets in addition to the ones already on the fleet. Each president or ruler of Nigeria always buys jets when they are in power. I don’t know how much these cost, but I can bet it will go a long way to do some overdue repairs on certain motor-ways in the country.
• The Presidency of Goodluck Jonathan, despite its very bright, promising and brilliant start when he took over from the late Yar ‘Adua, has become distracted and disoriented because of his ambition to contest for election next year. He has abandoned all his promises and is concentrating all his energies into staying in power.
(Huh, huh, I am not saying he doesn’t have the right, but look at it this way: he has never contested any election on his own in his life, yet he rose from being a Deputy Governor to being President of Nigeria. Now at the pinnacle of any man’s political career without lifting a finger, he now wants to “test” himself with an election when he’s already at the top. What he’s saying is that God has not done enough for him! I personally don’t think he should run; he should be the referee in a credible, free and fair election, that we hope will produce the right person to lead us and change Nigeria, then we will carve Jonathan’s name in stone)
• Then the 50th Birthday celebrations came and went, federal, states and local governments spent billions to celebrate, and they told us that the next 50 years will be better. Hardly one month into the next 50 years, there is no sign that things will change.
• As if these are not enough, former Nigerian Presidents, Heads of State, Heads of Federal Legislative Houses and Chief Justices of the Federation, whose exact successes as public servants of this potentially great but moribund country is very suspect, lacklustre, undefined and unproductive, have been awarded scandalous pensions which even takes care of their wives, children and some other relatives, even when the record of the individual’s performance does not justify such privileges.
I recently drove my 80 year old mother to the Secretariat in Ibadan because the Government wanted to “screen” the pensioners. She was on her feet for almost 8 hours in the hot sun, because the seats provided did not go around and just a small tent was provided. This “screening” exercise has been going on for the past 20 years without end. Some pensioners have died without being able to collect their pensions, yet, the pensions and entitlements to these people, who truly worked for Nigeria, are being withheld by dubious leaders and useless and corrupt civil servants. Ghost pensioners abound, some civil servants collecting the pensions of the dead. My uncle died 5 years ago, without collecting his pension, but we discovered that his name was still on the list and somebody had been collecting his pension.
But we are going to pay Gowon, Shagari, Obasanjo, Babangida, Buhari, Abdulsalaam, and even Shonekan and their families, awesome pensions for life. And what about the families of Tafawa-Balewa, Aguiyi-Ironsi, Abacha and Umar Yar ‘Adua? Are they going to get their late fathers’ pensions too? I am not even talking of the Chief Justices and the others who they say are entitled to this pension.
As the respected Reuben Abari wrote in his piece, “Scandalous pension benefits for former leaders”, The Guardian, Friday, 05 November 2010 “We run an economy that services the privileges of the already over-privileged, an economy that promotes waste and inefficiency with little consideration for the poor and the aggrieved. In a season where the world economies are making austere plans; with the UK shaving off expenses and benefits and the USA saying loudly to the President through the mid-term election verdict that the economy cannot wait much longer for the economic prosperity promised; this action can be nothing more than insensitive”.
Insensitive? No Dr Abati that is the mildest word to express our anger. It is a show of utter disregard for the people who put this set of people into power. It is a show of absolute power of life and death over 150 million people. It is a statement that “We own you; we own Nigeria; Nigeria is ours to do what we like with”. It is a statement of blatant inconsideration for the plight of 150 million Nigerians. It is profligacy at its best, or worst. It shows you that we are being ruled by thoughtless, brainless morons who couldn’t care less if 150 million Nigerians die.
The impact of most of these people have always been negative, otherwise if they are successful, Nigeria will not find itself in such big problems as we have today. They did not even try to change things. They did very little to impact on our lives. They pretended they want to serve, yet they serve only themselves and some other selfish sectional, tribal or religious interests. And they have never, ever been accountable to their people. In fact they shun accountability. They have never ever been responsible for their people.
Every day in the newspapers, it is one corruption scandal or the other, yet, nobody is ever held to account. What this tells us is that some people are above the law in Nigeria and can do whatever they like with impunity and immunity. What it tells us is that all the law enforcement agencies, including the EFCC and ICPC which were especially created to fight corruption are nothing but toothless tooth dogs at best, or as camouflage by the government itself at worst. Even recent pronouncement by Government officials on the list of corrupt politicians that the EFCC was seeking to bar from contesting elections tells us how insincere the fight against corruption is, from the perspective of the government itself.
Look at the waste of all these monies and resources, wasted opportunities; wasted individual and collective brilliance; wasted generations.
How many of our governors embark on aggressive revenue drive to supplement shortfalls from their allocation? None! They all wait on the monthly allocation, and even when that comes, profligacy, corruption and mismanagement begins. Half of the money disappears into private bank accounts, leaving capital projects devoid of funding, hence the roads are bad, the schools are poor, healthcare is poor, etc, and Nigerians are dying unnecessarily.
One of the problems with our democracy is that people (s)elected into public office do not regard themselves as servants of the public who elected them and is paying their salaries. They regard governance as a right for them to do as they like with public money; with our lives. They regard the governed as their servants and slaves, and their states and boundaries as fiefdoms. The reason might be because we do not have a truly representative democracy where credible, free and fair elections are conducted. Most of these vagabonds in power (VIP) lied, rigged, murdered, raped and looted their way into positions of power; so what should we expect of a brigand and rogue to deliver when he/she becomes someone with authority?
Read the newly published Wale Adedayo’s book “Micro-seconds Away From Death” and you will understand how base, evil and depraved our so-called democratic rulers have descended. And for what? Money, power and recognition.
Look at the way they carry themselves in public. They are “gods”. They are untouchables. They are the privileged. They have power of life and death and they constantly exercise it and remind us of their immortality. They forget, or perhaps, chose to ignore the fact that power, and indeed, life itself is transient. And in so doing, they forget there is a Greater Supreme Being than them. It is as if their tenure in power will never end.
In a way, I can’t blame them; it is an African thing, an African disease. Centuries of feudalism will be very difficult to replace with true western-style democracy. But we should still try. We must let them know we are living in the 21st Century and not in the Dark Ages, and we have examples we can emulate properly. We do not have to re-invent the wheel.
We can also jettison what will not work in Western-style democracy and our own African culture and tradition and ways of life and amalgamate the ones that can work to make our societies better. In order words, let’s fashion out what mode of government is best for us.
Are we going to survive? Your guess is as good as mine. Election 2011 will come and go, and Nigeria will remain. If we fail with that election, we will moan and shout, but the eternal optimists that we are, we shall be looking forward to a better election in 2015.
If we succeed with this election and we get the right person (but with Babangida, Atiku, Gusau, Saraki and others of their ilk vying to become President, forget that optimism) then perhaps Nigeria would have come of democratic age. And perhaps there is a chance that the future of our children would be secured.
Finally, let me borrow the words of Gbola Bowale X (one of my Facebook friends) “We have a CHOICE in OUR GENERATION to either continue dealing with the SYMPTOMS of our multifarious and entrenched challenges or we can make a VERY BOLD attempt at dealing with the ROOT CAUSES of OUR COMMON CHALLENGES! Until and unless we do what is NEEDFUL and not what is CONVENIENT; my folks, the wahala (problem) will continue to stare us in the face koro koro (forcefully) and we can continue to "blow" girama! (Grammar!).”
Let the truth be said always.
For someone like me, a man who is convinced that all we need is a “Few Good Men and Women” to change Nigeria, I see all these hopes evaporating away on a daily basis.
It is a fact that while some Nigerians are doing better, most Nigerians are not faring well at all. The society as a whole is doing far worse, and whose fault is it?
The Yorubas have a saying (and I am sure other tribes have too) that “we should do things the way they should be done, so that the result will be what we want or expect”. What kind of nation do we have if, after all we have been through, and all we know, and all we have, we still refuse to do what is right for ourselves, or rather, our so-called leaders refuse to do what is right? How far more can we expect to carry on without doing the right things before we implode? These are questions that must be answered now.
There is more urgency now in doing the right things because the world economy is getting worse, but our leaders are either ignorant of this fact, or ignorant of the consequences, or they just don’t care what happens to us and the future they will leave behind. Actually, I do not expect an ex-convict or ex-policeman or ex-soldier-turned State Governor, Senator or other law-makers to be able to grasp the complexities of world economy and political issues to be able to determine what is good for their people. Even their so-called erudite advisers (read hangers-on, sycophants and spongers) are just there for the money, so what can they teach their “ogas”? Especially now that we do not have the money anymore to get things done, because we have wasted the money and the opportunities.
Compatriots, we are in very deep shit (pardon my language) in this country. We keep on shouting, threatening, begging these evil people ruling us, and they never listen to us.
I am very sure that Nigeria runs about the most expensive, profligate and wasteful democracy in the world. Look at it this way:
• The presidency and state governors appoint a despicable number of aides, mostly useless and as we know, they are just saying “thank you” to these aides, whose contribution to the well-being of this country is at best, spurious and undefined. One state governor, I heard, had almost 700 special assistants, special advisers, etc
• Governors are awarded almost 80 million Naira a month in what is called Security Votes, which they don’t have to account for. Beside this largesse, they still loot the treasury, demand and receive massive bribes, neglect the people and waste our money.
• Our lawmakers, federal, state and local governments practically laugh all the way to the banks without any iota of work or service to show for what they are paid to do, and what they steal. Their service to the nation is hardly commensurate to the huge sums they allocate to themselves as salaries, allowance and perks; yet you still see them rushing about for government contracts. They want to have it all.
• Election time is drawing near, and most elected (or should I say, selected), officials have abandoned their employment and duty of governance and are spending public funds on getting themselves re-elected (or re-selected, as it may be)
• State Governors seeking second terms have bought hundreds of vehicles to campaign for re-election (I am really having problems with this election or selection, but please where you read election in this article, think selection) and hardly attend to the functions of governance. I don’t have to tell you that funds for re-election campaigns do not come from their personal pockets; it is state money, yours and mine.
• Those governors not seeking a second term because the Constitution, fortunately for us, does not allow for a third term, are now busy tying up loose ends, destroying evidence of corruption, murder, etc and still looting the treasury.
(These are money that should have gone into providing healthcare, good urban roads, schools and the attendance education of our future generation, potable water, electricity, railways, clean environment, etc.)
• The Presidency recently bought 3 presidential jets in addition to the ones already on the fleet. Each president or ruler of Nigeria always buys jets when they are in power. I don’t know how much these cost, but I can bet it will go a long way to do some overdue repairs on certain motor-ways in the country.
• The Presidency of Goodluck Jonathan, despite its very bright, promising and brilliant start when he took over from the late Yar ‘Adua, has become distracted and disoriented because of his ambition to contest for election next year. He has abandoned all his promises and is concentrating all his energies into staying in power.
(Huh, huh, I am not saying he doesn’t have the right, but look at it this way: he has never contested any election on his own in his life, yet he rose from being a Deputy Governor to being President of Nigeria. Now at the pinnacle of any man’s political career without lifting a finger, he now wants to “test” himself with an election when he’s already at the top. What he’s saying is that God has not done enough for him! I personally don’t think he should run; he should be the referee in a credible, free and fair election, that we hope will produce the right person to lead us and change Nigeria, then we will carve Jonathan’s name in stone)
• Then the 50th Birthday celebrations came and went, federal, states and local governments spent billions to celebrate, and they told us that the next 50 years will be better. Hardly one month into the next 50 years, there is no sign that things will change.
• As if these are not enough, former Nigerian Presidents, Heads of State, Heads of Federal Legislative Houses and Chief Justices of the Federation, whose exact successes as public servants of this potentially great but moribund country is very suspect, lacklustre, undefined and unproductive, have been awarded scandalous pensions which even takes care of their wives, children and some other relatives, even when the record of the individual’s performance does not justify such privileges.
I recently drove my 80 year old mother to the Secretariat in Ibadan because the Government wanted to “screen” the pensioners. She was on her feet for almost 8 hours in the hot sun, because the seats provided did not go around and just a small tent was provided. This “screening” exercise has been going on for the past 20 years without end. Some pensioners have died without being able to collect their pensions, yet, the pensions and entitlements to these people, who truly worked for Nigeria, are being withheld by dubious leaders and useless and corrupt civil servants. Ghost pensioners abound, some civil servants collecting the pensions of the dead. My uncle died 5 years ago, without collecting his pension, but we discovered that his name was still on the list and somebody had been collecting his pension.
But we are going to pay Gowon, Shagari, Obasanjo, Babangida, Buhari, Abdulsalaam, and even Shonekan and their families, awesome pensions for life. And what about the families of Tafawa-Balewa, Aguiyi-Ironsi, Abacha and Umar Yar ‘Adua? Are they going to get their late fathers’ pensions too? I am not even talking of the Chief Justices and the others who they say are entitled to this pension.
As the respected Reuben Abari wrote in his piece, “Scandalous pension benefits for former leaders”, The Guardian, Friday, 05 November 2010 “We run an economy that services the privileges of the already over-privileged, an economy that promotes waste and inefficiency with little consideration for the poor and the aggrieved. In a season where the world economies are making austere plans; with the UK shaving off expenses and benefits and the USA saying loudly to the President through the mid-term election verdict that the economy cannot wait much longer for the economic prosperity promised; this action can be nothing more than insensitive”.
Insensitive? No Dr Abati that is the mildest word to express our anger. It is a show of utter disregard for the people who put this set of people into power. It is a show of absolute power of life and death over 150 million people. It is a statement that “We own you; we own Nigeria; Nigeria is ours to do what we like with”. It is a statement of blatant inconsideration for the plight of 150 million Nigerians. It is profligacy at its best, or worst. It shows you that we are being ruled by thoughtless, brainless morons who couldn’t care less if 150 million Nigerians die.
The impact of most of these people have always been negative, otherwise if they are successful, Nigeria will not find itself in such big problems as we have today. They did not even try to change things. They did very little to impact on our lives. They pretended they want to serve, yet they serve only themselves and some other selfish sectional, tribal or religious interests. And they have never, ever been accountable to their people. In fact they shun accountability. They have never ever been responsible for their people.
Every day in the newspapers, it is one corruption scandal or the other, yet, nobody is ever held to account. What this tells us is that some people are above the law in Nigeria and can do whatever they like with impunity and immunity. What it tells us is that all the law enforcement agencies, including the EFCC and ICPC which were especially created to fight corruption are nothing but toothless tooth dogs at best, or as camouflage by the government itself at worst. Even recent pronouncement by Government officials on the list of corrupt politicians that the EFCC was seeking to bar from contesting elections tells us how insincere the fight against corruption is, from the perspective of the government itself.
Look at the waste of all these monies and resources, wasted opportunities; wasted individual and collective brilliance; wasted generations.
How many of our governors embark on aggressive revenue drive to supplement shortfalls from their allocation? None! They all wait on the monthly allocation, and even when that comes, profligacy, corruption and mismanagement begins. Half of the money disappears into private bank accounts, leaving capital projects devoid of funding, hence the roads are bad, the schools are poor, healthcare is poor, etc, and Nigerians are dying unnecessarily.
One of the problems with our democracy is that people (s)elected into public office do not regard themselves as servants of the public who elected them and is paying their salaries. They regard governance as a right for them to do as they like with public money; with our lives. They regard the governed as their servants and slaves, and their states and boundaries as fiefdoms. The reason might be because we do not have a truly representative democracy where credible, free and fair elections are conducted. Most of these vagabonds in power (VIP) lied, rigged, murdered, raped and looted their way into positions of power; so what should we expect of a brigand and rogue to deliver when he/she becomes someone with authority?
Read the newly published Wale Adedayo’s book “Micro-seconds Away From Death” and you will understand how base, evil and depraved our so-called democratic rulers have descended. And for what? Money, power and recognition.
Look at the way they carry themselves in public. They are “gods”. They are untouchables. They are the privileged. They have power of life and death and they constantly exercise it and remind us of their immortality. They forget, or perhaps, chose to ignore the fact that power, and indeed, life itself is transient. And in so doing, they forget there is a Greater Supreme Being than them. It is as if their tenure in power will never end.
In a way, I can’t blame them; it is an African thing, an African disease. Centuries of feudalism will be very difficult to replace with true western-style democracy. But we should still try. We must let them know we are living in the 21st Century and not in the Dark Ages, and we have examples we can emulate properly. We do not have to re-invent the wheel.
We can also jettison what will not work in Western-style democracy and our own African culture and tradition and ways of life and amalgamate the ones that can work to make our societies better. In order words, let’s fashion out what mode of government is best for us.
Are we going to survive? Your guess is as good as mine. Election 2011 will come and go, and Nigeria will remain. If we fail with that election, we will moan and shout, but the eternal optimists that we are, we shall be looking forward to a better election in 2015.
If we succeed with this election and we get the right person (but with Babangida, Atiku, Gusau, Saraki and others of their ilk vying to become President, forget that optimism) then perhaps Nigeria would have come of democratic age. And perhaps there is a chance that the future of our children would be secured.
Finally, let me borrow the words of Gbola Bowale X (one of my Facebook friends) “We have a CHOICE in OUR GENERATION to either continue dealing with the SYMPTOMS of our multifarious and entrenched challenges or we can make a VERY BOLD attempt at dealing with the ROOT CAUSES of OUR COMMON CHALLENGES! Until and unless we do what is NEEDFUL and not what is CONVENIENT; my folks, the wahala (problem) will continue to stare us in the face koro koro (forcefully) and we can continue to "blow" girama! (Grammar!).”
Let the truth be said always.
Nigeria: Where Are The Nation Builders?
“Nigeria is not a nation. It is a mere geographical expression. There are no ‘Nigerians’ in the same sense as there are ‘English’, ‘Welsh’ or ‘French.’ The word ‘Nigerian’ is merely a distinctive appellation to distinguish those who live within the boundaries of Nigeria and those who do not.” (Path to Nigerian Freedom by Chief Obafemi Awolowo)
Nation-building refers to the process of constructing or structuring a national identity using the power of the state. This process aims at the unification of the people or peoples within the state so that it remains politically stable and viable in the long run. Nation-building can involve the use of propaganda or major infrastructure development to foster social harmony and economic growth (Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia)
Originally, nation-building referred to the efforts of newly-independent nations, notably the nations of Africa, to reshape colonial territories that had been carved out by colonial powers without regard to ethnic or other boundaries. These reformed states would then become viable and coherent national entities.
Nation-building included the creation of superficial national paraphernalia such as flags, anthems, national days, national stadiums, national airlines, national languages, and national myths. At a deeper level, national identity needed to be deliberately constructed by moulding different groups into a nation, especially since colonialism had used divide and rule tactics to maintain its domination.
However, many new states were plagued by "tribalism", rivalry between ethnic groups within the nation. This sometimes resulted in their near-disintegration, such as the attempt by Biafra to secede from Nigeria in 1970, or the continuing demand of the Somali people in the Ogaden region of Ethiopia for complete independence.
To understand the notion of nation-building, one needs to have some definition of what a nation is. According to Carolyn Stephenson (2005), early conceptions of nation defined it as a group or race of people who shared history, traditions, and culture, sometimes religion, and usually language. Thus the United Kingdom comprises four nations, the English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh. The people of a nation generally share a common national identity, and part of nation-building is the building of that common identity.
Today the word nation is often used synonymously with state, as in the United Nations. But a state is more properly the governmental apparatus by which a nation rules itself.
For the evolution of nation-building, Almond and Coleman (1960) defined input functions as:
1. Political socialisation and recruitment.
2. Interest articulation.
3. Interest aggregation.
4. Political communication.
Output functions were:
1. Rule-making.
2. Rule application.
3. Rule adjudication
Lucian Pye identified multiple meanings of political development with, among them:
• as prerequisite to economic development,
• as politics typical of industrial societies,
• as political modernization,
• as administrative and legal development,
• as mass mobilization and participation,
• as the building of democracy, and
• as stability and orderly change.
He identified equality as one of the basic themes running through all of these. While nation-building after 9/11 still incorporates many of these meanings of political development, equality does not seem to play a major role in practice.
Nation-building that will likely contribute to stable international peace will need to emphasize the democratic participation of people within the nation to demand rights. It will need to build the society, economy, and polity which will meet the basic needs of the people, so that they are not driven by poverty, inequality and unemployment, on the one hand, or by a desire to compete for resources and power either internally or in the international system. This does means not only producing the formal institutions of democracy, but the underlying culture which recognizes respect for the identities and needs of others both within and outside. It means development of human rights-- political, civil, economic and social, and the rule of law. But it also means development of sewer systems, and roads, and jobs. Perhaps most important, it means the development of education. Nation-building must allow the participation of civil society, and develop democratic state institutions that promote welfare. Democratic state-building is an important part of that. This is a multi-faceted process that will proceed differently in each local context.
Many commentators on Nigeria’s history and development are always fond of saying Nigeria that is, the country, is an artificial creation of a colonial power, Britain. Let us agree this is true. But is Nigeria the only artificial creation in Africa, or indeed the whole world? Many countries in the world as we have them today are artificial creations. Even the greatest country in the world, The United States of America was not created by God naturally. It was the ability of men of vision and wisdom and sufferings. Most African counties fall into this artificial creation phenomenon.
So, why is Nigeria deemed as unique? Is it because we have 250 or so tribes? Is this an insurmountable problem, if indeed it is a problem?
It all began with our past heroes and leaders. Look at the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s statement above and you will understand the problem. The late sage, as much as we venerated and adored and believed in him, never believed in one Nigeria, it would appear, from the very beginning, but he tagged along with the other then regional leaders and the colonial masters, Britain to form the country, Nigeria, even though his heart and instinct were against the idea. It seems rather unfortunate. But it was this singular statement and action – and perhaps many more - that has, till the end of time, labelled him as a “tribal leader” and which as we know, denied him from ever leading Nigeria.
Please, do not get me wrong. I am an unrepentant Awoist, and proud of it too. And I know what I committed to the late sage’s UPN in 1979 when I was just graduating from the university. But with the benefit of hind-sight and truth, we now know why Awolowo never ruled this country, to our eternal regret. Even his political foes have acknowledged that after his death. That was his mistake and he should rue it, even in death. Yet, many of us are sure that the whole of Nigeria would have been better off under his Presidency or leadership.
So who builds a nation? Past notable examples of nation builders include Otto von Bismarck (the Iron Chancellor), who united Germany; Kemal Attaturk, who defeated the Ottoman Empire and founded and united present day Turkey. Even, there are the Kwame Nkrumahs, Leopold Senghors, Jomo Kenyattas, Julius Nyereres, Fidel Castros, Mahatma Ghandis of this world. What can be done about nation-building is the question (if it should be done) or who should do it, and who CAN effectively do it. The literature is divided over these issues:
Individual statesmen and women: Where are they in Nigeria? Over the past 50 years, what we have seen are nation-destroyers, not nation-builders. We have been extremely unlucky with our leaders, as well as the followers, at any rate. So, the blame does not lay wholly on the type of leaders our society threw up.
In Nigeria, it has been very difficult to name even one of those people we love to refer to as our Founding Fathers (like the American Pilgrim Fathers) as nation building statesmen. It is really difficult, and this is simply because their mission then was not to build a nation but rather to build power bases and usurp power by whatever means; and mostly serving sectional or tribal interests, if not their pockets.
Intergovernmental organisations (IGOs), States or Nongovernmental organisations, (NGOs): Here, the issue is not so much which agency, but how the agency functions. Does it simply throw money at the problem? Does it exacerbate tensions by providing money or projects unevenly across ethnic groups or regions in such a way as to generate competition or, worse, security fears? Is its presence so big that it overwhelms the local or national governing structures it is trying to nurture? Is it culturally knowledgeable and sensitive?
Military or Civilian: The military must prepare leaders for nation building, by providing training in "culture; basic law and civics; city planning and public administration; economics; and ethics," as well as language, and "how a free, democratic government is supposed to work”. Has this happened in Nigeria? The military incursion into government set Nigeria back a hundred years. They have no vision, no purpose, are largely opportunistic and corrupt, and hence had no idea what nation-building is. In fact, the military further polarised an already fractious Nigerians.
Thus, the civilians have not fared better either. Catch-22 situation, isn’t it? And unfortunately for us, it is same set of people, under a democratic dispensation, who are supposed to build the nation better, under peaceful, free and relaxed atmosphere, than under usually draconian military rules.
“The democratic approach to nation building refers to cases in which elected governments operate under inclusive institutions and the leaders behave in ways that strengthen democracy. This approach has the greatest potential for creating a stable multiethnic nation. Unfortunately, Nigerians have not yet successfully pursued this path” (Abu Bakarr, 2004)
Indigenous or exogenous actors: Nation-building is an evolutionary process. It takes a long time. One of the problems with outside actors is that they come and they go, but they are still necessary; arguing for the importance of indigenous nation-building does not mean that outside actors should ignore the process.
Role of youth in nation building: The saying goes that “youths are not only leaders of tomorrow, but partners of today” Maybe its time to start planting in them for tomorrow’s harvest. During this past US election, The Republicans underestimated the role of youth in politics, something the Democrats used to their advantage. The government and society at large have equal responsibility to provide the youth with an environment that is conducive to bringing about a mature and responsible youth population for the coming generation to lead a better life.
As nation builders, let us focus on brain drain of the thousands of graduates leaving the country for greener pastures. This issue of migration has a negative impact on our nation. Nations are build out of human intellect, migration of our many graduates has a serious implication on us.This means that a nation cannot be built without the recognition and the collective efforts of such graduates. (Abiola Saba)
Professor Ibrahim Gambari, in 2006, said “Today, as a nation, we face more challenges than we have known hitherto. Our population has ballooned from 55 million at independence to nearly 130 million. Yet, in our country, children still go to bed hungry and most families subsist on less than one dollar a day. It will, therefore, not be glib to state that in every household, community and state in this nation, where the top hierarchies of human needs are not being met, we certainly have a problem. In a world awash with affluence, yet mired in poverty and hunger we cannot escape our culpability. This is more so in Nigeria, which once boasted of having agriculture as its primary industry.
Most Nigerians will readily admit that what affects us the most, is poverty and underdevelopment, which are now buffeted by perennial bad governance and debilitating corruption. Likewise, those who are outside Nigeria looking in, will say the same thing, albeit, with a qualifier; to them Nigeria’s myriad of problems is self-induced. This often the argument advanced by those who were opposed to any debt forgiveness for Nigeria. They refuse to accept that a nation with so much wealth could be so indigent. To them, our country and the challenges it faces, presents a unique paradox”.
A key challenge, therefore, is the way we manage our affairs. The question for Nigerians is how to realize the principles outlined in the constitutions and thereby promote a stable multi-ethnic nation. Ehiedu Iweriebor (1990) identified six criteria for measuring the progress of the nation building process. These are: leadership, transportation and communication networks, economic development, national education, pedagogical nationalism, and civil society. Though his study outlines the successes and failures of the various Nigerian governments, it fails to explain why a particular type of government might fail or succeed in promoting nation building.
As stated in Article 14 of the 1979 Constitution: "The composition of the government of the federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such manner as to reflect the Federal Character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or a few ethnic or other sectional groups in the government or in any of its agencies." Furthermore, "the composition of the government of a state, a local government council, or any of the agencies of such government or council, and the conduct of the affairs of the government or council or such agencies shall be carried out in such manner as to recognize the diversity of the peoples within its area of authority and the need to promote a sense of belonging and loyalty among all the peoples of the federation."
A democratic approach is the best path to nation building in a multi-ethnic country like Nigeria. As we have seen in the Nigerian experience with nation building, it is difficult to pursue a non-democratic means of reform without aggravating internal unrest and international censure. Sadly, the lack of a democratic mandate, poor institutional design, and bad leadership has all made it nearly impossible for successive Nigerian governments to pursue a democratic approach. Many Nigerians are not satisfied with the 1999 Constitution because it failed to address the structural imbalance of the federation (Abu Bakarr, 2004).
Even of more concern is the lack of accountability, the massive corruption scandals of successive governments, the poor state of the economy, and the fraud that characterized both the 2003 and 2007 elections. "If we continue to have these same levels of corruption and the economy is mismanaged, then the sustainability of democracy will be reduced. The country's survival will be endangered." (Suberu, 1999) Even though the emerging domestic and international political environment has minimized the possibility of a return to military rule, there is a real danger of democratic decay in Nigeria. As we have seen over the past decades, democratic decay is a recipe for chaos and military intervention.
All in all, I will posit, successful nation building is no mean task. The problem with our pseudo-leaders is that they have never taken nation-building, management of resources and people, leadership, seriously. In fact they do not know what it means to be leaders. They are essentially ignorant though educated (even this is questionable)
Nation-building and the associated developmental issues require men and women of deep vision; sincerity of purpose; selflessness; genuine love for their country and their people; hardworking; of conscience, integrity, credibility, trustworthiness, honesty, reliable and able; people who do not think of stealing or embezzling; people who do not misuse the authority and power conferred on them, by God or Man; people who do not think that getting to positions of authority is a “do-or-die” affair; people who understand the meaning of nation building, leadership, good governance, rule of law, political emancipation, equality, human and civic rights, civility, freedom of speech, rule of law, diversity and religious tolerance,; people who will shun and will not tolerate tribalism, corruption and nepotism.
These are the people who can build nations.
To my people, how are we building this nation? It is time for all Nigerians to collectively do their part in being nation builders and stop being nation destroyers.
References:
Almond, Gabriel A. and James S. Coleman (eds.) The Politics of the Developing Areas. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1960.
Bah, Abu Bakarr "Approaches To Nation Building In Post-Colonial Nigeria". Journal of Political and Military Sociology. Http://Findarticles.Com/P/Articles/Mi_Qa3719/Is_200407/Ai_N9435086
2004.
Caroline Stephenson, “Nation Building”, 2005, http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/nation_building/
Iweriebor, Ehiedu, 1990 "Nigerian Nation Building Since Independence." Nigerian Journal of Policy and Strategy, Volume 5, Numbers 1 & 2. JACON.
Ibrahim A. Gambari, “Nigeria - The challenge of nation building and external relations” The Ado Bayero Lecture Series, Centre For Democratic Research ad Training, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria, 8 February 2006
Pye, Lucian W. Aspects of Political Development. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1966
Suberu, R T. 1999 “Public Policy and National Unity in Nigeria”. Ibadan: Development Policy Center
Wikipedia, “Nation building”.
Thanks to my erudite sister, Abiola Saba (Timeless Impact) of Mantua, NJ who contributed in no small measure to this article.
Nation-building refers to the process of constructing or structuring a national identity using the power of the state. This process aims at the unification of the people or peoples within the state so that it remains politically stable and viable in the long run. Nation-building can involve the use of propaganda or major infrastructure development to foster social harmony and economic growth (Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia)
Originally, nation-building referred to the efforts of newly-independent nations, notably the nations of Africa, to reshape colonial territories that had been carved out by colonial powers without regard to ethnic or other boundaries. These reformed states would then become viable and coherent national entities.
Nation-building included the creation of superficial national paraphernalia such as flags, anthems, national days, national stadiums, national airlines, national languages, and national myths. At a deeper level, national identity needed to be deliberately constructed by moulding different groups into a nation, especially since colonialism had used divide and rule tactics to maintain its domination.
However, many new states were plagued by "tribalism", rivalry between ethnic groups within the nation. This sometimes resulted in their near-disintegration, such as the attempt by Biafra to secede from Nigeria in 1970, or the continuing demand of the Somali people in the Ogaden region of Ethiopia for complete independence.
To understand the notion of nation-building, one needs to have some definition of what a nation is. According to Carolyn Stephenson (2005), early conceptions of nation defined it as a group or race of people who shared history, traditions, and culture, sometimes religion, and usually language. Thus the United Kingdom comprises four nations, the English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh. The people of a nation generally share a common national identity, and part of nation-building is the building of that common identity.
Today the word nation is often used synonymously with state, as in the United Nations. But a state is more properly the governmental apparatus by which a nation rules itself.
For the evolution of nation-building, Almond and Coleman (1960) defined input functions as:
1. Political socialisation and recruitment.
2. Interest articulation.
3. Interest aggregation.
4. Political communication.
Output functions were:
1. Rule-making.
2. Rule application.
3. Rule adjudication
Lucian Pye identified multiple meanings of political development with, among them:
• as prerequisite to economic development,
• as politics typical of industrial societies,
• as political modernization,
• as administrative and legal development,
• as mass mobilization and participation,
• as the building of democracy, and
• as stability and orderly change.
He identified equality as one of the basic themes running through all of these. While nation-building after 9/11 still incorporates many of these meanings of political development, equality does not seem to play a major role in practice.
Nation-building that will likely contribute to stable international peace will need to emphasize the democratic participation of people within the nation to demand rights. It will need to build the society, economy, and polity which will meet the basic needs of the people, so that they are not driven by poverty, inequality and unemployment, on the one hand, or by a desire to compete for resources and power either internally or in the international system. This does means not only producing the formal institutions of democracy, but the underlying culture which recognizes respect for the identities and needs of others both within and outside. It means development of human rights-- political, civil, economic and social, and the rule of law. But it also means development of sewer systems, and roads, and jobs. Perhaps most important, it means the development of education. Nation-building must allow the participation of civil society, and develop democratic state institutions that promote welfare. Democratic state-building is an important part of that. This is a multi-faceted process that will proceed differently in each local context.
Many commentators on Nigeria’s history and development are always fond of saying Nigeria that is, the country, is an artificial creation of a colonial power, Britain. Let us agree this is true. But is Nigeria the only artificial creation in Africa, or indeed the whole world? Many countries in the world as we have them today are artificial creations. Even the greatest country in the world, The United States of America was not created by God naturally. It was the ability of men of vision and wisdom and sufferings. Most African counties fall into this artificial creation phenomenon.
So, why is Nigeria deemed as unique? Is it because we have 250 or so tribes? Is this an insurmountable problem, if indeed it is a problem?
It all began with our past heroes and leaders. Look at the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s statement above and you will understand the problem. The late sage, as much as we venerated and adored and believed in him, never believed in one Nigeria, it would appear, from the very beginning, but he tagged along with the other then regional leaders and the colonial masters, Britain to form the country, Nigeria, even though his heart and instinct were against the idea. It seems rather unfortunate. But it was this singular statement and action – and perhaps many more - that has, till the end of time, labelled him as a “tribal leader” and which as we know, denied him from ever leading Nigeria.
Please, do not get me wrong. I am an unrepentant Awoist, and proud of it too. And I know what I committed to the late sage’s UPN in 1979 when I was just graduating from the university. But with the benefit of hind-sight and truth, we now know why Awolowo never ruled this country, to our eternal regret. Even his political foes have acknowledged that after his death. That was his mistake and he should rue it, even in death. Yet, many of us are sure that the whole of Nigeria would have been better off under his Presidency or leadership.
So who builds a nation? Past notable examples of nation builders include Otto von Bismarck (the Iron Chancellor), who united Germany; Kemal Attaturk, who defeated the Ottoman Empire and founded and united present day Turkey. Even, there are the Kwame Nkrumahs, Leopold Senghors, Jomo Kenyattas, Julius Nyereres, Fidel Castros, Mahatma Ghandis of this world. What can be done about nation-building is the question (if it should be done) or who should do it, and who CAN effectively do it. The literature is divided over these issues:
Individual statesmen and women: Where are they in Nigeria? Over the past 50 years, what we have seen are nation-destroyers, not nation-builders. We have been extremely unlucky with our leaders, as well as the followers, at any rate. So, the blame does not lay wholly on the type of leaders our society threw up.
In Nigeria, it has been very difficult to name even one of those people we love to refer to as our Founding Fathers (like the American Pilgrim Fathers) as nation building statesmen. It is really difficult, and this is simply because their mission then was not to build a nation but rather to build power bases and usurp power by whatever means; and mostly serving sectional or tribal interests, if not their pockets.
Intergovernmental organisations (IGOs), States or Nongovernmental organisations, (NGOs): Here, the issue is not so much which agency, but how the agency functions. Does it simply throw money at the problem? Does it exacerbate tensions by providing money or projects unevenly across ethnic groups or regions in such a way as to generate competition or, worse, security fears? Is its presence so big that it overwhelms the local or national governing structures it is trying to nurture? Is it culturally knowledgeable and sensitive?
Military or Civilian: The military must prepare leaders for nation building, by providing training in "culture; basic law and civics; city planning and public administration; economics; and ethics," as well as language, and "how a free, democratic government is supposed to work”. Has this happened in Nigeria? The military incursion into government set Nigeria back a hundred years. They have no vision, no purpose, are largely opportunistic and corrupt, and hence had no idea what nation-building is. In fact, the military further polarised an already fractious Nigerians.
Thus, the civilians have not fared better either. Catch-22 situation, isn’t it? And unfortunately for us, it is same set of people, under a democratic dispensation, who are supposed to build the nation better, under peaceful, free and relaxed atmosphere, than under usually draconian military rules.
“The democratic approach to nation building refers to cases in which elected governments operate under inclusive institutions and the leaders behave in ways that strengthen democracy. This approach has the greatest potential for creating a stable multiethnic nation. Unfortunately, Nigerians have not yet successfully pursued this path” (Abu Bakarr, 2004)
Indigenous or exogenous actors: Nation-building is an evolutionary process. It takes a long time. One of the problems with outside actors is that they come and they go, but they are still necessary; arguing for the importance of indigenous nation-building does not mean that outside actors should ignore the process.
Role of youth in nation building: The saying goes that “youths are not only leaders of tomorrow, but partners of today” Maybe its time to start planting in them for tomorrow’s harvest. During this past US election, The Republicans underestimated the role of youth in politics, something the Democrats used to their advantage. The government and society at large have equal responsibility to provide the youth with an environment that is conducive to bringing about a mature and responsible youth population for the coming generation to lead a better life.
As nation builders, let us focus on brain drain of the thousands of graduates leaving the country for greener pastures. This issue of migration has a negative impact on our nation. Nations are build out of human intellect, migration of our many graduates has a serious implication on us.This means that a nation cannot be built without the recognition and the collective efforts of such graduates. (Abiola Saba)
Professor Ibrahim Gambari, in 2006, said “Today, as a nation, we face more challenges than we have known hitherto. Our population has ballooned from 55 million at independence to nearly 130 million. Yet, in our country, children still go to bed hungry and most families subsist on less than one dollar a day. It will, therefore, not be glib to state that in every household, community and state in this nation, where the top hierarchies of human needs are not being met, we certainly have a problem. In a world awash with affluence, yet mired in poverty and hunger we cannot escape our culpability. This is more so in Nigeria, which once boasted of having agriculture as its primary industry.
Most Nigerians will readily admit that what affects us the most, is poverty and underdevelopment, which are now buffeted by perennial bad governance and debilitating corruption. Likewise, those who are outside Nigeria looking in, will say the same thing, albeit, with a qualifier; to them Nigeria’s myriad of problems is self-induced. This often the argument advanced by those who were opposed to any debt forgiveness for Nigeria. They refuse to accept that a nation with so much wealth could be so indigent. To them, our country and the challenges it faces, presents a unique paradox”.
A key challenge, therefore, is the way we manage our affairs. The question for Nigerians is how to realize the principles outlined in the constitutions and thereby promote a stable multi-ethnic nation. Ehiedu Iweriebor (1990) identified six criteria for measuring the progress of the nation building process. These are: leadership, transportation and communication networks, economic development, national education, pedagogical nationalism, and civil society. Though his study outlines the successes and failures of the various Nigerian governments, it fails to explain why a particular type of government might fail or succeed in promoting nation building.
As stated in Article 14 of the 1979 Constitution: "The composition of the government of the federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such manner as to reflect the Federal Character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or a few ethnic or other sectional groups in the government or in any of its agencies." Furthermore, "the composition of the government of a state, a local government council, or any of the agencies of such government or council, and the conduct of the affairs of the government or council or such agencies shall be carried out in such manner as to recognize the diversity of the peoples within its area of authority and the need to promote a sense of belonging and loyalty among all the peoples of the federation."
A democratic approach is the best path to nation building in a multi-ethnic country like Nigeria. As we have seen in the Nigerian experience with nation building, it is difficult to pursue a non-democratic means of reform without aggravating internal unrest and international censure. Sadly, the lack of a democratic mandate, poor institutional design, and bad leadership has all made it nearly impossible for successive Nigerian governments to pursue a democratic approach. Many Nigerians are not satisfied with the 1999 Constitution because it failed to address the structural imbalance of the federation (Abu Bakarr, 2004).
Even of more concern is the lack of accountability, the massive corruption scandals of successive governments, the poor state of the economy, and the fraud that characterized both the 2003 and 2007 elections. "If we continue to have these same levels of corruption and the economy is mismanaged, then the sustainability of democracy will be reduced. The country's survival will be endangered." (Suberu, 1999) Even though the emerging domestic and international political environment has minimized the possibility of a return to military rule, there is a real danger of democratic decay in Nigeria. As we have seen over the past decades, democratic decay is a recipe for chaos and military intervention.
All in all, I will posit, successful nation building is no mean task. The problem with our pseudo-leaders is that they have never taken nation-building, management of resources and people, leadership, seriously. In fact they do not know what it means to be leaders. They are essentially ignorant though educated (even this is questionable)
Nation-building and the associated developmental issues require men and women of deep vision; sincerity of purpose; selflessness; genuine love for their country and their people; hardworking; of conscience, integrity, credibility, trustworthiness, honesty, reliable and able; people who do not think of stealing or embezzling; people who do not misuse the authority and power conferred on them, by God or Man; people who do not think that getting to positions of authority is a “do-or-die” affair; people who understand the meaning of nation building, leadership, good governance, rule of law, political emancipation, equality, human and civic rights, civility, freedom of speech, rule of law, diversity and religious tolerance,; people who will shun and will not tolerate tribalism, corruption and nepotism.
These are the people who can build nations.
To my people, how are we building this nation? It is time for all Nigerians to collectively do their part in being nation builders and stop being nation destroyers.
References:
Almond, Gabriel A. and James S. Coleman (eds.) The Politics of the Developing Areas. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1960.
Bah, Abu Bakarr "Approaches To Nation Building In Post-Colonial Nigeria". Journal of Political and Military Sociology. Http://Findarticles.Com/P/Articles/Mi_Qa3719/Is_200407/Ai_N9435086
2004.
Caroline Stephenson, “Nation Building”, 2005, http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/nation_building/
Iweriebor, Ehiedu, 1990 "Nigerian Nation Building Since Independence." Nigerian Journal of Policy and Strategy, Volume 5, Numbers 1 & 2. JACON.
Ibrahim A. Gambari, “Nigeria - The challenge of nation building and external relations” The Ado Bayero Lecture Series, Centre For Democratic Research ad Training, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria, 8 February 2006
Pye, Lucian W. Aspects of Political Development. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1966
Suberu, R T. 1999 “Public Policy and National Unity in Nigeria”. Ibadan: Development Policy Center
Wikipedia, “Nation building”.
Thanks to my erudite sister, Abiola Saba (Timeless Impact) of Mantua, NJ who contributed in no small measure to this article.
Nigeria: Past, Present, Future - The way forward*
* Invited Guest Speech at the Joshua Generation Summit organised by the Town Hall Meetings Project (THMP) and Timeless Magazine held on Saturday 26th June 2010, Lagos, Nigeria.
† Global Coordinator, Champions For Nigeria International
‡‡ I owe a very large part of this section to Dr Femi Ajayi’s paper titled “Nigerian Politics-Past, Present, and Future” Presented at the 46th Independence Anniversary of Nigeria organised by Nigerian Association of Southern California, Colton, California and published in Nigeriaworld.com, 30th Oct. 2006. (I feel I do not have to reinvent the wheel)
1. Introduction
On Wednesday 16th June 2010, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu declared in Ibadan that the nation’s misfortunes stemmed from placing the leadership of the country in the hands of “mediocrities, felons of unimaginable crimes and erstwhile beggars who now live in benumbing opulence”. He said the fortunes of the country have been, and is being frittered away by “profligate impostors”, and that the activities of the leadership continued to threaten the very existence of the country.
Mr Akeredolu has captured my thinking and the thinking of many right-thinking, patriotic Nigerians – we do not have leadership; they are not worthy; they are criminals; they are extremely greedy thieves; they are charlatans and impostors; they are mediocre pretending to be geniuses; they are wolves in sheep clothing.
While thanking Timeless Magazine, George Ashiru and Town Hall Meetings Project for the opportunity to dialogue on "Nigeria - Past, Present, and Future", I would urge that we should not waste much time in debating the past, but should focus on the future, using the present day events as indicator to measure the future.
2. What shaped the past? What characterized our past? ‡‡
Nigeria is, according to the controversial 2005 Census, a country of about 150 million people comprising of over 250 ethnic groupings, with more than 4, 000 dialects, either by accident or design, came under the British rule. Obtaining Independence over 49 years ago, October 1, 1960, and a Republic in 1963, with a federal structure and three regional governments based on the compass points of north, east, and west, Nigeria is still very split along ethnic and religious lines. Thanks to Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida for this leaky pact.
‡‡ Historically, the then colonial master, Great Britain’s mixing of different groups and calling them Nigeria, could have been a blunder. However, when life made lemon, you make lemonade out of it. This mixture obtains almost everywhere in the world, and most countries make the most of it, hence the phrase, Unity in Diversity. The attainment of independence through the combined activities of Dr. Nnamidi Azikiwe, Eastern Region Premier, the First Nigerian President, a journalist, was best remembered for his commitment to the Nigerian nation; Alhaji Sir Tafawa Balewa, First Nigerian Prime Minister, a teacher, was widely admired for his simplicity and humility. Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Western Premier, a lawyer, an unyielding advocate of federalism and socio-economic programs; Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, Northern Premier, known for his efforts to bring the North along side the Western Education, are appreciated by Nigerians.
Ahmadu Bello once said, at least for the likes of religious and ethnic zealots to take note:
"Here in the Northern Nigeria we have people of many different races, tribes and religions who are knit together to common history, common interest and common ideas, the things that unite us are stronger than the things that divide us. I always remind people of our firmly rooted policy of religious tolerance. {Underlined mine} We have no intention of favouring one religion at the expense of another. Subject to the overriding need to preserve law and order, it is our determination that everyone should have absolute liberty to practice his belief according to the dictates of his conscience…"
Religious tolerance should be a binding 'string' for Nigerians.
The efforts of Nigerian founding fathers to keep Nigeria united were thwarted by the Military in 1966 with the conviction that the regional Premiers deviated from the unity efforts. Military interference lasted till 1999, with divine intervention.
Aguiyi Ironsi struggled for Nigerian Unity, but unfortunately, had no time. His colleagues showed him the way out of power and then this world in a swift reaction to his policy of Unitary Government.
A very young Yakubu Gowon picked up the pieces from late Ironsi, and saw Nigeria through a 30-month civil war, with made-to-believe of no winners, no losers, and declared the three Rs to unite Nigeria: Reconstruction, Reconciliation, and Rehabilitation. Gowon moved Nigeria from the regional partition to Statehood, with the creation of 12 States.
While Gowon pled with Nigerians to allow his ruling Team to have their breakfast after nine years of Military rule, Murtala Mohammed, told him, in the Military language, to go and have the breakfast someone else. Some hardcore Military officers did not like being stopped from taking their breakfast; they took Mohammed out of this world, like they did with Aguiyi Ironsi.
Mohammed and Obasanjo, ruling together, further divided Nigeria into 19 smaller states, further polarising Nigerians. Mohammed’s short reign had a major impact on subsequent developments in the Nigerian nation. On assumption of office, he reformed the civil service and other major institutions. His government outlined a political program that included the creation of seven more states, the drafting of a new constitution, and the organization of state and national elections as a prelude to a return to civilian rule on 1 October 1979. he it was who also changed the Federal capital from Lagos to Abuja. His government also ran a dynamic foreign policy.
A reluctant (so they told us) Olusegun Obasanjo continued Mohammed's reforms. Nigeria changed from the British Parliamentary system to American Presidential system in 1979 - a system that is so encumbered with corruption, if there were no 'shock absorbers' to control its operations and fraught with dangers. Obasanjo handed over the baton to a controversially elected Shehu Shagari, denying Obafemi Awolowo the chance to transmute the magic he performed in the Western Region to the national level. What we could attribute to Obasanjo's military administration was the handling over to the civilian since the Military took over in Nigeria, in 1966. That was a legacy.
Shehu Shagari, a morally upright person, however could not control his ministers and allowed them to wallow in the mire of corruption. The Military came back in 1983, as he was about to settle down for his second term, as a civilian President.
Muhammed Buhari, with Tunde Idiagbon as the second in command, struggled to instil some discipline in the Nigerian society, especially against the drug dealers. Its popular slogan was "War Against Indiscipline". Unfortunately the discipline journey in Nigeria was cut short by another Military intervention, this time with the coup architect, Ibrahim Babangida.
Ibrahim Babangida administration, with seemingly good support and enthusiasm from the Nigerian public after the heavy-handedness and discipline of Buhari/Idiagbon, and with apparently great ideas for statehood, progress and development was however destined to falsehood and deprivation: the devastating Structural Adjustment Program, SAP; the obvious destruction of our education and the middle class; the total collapse of Nigeria infrastructure; the “institutionalisation” of corruption; the promotion of another brand of economic sabotage, the popular "419"; and finally the annulment of the most credible election in Nigerian History, June 12, 1993.
Sometime ago, when Babangida allowed himself (or perhaps was duped by his many sycophants and followers), to join the fray to become a civilian President, he said he cancelled the 1993 election, but he did not annul it. Some of you who understood English better than me could tell Babangida the difference between "Cancellation" and "Annulment".
Babangida is once again, as he did in 2006 on the trail of coming back. The most sickening part of his Presidential ambition is for some Nigerians supporting him to come back to continue his ethnic and religious divide of Nigerians after his eight years of failed administration. He stepped aside in 1993, was forced to abandon 2007, and now wants to step in, once again, come 2011. What we need now are leaders not rulers.
Earnest Shonekan was positioned to readjust the Military next step through an Interim National Government which eventually ushered in Sanni Abacha, the most notorious public looter of the Century, according to former EFCC Chairman, Nuhu Ribadu's findings.
I will not talk about the dead. Of what use is talking about the dead man that is defenceless. All we know about Abacha is what you all know about Abacha. Right? You be the judge on Abacha's case.
Abdul Salaam took over after Abacha's death to complete the Divine Intervention when he organized an election that ushered in another Military man in a civilian dress, as the new Nigerian President, President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Olusegun Obasanjo became Nigeria’s 12th Head of State in 1999 amidst a lot of hope and goodwill for the country. In fact a lot of Nigerians were convinced that what with what Obasanjo went through in the hands of Abacha, who was about to execute him, and the fact that he had been a Military head of state, he came with a lot of experience and knowledge in governance, he was the Messiah we were waiting for. He started very warily and slowly, perhaps trying to get re-accustomed to democracy. His Vice President was almost the one ruling the country.
He was brought in to pacify the South for the annulment of the 1993 elections. Obasanjo spent the whole of his First Term studying the situation and then 'forced' himself on Nigeria in 2003 through massive riggings. That gave him the opportunity to do whatever he did, taming his fellow rogues. If Nigerians had allowed him the Third Term, he would have put all corrupt officials in jail, not killing them like Rawlings did in Ghana. ‡‡
I will confess that initially, I was a great fan and supporter of Obasanjo. I really believed he could move Nigeria forward and save us. Later, especially with his surreptitious Third Term attempt and possible personal greed and corruption, I quickly lost any respect or love for him. However, for his bold step against corruption, the man deserves some kudos. His was not an ethnic or religious fight; Corruption has no ethnic or religious inclination. The fight against corruption is a current challenge to Nigerians at home and abroad. The end result determines the future of Nigeria and Nigerians.
‡‡ One good thing that I love about Obasanjo's fight against corruption is with individuals in the highest position of authority. Some schools of thought might take his corruption crusade to be selective, this is debatable. I have not seen any of our past leaders that have attempted to do that, even among the Military circle, which claimed to restore Nigeria image. The message from Obasanjo to Nigerians is that “fellow rogues; we are not going to steal people's money any more, enough is enough”. ‡‡
However, Obasanjo, despite his many achievements as a civilian President of Nigeria (and truth be told, they are many and he laid many foundations) succumbed to the dizzying whiff of power and got himself derailed. His Ministers, his Aides and Special Advisers went on a looting spree, which he himself seemed unable to control and joined in, (so they say). The fact that he rigged himself in for his Second Term also testified to his failure.
Then on selecting, and virtually forcing the now late Umar Yar ‘Adua (who was really unwilling and too ill to be the President) to take over from him in 2007, Obasanjo lost any remaining claim to Statesmanship that he had. It was a shameless rigged election in 2007, and even the emerged President, Umar Yar ‘Adua admitted that his own election was flawed.
But the shameless Obasanjo, who had egg all over his face, would never agree. He and his Chief Rigger, Prof. Maurice Iwu (Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission) presided over arguably the worst elections ever held in any part of the modern world. To the end, they never admitted they were flawed.
In came the reluctant and obviously sickly Yar ‘Adua in 2007. Touted as Nigeria’s first graduate President and Commander in Chief, a lot of Nigerian hopes rested on him, probably out of pity and the fact that he was really a good man. But the fact remains that it is impossible for a sick man to effectively rule a country of 150 million people. Lacklustre, uncharismatic and manipulated easily, he was always a puppet to some greedy and evil cabal, including his inordinately ambitious wife. His sickness and his absence created a dangerous power vacuum in Nigeria. On 24 February 2010, Yar'Adua returned to Abuja. His state of health was unclear, but there was speculation that he was still on a life support machine. Various political and religious figures in Nigeria had visited him during his illness saying he would make a recovery.
I do not need to recount what Nigeria and Nigerians experienced from November 24, 2009 to the time he died on 5th May 2010.
Now enter Mr Goodluck Jonathan, Yar ‘Adua’s former Vice-President and former co-Governor. Again I do not need to recount how, after some farcical intrigues and opportunism from so many interested parties, he eventually assumed the mantle of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on 16 May 2010.
3. The factors responsible in our past for our present dilemma.
If we look and examine it long and hard, the intervention of the military in the governing affairs of Nigeria has been largely and mainly responsible for the predicament we find ourselves today. Since the abolition of the regions by General Yakubu Gowon, in 1967, our history has never been the same again. Our past has been characterized by nepotism, corruption, rigging of election, and lack of strong and independent working institutions. The most sufficient factor being the rigging of election which has been ongoing since 1960, seconded, if I may use that word, by the glaring lack of independent working institutions. The solution to those patterned rigging of election was found in the ingenious introduction and use of option A4 electoral system in the June 12, 1993 election; an election that was adjudged the freest and fairest in the annals of Nigeria’s history, but was sabotaged by it creator, IBB.
Nigerian politics was shaped by the British colonial presence. Before independence in 1960, we had the Action Group, the NCNC and NPC and other minor political parties. Regionally, the Action Group was in control of the Western region; the NPC, the North and, the NCNC, the East. At that level of political formation, I think the regional government had fared better. I believed that if the NPC/ NCNC coalition, which formed the National government, had stayed as a coalition without trying to interfere and manipulate the political processes in the Western region, the parliamentary system would have stood the test of time to this day.
Tribalism, religious intolerance, nepotism, selfishness, greed, corruption, incompetence, also represents major factors responsible for our problems today. We have discarded our traditional African community spirit and abandoned the Biblical “Love thy neighbour”. It is now everyman for himself. Vagabonds rig themselves into political positions, even with the connivance of some of the people whose lives we trying to make better.
4. Nigeria today- Responsible factors.
Since the creation of modern public administration in the country, there have been cases of official misuse of resources for personal enrichment. The rise of public administration and the discovery of oil and natural gas are two major events seen to have led to a litany of ignoble corrupt practices in the country. Over the years, the country has seen its wealth withered with little to show in living conditions of the common man. The late Chief Obafemi Awolowo raised a salient issue when he said, since independence, our governments have been a matter of few holding the cow for the strongest and most cunning to milk, under those circumstances everybody runs over everybody to make good at the expense of others.
Some writers have posited about the different potential causes of flagrant and pecunious graft that exists in the country: many blame greed and ostentatious lifestyle as a potential root cause of corruption. To some, societies in love with ostentatious lifestyle may delve into corrupt practices to feed the lifestyle and also embrace a style of public sleaze and lack of decorum. The customs and attitudes of the society may also be a contributing factor. Gift giving as expressions of loyalty or tributes to traditional rulers may be fabrics of the society. Also, a political environment that excludes favours towards elites or wealthy citizens may also be influenced by corruption. Wealthy elites may resort to sleaze in order to gain power and protect their interest. However, the bottom line surmised from the views of most Nigerians is that corruption is a problem that has to be rooted out. Other causes of corruption are ethnicity and pressures on officials by friends and kinsmen. Friends and kinsmen seeking favour from officials may impose difficult strains on the ethical disposition of the official. Many kinsmen may see a government official as holding necessary avenues for their personal survival or gain
The solution to fighting corruption was also partly founded and built around the EFCC. Above all, the government needs to allow institutions to strongly evolve. The Police, the judiciary and other law enforcing agents should be made independent. There is too much interference from a few who feel that these instruments of the STATE are meant for their selfish use. Here again comes before us glaringly, the issue of class and class consciousness. Is it better to analyze Nigeria from the social class perspective? Again, it all depends on individuals and their ideological disposition. I am easily disposed to using the class angle if I do not want to fall into tribal, regional, and religious traps. The manipulation of religion in Nigeria has since reached its Olympian height likewise are tribe and region.
Allow me to borrow from Gbenga Olumekun’s article “Truth: The Greatest Casualty Of Our Time” written at the height of the chicanery that was played on Nigerians when late President Yar ‘Adua was sick.
“The devious contraptions that are daily shoved down our throats by those residing in the corridors, sitting room, or bedroom of power are doing incalculable damage to our national psyche. The citizenry needs to be mobilised in the drive to spur them unto nation-building but the responses are determined by how believable the stories they are fed with. That is why the modern Nigerian society is a failed one. Never mind those who will refuse to see the reality of the situation. Never mind those who will rise up in arms when a concerned statesman tells us of our failings as a nation. There is now no sense of belonging nor is there any semblance of nationalistic fervour left in anyone except those who derive pecuniary benefits from concocting all kinds of lies in defence of falsehood. That is why all the prodding for petroleum subsidy withdrawal and belt-tightening fall on deaf ears. We know they are liars! Who wants to die when these pathogenic human beings are getting fatter and fatter by the day at the expense of the rest of us? These pathological liars have turned all Nigerians into veritable cynics, no better than St. Thomas who must see, touch and appropriate before he or she can believe. How then are we going to mobilize the citizenry, how then are we going to ask for national commitment and sacrifice when we see and read on the very faces of our leaders and hear in their voices lies, lies and lies, all the time?
In the unfolding events in contemporary Nigeria the real victim is truth. Falsehood is now pervasive in the police, in the military, in the National Assembly, in the seat of power and most regrettably on the pulpits. Unfortunately truth is the greatest ingredient for nation building. It is the mortar by which the building blocks are joined together. If this is absent, what manner of contraption are we building? Are we not doomed as a country?”
Please do not get me wrong. There is no absolute clean country, clean individual, or a saint anywhere in the world, including the religious leaders. Na lie be dat. However, the openness of corruption in Nigeria is very disturbing. It has to be reduced into its barest and manageable level. Part of the medication to cure Nigeria will come from Nigerian youths.
5. The way forward – exploring various sectors.
The way forward is multidimensional. There is no one way approach to these problems. But I believe that the starting line is for us to convoke a genuine sovereign national conference (not a manipulated one), where all the ethnic groupings would sit down and say what and how a true Nigerian nation can evolve.
It is quite clear that even if we want to fall back on regional government, it is no longer going to be three. Over the years, the contradictions inherent in the Nigerian system have succeeded in throwing up six regional arrangements and not the former three. I have listed this over and over in my write up and some other Nigerian writers have done same too. These six regional typologies are: the West or Oodua region, the East or MASSOP region, the Niger-Delta region or Opobo region, the Middle belt region, the North East or Adamawa region and the Far North or Dan Fodio/ Sardauna region. The Federation should stay but the regions should take charge of their destinies.
Going hand in hand with the above is to reduce the present needless and money guzzling 36 states arrangement into six states or region. State creation has not helped to reduce poverty, election rigging, unemployment, nerving corruption, crime and other social vices; rather it has helped to aggravate them. There is therefore the need to go beyond state creation and look at other social variables.
Is the creation of more states the solution? No. From 3 to 4 regions, to 12 states to 19, and now 36, tell me, how many of these states are viable or productive or contribute anything to the economy of the nation? Many states today are in financial crisis because of the flagrant corruption of their Governors and other politicians. Most cannot even pay teachers’’ or civil servants’ salaries as and at when due, relying on the Federal allocation every month. And yet it is not because these states cannot sustain themselves, it is because their Governors are not only clueless as to what governance is, but most importantly because they went there to steal all they can in the first place.
So why are we then agitating for the creation of more states? To create wealth for some selected people! To create political kingdoms for some people! The more states, the more alienated we are; the more bureaucracy; the more problems we will have; the more drain on our already eroded resources; the more corruption we will have and the higher the level of poverty. Look at the history; the more states we have been having in the past 50 years, the higher has been the corruption, and hence the poverty.
The third option is for the people to rise and take their destiny into their own hands. But how do we coordinate that? Who would lead? Though, people like Prof. Pat Utomi, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Femi Falana, Bamidele Aturu, Festus Keyamo and your likes, can really take the bull by the horn but how do we coordinate with the North? How do we reach out to make the majority of the oppressed North believe in our intention? Those whom we want to liberate and free, do they really want to be liberated? They are so entrenched, emboldened, and overwhelmed by their oppressed that it is difficult to divorce that unjust social marriage (the support demonstration in Zamfara state by female Moslems against the public outcry on the marriage of Yerima to an Egyptian teenage girl is a typical example).
Our youths and other well-meaning, sincere Nigerians should be actively involved in the process of democracy, politics, governance and policy making. Get involved - sponsor credible candidates to replace "Fools" and "Vagabonds in Power". Sponsor some legislation; otherwise Nigeria will continue to run the affairs of Nigeria by "Execu-thieves", “Excellent-thieves”, “ Legis-looters”, “Sena-thieves”, “Dis-Honourables”, “Damaging Directors”, etc. What do we expect from a fool, more than thoughtless decisions? As long as Nigerians allow them to keep on occupying the positions of authority, nothing would ever change for good in Nigeria. We do not have to be looking for an immediate reward with this exercise. It is going to be expensive, draining, and rewarding if done right.
The last and maybe, unsavory option, is to hope that one day a Rawlings may come to redeem us and enforce that which we all cherish. Today, all of us are proud of what is going on in Ghana. Ghana now has very strong institutions, thanks to Rawlings and, to the good works of Koffi Annan, as a former UN Secretary General. Annan used that position to garner and promote the good will of his country; invited and saw to the influx of foreign capital and investments into his country and helped to promote internal democracy through the use of ballot boxes. However, I cannot see Rawlings approach happening any longer because of global trend of events. Military actions are no longer appealing. The International Community frowns against such actions.
6. Conclusions.
In all, I think our destiny lies in our hands. The international community can come to help build our country to the standard we want it to be or, they would come in to help us disintegrate or destroy it, both of which depends on the taste bud of Nigeria’s internal collaborators.
Allow me to close by borrowing from late Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, and the First Premier of Northern Region on Independence Day, 1960, he said:
"The eyes of the world are on Nigeria now and there are many friends who hope that we shall be the leading nation in Africa. Let me say with all the emphasis at my command that we shall never attain this goal if there is suspicion and mistrust among the peoples of Nigeria. Such an attitude cannot benefit anyone and can too easily lead to strife as has been the painful experience of other independent nations in Africa and elsewhere. Let us not forget our dreams of national unity in Nigeria cannot be realized without honest hard work and the respect for one another's views and peculiar ways - be they customs or traditions. The different tribal groups in this country must learn to accommodate members of other tribal groups."
Ladies and gentlemen, I appreciate this opportunity to share my thoughts with you on "Nigeria - Past, Present, and Future". I have to say that although things have been looking bleak for the past 50 years since our independence , nevertheless, in my opinion, the future of Nigeria is bright, but, and a very BIG BUT, if we only take our destiny and future in our own hands. But it will be a big fight. Things are worse than we think and the MAIN problem, as you would have assumed from my presentation is CORRUPTION. And when you fight corruption, it will always fight back even more ferociously, more savagely and more lethally than you. So think about it, for the love and sake of this country and our future generation.
If we cannot see a better and progressive Nigeria in our time, because it may be too late for us, at least let’s do it for our children and our children’s children.
Congratulations and appreciations to the Timeless Magazine, Mr George Ashiru of the THMP for hosting this summit, and the patriotic and committed ladies and gentlemen who helped organise this event.
And to all of you, thanks for listening.
God bless you
References
Dr Femi Ajayi, 2006 “Nigerian Politics-Past, Present, and Future”. Presented at the 46th Independence Anniversary of Nigeria organised by Nigerian Association of Southern California, Colton, California. www.Nigeriaworld.com 30th Oct 2006.
Gbenga Olumekun, 2010. “Truth: The Greatest Casualty of Our Time”. www.championsfornigeria.org 1st May 2010.
† Global Coordinator, Champions For Nigeria International
‡‡ I owe a very large part of this section to Dr Femi Ajayi’s paper titled “Nigerian Politics-Past, Present, and Future” Presented at the 46th Independence Anniversary of Nigeria organised by Nigerian Association of Southern California, Colton, California and published in Nigeriaworld.com, 30th Oct. 2006. (I feel I do not have to reinvent the wheel)
1. Introduction
On Wednesday 16th June 2010, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu declared in Ibadan that the nation’s misfortunes stemmed from placing the leadership of the country in the hands of “mediocrities, felons of unimaginable crimes and erstwhile beggars who now live in benumbing opulence”. He said the fortunes of the country have been, and is being frittered away by “profligate impostors”, and that the activities of the leadership continued to threaten the very existence of the country.
Mr Akeredolu has captured my thinking and the thinking of many right-thinking, patriotic Nigerians – we do not have leadership; they are not worthy; they are criminals; they are extremely greedy thieves; they are charlatans and impostors; they are mediocre pretending to be geniuses; they are wolves in sheep clothing.
While thanking Timeless Magazine, George Ashiru and Town Hall Meetings Project for the opportunity to dialogue on "Nigeria - Past, Present, and Future", I would urge that we should not waste much time in debating the past, but should focus on the future, using the present day events as indicator to measure the future.
2. What shaped the past? What characterized our past? ‡‡
Nigeria is, according to the controversial 2005 Census, a country of about 150 million people comprising of over 250 ethnic groupings, with more than 4, 000 dialects, either by accident or design, came under the British rule. Obtaining Independence over 49 years ago, October 1, 1960, and a Republic in 1963, with a federal structure and three regional governments based on the compass points of north, east, and west, Nigeria is still very split along ethnic and religious lines. Thanks to Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida for this leaky pact.
‡‡ Historically, the then colonial master, Great Britain’s mixing of different groups and calling them Nigeria, could have been a blunder. However, when life made lemon, you make lemonade out of it. This mixture obtains almost everywhere in the world, and most countries make the most of it, hence the phrase, Unity in Diversity. The attainment of independence through the combined activities of Dr. Nnamidi Azikiwe, Eastern Region Premier, the First Nigerian President, a journalist, was best remembered for his commitment to the Nigerian nation; Alhaji Sir Tafawa Balewa, First Nigerian Prime Minister, a teacher, was widely admired for his simplicity and humility. Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Western Premier, a lawyer, an unyielding advocate of federalism and socio-economic programs; Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, Northern Premier, known for his efforts to bring the North along side the Western Education, are appreciated by Nigerians.
Ahmadu Bello once said, at least for the likes of religious and ethnic zealots to take note:
"Here in the Northern Nigeria we have people of many different races, tribes and religions who are knit together to common history, common interest and common ideas, the things that unite us are stronger than the things that divide us. I always remind people of our firmly rooted policy of religious tolerance. {Underlined mine} We have no intention of favouring one religion at the expense of another. Subject to the overriding need to preserve law and order, it is our determination that everyone should have absolute liberty to practice his belief according to the dictates of his conscience…"
Religious tolerance should be a binding 'string' for Nigerians.
The efforts of Nigerian founding fathers to keep Nigeria united were thwarted by the Military in 1966 with the conviction that the regional Premiers deviated from the unity efforts. Military interference lasted till 1999, with divine intervention.
Aguiyi Ironsi struggled for Nigerian Unity, but unfortunately, had no time. His colleagues showed him the way out of power and then this world in a swift reaction to his policy of Unitary Government.
A very young Yakubu Gowon picked up the pieces from late Ironsi, and saw Nigeria through a 30-month civil war, with made-to-believe of no winners, no losers, and declared the three Rs to unite Nigeria: Reconstruction, Reconciliation, and Rehabilitation. Gowon moved Nigeria from the regional partition to Statehood, with the creation of 12 States.
While Gowon pled with Nigerians to allow his ruling Team to have their breakfast after nine years of Military rule, Murtala Mohammed, told him, in the Military language, to go and have the breakfast someone else. Some hardcore Military officers did not like being stopped from taking their breakfast; they took Mohammed out of this world, like they did with Aguiyi Ironsi.
Mohammed and Obasanjo, ruling together, further divided Nigeria into 19 smaller states, further polarising Nigerians. Mohammed’s short reign had a major impact on subsequent developments in the Nigerian nation. On assumption of office, he reformed the civil service and other major institutions. His government outlined a political program that included the creation of seven more states, the drafting of a new constitution, and the organization of state and national elections as a prelude to a return to civilian rule on 1 October 1979. he it was who also changed the Federal capital from Lagos to Abuja. His government also ran a dynamic foreign policy.
A reluctant (so they told us) Olusegun Obasanjo continued Mohammed's reforms. Nigeria changed from the British Parliamentary system to American Presidential system in 1979 - a system that is so encumbered with corruption, if there were no 'shock absorbers' to control its operations and fraught with dangers. Obasanjo handed over the baton to a controversially elected Shehu Shagari, denying Obafemi Awolowo the chance to transmute the magic he performed in the Western Region to the national level. What we could attribute to Obasanjo's military administration was the handling over to the civilian since the Military took over in Nigeria, in 1966. That was a legacy.
Shehu Shagari, a morally upright person, however could not control his ministers and allowed them to wallow in the mire of corruption. The Military came back in 1983, as he was about to settle down for his second term, as a civilian President.
Muhammed Buhari, with Tunde Idiagbon as the second in command, struggled to instil some discipline in the Nigerian society, especially against the drug dealers. Its popular slogan was "War Against Indiscipline". Unfortunately the discipline journey in Nigeria was cut short by another Military intervention, this time with the coup architect, Ibrahim Babangida.
Ibrahim Babangida administration, with seemingly good support and enthusiasm from the Nigerian public after the heavy-handedness and discipline of Buhari/Idiagbon, and with apparently great ideas for statehood, progress and development was however destined to falsehood and deprivation: the devastating Structural Adjustment Program, SAP; the obvious destruction of our education and the middle class; the total collapse of Nigeria infrastructure; the “institutionalisation” of corruption; the promotion of another brand of economic sabotage, the popular "419"; and finally the annulment of the most credible election in Nigerian History, June 12, 1993.
Sometime ago, when Babangida allowed himself (or perhaps was duped by his many sycophants and followers), to join the fray to become a civilian President, he said he cancelled the 1993 election, but he did not annul it. Some of you who understood English better than me could tell Babangida the difference between "Cancellation" and "Annulment".
Babangida is once again, as he did in 2006 on the trail of coming back. The most sickening part of his Presidential ambition is for some Nigerians supporting him to come back to continue his ethnic and religious divide of Nigerians after his eight years of failed administration. He stepped aside in 1993, was forced to abandon 2007, and now wants to step in, once again, come 2011. What we need now are leaders not rulers.
Earnest Shonekan was positioned to readjust the Military next step through an Interim National Government which eventually ushered in Sanni Abacha, the most notorious public looter of the Century, according to former EFCC Chairman, Nuhu Ribadu's findings.
I will not talk about the dead. Of what use is talking about the dead man that is defenceless. All we know about Abacha is what you all know about Abacha. Right? You be the judge on Abacha's case.
Abdul Salaam took over after Abacha's death to complete the Divine Intervention when he organized an election that ushered in another Military man in a civilian dress, as the new Nigerian President, President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Olusegun Obasanjo became Nigeria’s 12th Head of State in 1999 amidst a lot of hope and goodwill for the country. In fact a lot of Nigerians were convinced that what with what Obasanjo went through in the hands of Abacha, who was about to execute him, and the fact that he had been a Military head of state, he came with a lot of experience and knowledge in governance, he was the Messiah we were waiting for. He started very warily and slowly, perhaps trying to get re-accustomed to democracy. His Vice President was almost the one ruling the country.
He was brought in to pacify the South for the annulment of the 1993 elections. Obasanjo spent the whole of his First Term studying the situation and then 'forced' himself on Nigeria in 2003 through massive riggings. That gave him the opportunity to do whatever he did, taming his fellow rogues. If Nigerians had allowed him the Third Term, he would have put all corrupt officials in jail, not killing them like Rawlings did in Ghana. ‡‡
I will confess that initially, I was a great fan and supporter of Obasanjo. I really believed he could move Nigeria forward and save us. Later, especially with his surreptitious Third Term attempt and possible personal greed and corruption, I quickly lost any respect or love for him. However, for his bold step against corruption, the man deserves some kudos. His was not an ethnic or religious fight; Corruption has no ethnic or religious inclination. The fight against corruption is a current challenge to Nigerians at home and abroad. The end result determines the future of Nigeria and Nigerians.
‡‡ One good thing that I love about Obasanjo's fight against corruption is with individuals in the highest position of authority. Some schools of thought might take his corruption crusade to be selective, this is debatable. I have not seen any of our past leaders that have attempted to do that, even among the Military circle, which claimed to restore Nigeria image. The message from Obasanjo to Nigerians is that “fellow rogues; we are not going to steal people's money any more, enough is enough”. ‡‡
However, Obasanjo, despite his many achievements as a civilian President of Nigeria (and truth be told, they are many and he laid many foundations) succumbed to the dizzying whiff of power and got himself derailed. His Ministers, his Aides and Special Advisers went on a looting spree, which he himself seemed unable to control and joined in, (so they say). The fact that he rigged himself in for his Second Term also testified to his failure.
Then on selecting, and virtually forcing the now late Umar Yar ‘Adua (who was really unwilling and too ill to be the President) to take over from him in 2007, Obasanjo lost any remaining claim to Statesmanship that he had. It was a shameless rigged election in 2007, and even the emerged President, Umar Yar ‘Adua admitted that his own election was flawed.
But the shameless Obasanjo, who had egg all over his face, would never agree. He and his Chief Rigger, Prof. Maurice Iwu (Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission) presided over arguably the worst elections ever held in any part of the modern world. To the end, they never admitted they were flawed.
In came the reluctant and obviously sickly Yar ‘Adua in 2007. Touted as Nigeria’s first graduate President and Commander in Chief, a lot of Nigerian hopes rested on him, probably out of pity and the fact that he was really a good man. But the fact remains that it is impossible for a sick man to effectively rule a country of 150 million people. Lacklustre, uncharismatic and manipulated easily, he was always a puppet to some greedy and evil cabal, including his inordinately ambitious wife. His sickness and his absence created a dangerous power vacuum in Nigeria. On 24 February 2010, Yar'Adua returned to Abuja. His state of health was unclear, but there was speculation that he was still on a life support machine. Various political and religious figures in Nigeria had visited him during his illness saying he would make a recovery.
I do not need to recount what Nigeria and Nigerians experienced from November 24, 2009 to the time he died on 5th May 2010.
Now enter Mr Goodluck Jonathan, Yar ‘Adua’s former Vice-President and former co-Governor. Again I do not need to recount how, after some farcical intrigues and opportunism from so many interested parties, he eventually assumed the mantle of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on 16 May 2010.
3. The factors responsible in our past for our present dilemma.
If we look and examine it long and hard, the intervention of the military in the governing affairs of Nigeria has been largely and mainly responsible for the predicament we find ourselves today. Since the abolition of the regions by General Yakubu Gowon, in 1967, our history has never been the same again. Our past has been characterized by nepotism, corruption, rigging of election, and lack of strong and independent working institutions. The most sufficient factor being the rigging of election which has been ongoing since 1960, seconded, if I may use that word, by the glaring lack of independent working institutions. The solution to those patterned rigging of election was found in the ingenious introduction and use of option A4 electoral system in the June 12, 1993 election; an election that was adjudged the freest and fairest in the annals of Nigeria’s history, but was sabotaged by it creator, IBB.
Nigerian politics was shaped by the British colonial presence. Before independence in 1960, we had the Action Group, the NCNC and NPC and other minor political parties. Regionally, the Action Group was in control of the Western region; the NPC, the North and, the NCNC, the East. At that level of political formation, I think the regional government had fared better. I believed that if the NPC/ NCNC coalition, which formed the National government, had stayed as a coalition without trying to interfere and manipulate the political processes in the Western region, the parliamentary system would have stood the test of time to this day.
Tribalism, religious intolerance, nepotism, selfishness, greed, corruption, incompetence, also represents major factors responsible for our problems today. We have discarded our traditional African community spirit and abandoned the Biblical “Love thy neighbour”. It is now everyman for himself. Vagabonds rig themselves into political positions, even with the connivance of some of the people whose lives we trying to make better.
4. Nigeria today- Responsible factors.
Since the creation of modern public administration in the country, there have been cases of official misuse of resources for personal enrichment. The rise of public administration and the discovery of oil and natural gas are two major events seen to have led to a litany of ignoble corrupt practices in the country. Over the years, the country has seen its wealth withered with little to show in living conditions of the common man. The late Chief Obafemi Awolowo raised a salient issue when he said, since independence, our governments have been a matter of few holding the cow for the strongest and most cunning to milk, under those circumstances everybody runs over everybody to make good at the expense of others.
Some writers have posited about the different potential causes of flagrant and pecunious graft that exists in the country: many blame greed and ostentatious lifestyle as a potential root cause of corruption. To some, societies in love with ostentatious lifestyle may delve into corrupt practices to feed the lifestyle and also embrace a style of public sleaze and lack of decorum. The customs and attitudes of the society may also be a contributing factor. Gift giving as expressions of loyalty or tributes to traditional rulers may be fabrics of the society. Also, a political environment that excludes favours towards elites or wealthy citizens may also be influenced by corruption. Wealthy elites may resort to sleaze in order to gain power and protect their interest. However, the bottom line surmised from the views of most Nigerians is that corruption is a problem that has to be rooted out. Other causes of corruption are ethnicity and pressures on officials by friends and kinsmen. Friends and kinsmen seeking favour from officials may impose difficult strains on the ethical disposition of the official. Many kinsmen may see a government official as holding necessary avenues for their personal survival or gain
The solution to fighting corruption was also partly founded and built around the EFCC. Above all, the government needs to allow institutions to strongly evolve. The Police, the judiciary and other law enforcing agents should be made independent. There is too much interference from a few who feel that these instruments of the STATE are meant for their selfish use. Here again comes before us glaringly, the issue of class and class consciousness. Is it better to analyze Nigeria from the social class perspective? Again, it all depends on individuals and their ideological disposition. I am easily disposed to using the class angle if I do not want to fall into tribal, regional, and religious traps. The manipulation of religion in Nigeria has since reached its Olympian height likewise are tribe and region.
Allow me to borrow from Gbenga Olumekun’s article “Truth: The Greatest Casualty Of Our Time” written at the height of the chicanery that was played on Nigerians when late President Yar ‘Adua was sick.
“The devious contraptions that are daily shoved down our throats by those residing in the corridors, sitting room, or bedroom of power are doing incalculable damage to our national psyche. The citizenry needs to be mobilised in the drive to spur them unto nation-building but the responses are determined by how believable the stories they are fed with. That is why the modern Nigerian society is a failed one. Never mind those who will refuse to see the reality of the situation. Never mind those who will rise up in arms when a concerned statesman tells us of our failings as a nation. There is now no sense of belonging nor is there any semblance of nationalistic fervour left in anyone except those who derive pecuniary benefits from concocting all kinds of lies in defence of falsehood. That is why all the prodding for petroleum subsidy withdrawal and belt-tightening fall on deaf ears. We know they are liars! Who wants to die when these pathogenic human beings are getting fatter and fatter by the day at the expense of the rest of us? These pathological liars have turned all Nigerians into veritable cynics, no better than St. Thomas who must see, touch and appropriate before he or she can believe. How then are we going to mobilize the citizenry, how then are we going to ask for national commitment and sacrifice when we see and read on the very faces of our leaders and hear in their voices lies, lies and lies, all the time?
In the unfolding events in contemporary Nigeria the real victim is truth. Falsehood is now pervasive in the police, in the military, in the National Assembly, in the seat of power and most regrettably on the pulpits. Unfortunately truth is the greatest ingredient for nation building. It is the mortar by which the building blocks are joined together. If this is absent, what manner of contraption are we building? Are we not doomed as a country?”
Please do not get me wrong. There is no absolute clean country, clean individual, or a saint anywhere in the world, including the religious leaders. Na lie be dat. However, the openness of corruption in Nigeria is very disturbing. It has to be reduced into its barest and manageable level. Part of the medication to cure Nigeria will come from Nigerian youths.
5. The way forward – exploring various sectors.
The way forward is multidimensional. There is no one way approach to these problems. But I believe that the starting line is for us to convoke a genuine sovereign national conference (not a manipulated one), where all the ethnic groupings would sit down and say what and how a true Nigerian nation can evolve.
It is quite clear that even if we want to fall back on regional government, it is no longer going to be three. Over the years, the contradictions inherent in the Nigerian system have succeeded in throwing up six regional arrangements and not the former three. I have listed this over and over in my write up and some other Nigerian writers have done same too. These six regional typologies are: the West or Oodua region, the East or MASSOP region, the Niger-Delta region or Opobo region, the Middle belt region, the North East or Adamawa region and the Far North or Dan Fodio/ Sardauna region. The Federation should stay but the regions should take charge of their destinies.
Going hand in hand with the above is to reduce the present needless and money guzzling 36 states arrangement into six states or region. State creation has not helped to reduce poverty, election rigging, unemployment, nerving corruption, crime and other social vices; rather it has helped to aggravate them. There is therefore the need to go beyond state creation and look at other social variables.
Is the creation of more states the solution? No. From 3 to 4 regions, to 12 states to 19, and now 36, tell me, how many of these states are viable or productive or contribute anything to the economy of the nation? Many states today are in financial crisis because of the flagrant corruption of their Governors and other politicians. Most cannot even pay teachers’’ or civil servants’ salaries as and at when due, relying on the Federal allocation every month. And yet it is not because these states cannot sustain themselves, it is because their Governors are not only clueless as to what governance is, but most importantly because they went there to steal all they can in the first place.
So why are we then agitating for the creation of more states? To create wealth for some selected people! To create political kingdoms for some people! The more states, the more alienated we are; the more bureaucracy; the more problems we will have; the more drain on our already eroded resources; the more corruption we will have and the higher the level of poverty. Look at the history; the more states we have been having in the past 50 years, the higher has been the corruption, and hence the poverty.
The third option is for the people to rise and take their destiny into their own hands. But how do we coordinate that? Who would lead? Though, people like Prof. Pat Utomi, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Femi Falana, Bamidele Aturu, Festus Keyamo and your likes, can really take the bull by the horn but how do we coordinate with the North? How do we reach out to make the majority of the oppressed North believe in our intention? Those whom we want to liberate and free, do they really want to be liberated? They are so entrenched, emboldened, and overwhelmed by their oppressed that it is difficult to divorce that unjust social marriage (the support demonstration in Zamfara state by female Moslems against the public outcry on the marriage of Yerima to an Egyptian teenage girl is a typical example).
Our youths and other well-meaning, sincere Nigerians should be actively involved in the process of democracy, politics, governance and policy making. Get involved - sponsor credible candidates to replace "Fools" and "Vagabonds in Power". Sponsor some legislation; otherwise Nigeria will continue to run the affairs of Nigeria by "Execu-thieves", “Excellent-thieves”, “ Legis-looters”, “Sena-thieves”, “Dis-Honourables”, “Damaging Directors”, etc. What do we expect from a fool, more than thoughtless decisions? As long as Nigerians allow them to keep on occupying the positions of authority, nothing would ever change for good in Nigeria. We do not have to be looking for an immediate reward with this exercise. It is going to be expensive, draining, and rewarding if done right.
The last and maybe, unsavory option, is to hope that one day a Rawlings may come to redeem us and enforce that which we all cherish. Today, all of us are proud of what is going on in Ghana. Ghana now has very strong institutions, thanks to Rawlings and, to the good works of Koffi Annan, as a former UN Secretary General. Annan used that position to garner and promote the good will of his country; invited and saw to the influx of foreign capital and investments into his country and helped to promote internal democracy through the use of ballot boxes. However, I cannot see Rawlings approach happening any longer because of global trend of events. Military actions are no longer appealing. The International Community frowns against such actions.
6. Conclusions.
In all, I think our destiny lies in our hands. The international community can come to help build our country to the standard we want it to be or, they would come in to help us disintegrate or destroy it, both of which depends on the taste bud of Nigeria’s internal collaborators.
Allow me to close by borrowing from late Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, and the First Premier of Northern Region on Independence Day, 1960, he said:
"The eyes of the world are on Nigeria now and there are many friends who hope that we shall be the leading nation in Africa. Let me say with all the emphasis at my command that we shall never attain this goal if there is suspicion and mistrust among the peoples of Nigeria. Such an attitude cannot benefit anyone and can too easily lead to strife as has been the painful experience of other independent nations in Africa and elsewhere. Let us not forget our dreams of national unity in Nigeria cannot be realized without honest hard work and the respect for one another's views and peculiar ways - be they customs or traditions. The different tribal groups in this country must learn to accommodate members of other tribal groups."
Ladies and gentlemen, I appreciate this opportunity to share my thoughts with you on "Nigeria - Past, Present, and Future". I have to say that although things have been looking bleak for the past 50 years since our independence , nevertheless, in my opinion, the future of Nigeria is bright, but, and a very BIG BUT, if we only take our destiny and future in our own hands. But it will be a big fight. Things are worse than we think and the MAIN problem, as you would have assumed from my presentation is CORRUPTION. And when you fight corruption, it will always fight back even more ferociously, more savagely and more lethally than you. So think about it, for the love and sake of this country and our future generation.
If we cannot see a better and progressive Nigeria in our time, because it may be too late for us, at least let’s do it for our children and our children’s children.
Congratulations and appreciations to the Timeless Magazine, Mr George Ashiru of the THMP for hosting this summit, and the patriotic and committed ladies and gentlemen who helped organise this event.
And to all of you, thanks for listening.
God bless you
References
Dr Femi Ajayi, 2006 “Nigerian Politics-Past, Present, and Future”. Presented at the 46th Independence Anniversary of Nigeria organised by Nigerian Association of Southern California, Colton, California. www.Nigeriaworld.com 30th Oct 2006.
Gbenga Olumekun, 2010. “Truth: The Greatest Casualty of Our Time”. www.championsfornigeria.org 1st May 2010.
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