APOLOGIES
and ACKNOWLEDGMENT: In
writing this article, I trawled through the social media seeking the comments,
reactions, ideas, etc. of my people, Nigerians. I took the liberty of using
some of their opinions, ideas and reactions freely without making their names
public.
So, after much talk and thoughtful
resolutions the power structures of Nigeria are rethinking about how to
restructure Nigeria? Even APC Party, the PDP party, the Afenifere (both old and
new), the Redeemed Christian Church of God, and Kanu of Biafra separationist group,
etc are not left out.
What then is the meaning of
restructuring for Nigeria? ls it economic, or political, or fiscal,
sociological or these or some? We are yet to see. Governance has been one of
our major setbacks as a nation, so to whose benefit will Restructuring be – the
Federal Government, the states or the proposed regions, the ethnic components,
the politicians or the 170 million Nigerians?
It is instructive the political leaders
of the first Republic spent a lot of time deliberating on the type of
structures that Nigeria deserved before agreeing on a Federation based on
Parliament and Regional government. The military leaders post Nigerian civil
war as complainants and judges dictatorially and unilaterally bequeathed to us
an American system, which, with the benefit of hindsight, is completely at
variance with our economic ability, history, and culture. The Constitution of
Nigeria, as we currently operate it, is even at variance with the American Constitution
from an economic and political view point. So what kind of restructuring do we
need to give more economic latitude to the Regions or is it the States? To
healthily compete once again as they did between 1955 and 1966.
How can restructuring, whether of
structure, resources or functions guarantee transparency and assure good
governance? As usual Nigerians are looking at ideas, rather than hard work, to
get them out of self-induced trouble. It's never worked and never will!!
I believe in a well-conceived,
well-debated, well-structured, well-articulated and well-implemented Restructuring (i.e. a kind of reformation
or re-arrangement) be it of structures or of function, but such cannot exclude
hard work, sincerity of purpose, a truly and sincerely patriotic set of
motivational and inspiring leaders and good governance. Again, there won't be
so much clamour for restructuring in the first place if the system we have on
ground now delivers good governance imbued in the rule of law. Any structure
that we are going to re-erect should internalise transparency and
accountability which will engender integrity and all those things that set a
country apart as pursuing the right vision within the comity of nations. We
absolutely need “mental restructuring” in that to a high degree of rewiring our
mentality in the way we see religion, ethnicity, wealth without hard work,
looting, disrespect for one another, disrespect for people in work seen by
society as menial; all those effects that interfere with our progress as a
nation.
When the mantra on every mouth in
Nigeria was that all that we needed to make public sector industry work was to
privatise it. So, we privatised NEPA; but has it worked? Our problems of
constant electricity deepened and got worse.
Chief Awolowo excelled when we had
regions. He excelled when he served in a Federal structure. And if Nigerians
had had the common-sense of giving the late sage the mantle of leadership at
the centre, I have no doubt that he would excel.
Eventually, we may fiddle with the Constitution
and “restructure”, and when the problems persist, since Nigerians will not
restructure their heads, I wonder what else we will start shouting as panacea
and silver bullet to lance all ills.
The word Restructuring has become a mere
sloganeering by the very vocal but partisan Nigerian political jobbers. Ask the
proponents of restructuring to articulate their slogan, and confusion of
multiples of irreconcilable definitions will pervade our atmosphere.
Change begins with me; Change begins
with you, from individuals to family and socio-cultural levels. The Bible says,
as you think in your heart, so are you. (Prov. 23:7). Nigerians aren't going to
see change as a country externally until individual segments of our society
change internally. People typically respond to tough circumstances and
situations by blaming someone or something else. It's the colour of my skin,
it's because l am a Southerner. It's the Hausa-Fulani mistreating or
marginalising us etc. It's always someone else's fault. Lagos has demonstrated
and keep demonstrating how to start changing things internally and translate it
into external change. The effective tax regime in Lagos has now become a template
for tax policy at the Federal level. Today, the managers and operators of tax
reform in Lagos State are now hired to reform and operate the Federal tax
policies. Did Lagos call it restructuring? No!! They’ve never even heard the
word.
Whatever is growing in the garden of our
life is what we have planted or allowed to be planted in our heart. Same in the
life of a nation. Before we can really see change as a nation and as a region
we must abandon giving excuses and blaming anybody and everybody else for what
is wrong in our life as a nation. Asiwaju Tinubu, no matter the way we look at
him, took the bull by the horn and was not giving excuses but confronted the
Federal Government (then of Obasanjo) headlong with all legal power mixed with
ingenuity in governance and pulled Lagos State out of economic strangulation devised
by the Federal Government.
Experience have shown that the
difference between the poor and rich nations is not the age of the nation. This
can be demonstrated by countries like India and Egypt, which are more than 2000
years old and are still poor countries.
On the other hand, Canada, Australia,
and New Zealand, which 150 years back were insignificant, today are developed
and rich countries. The difference between the poor and rich nation does not
also depend on the available natural resources but on their "attitude,
education and culture".
Nigeria can proudly compete well and
above its peers in the education sector given the numbers of educated and
educationists in her area; but could we claim same on our attitude and culture?
Japan has limited territory, 80% mountainous,
unsuitable for agriculture or farming, but it is the third in the World’s
economy. The country is like an immense floating factory, importing raw
materials from the whole world and exporting manufactured products.
Another example is Switzerland, it does
not grow cocoa but produces the best chocolates in the world. In her small
territory, she rears animals and cultivates the land only for four months in a
year, nevertheless manufactures the best milk products. A small country which
is an image of security which has made it the strongest world bank.
The racial or colour factors also do not
exhibit any importance: migrants heavy in laziness in their countries of origin
are forcefully productive in rich European countries, in adaptation to the host
country’s attitude and culture. We see it every day on the streets of New York
and London and Paris, where highly educated Africans do not mind sweeping the
streets or working in an abattoir in exchange for good income and a better life
from whence they originated.
What then is the difference?
The difference is the *attitude* of the people, moulded for
many years by *education and culture*.
When the conduct of the people from the
rich and developed countries is analysed, it is observed that a majority abide
by the following principles of life:
1. Ethics, as basic principles.
2.
Integrity.
3. Responsibility.
4. The respect for Laws and Order, Rule
of Law, and if you permit me to say, Constituted Authority, etc.
5. The respect from and for ALL citizens
by right.
6. The love for work, honest hard toil.
7. The effort to save and invest.
8. The will to be productive.
9.
Reliability, and lastly
10. Good governance.
Of course, the list above is by no means
exhaustive.
In the poor countries, it is observed
that only a small minority follow these basic principles in their daily life.
We are not poor because we lack natural
resources or because nature was cruel towards us. We are poor because we lack
attitude; we lack the will to follow and teach these principles of working of
rich and developed societies. WE are in this state because we want to take
advantage over everything and over everyone. WE are in this state because we
see something done wrong and refuse to ask questions, we usually say - “LET IT
BE”. We should have a spirited memory and develop positive attitude.
Yes, there is a
great need for Restructuring in Nigeria: political, regional, moral, economic,
cultural, fiscal, call it what you will. But the problem is: How can we restructure the Mind when the
system that corrupts and aberrates our Mind is there and fully ensconced in
power and authority? Corrupt and morally bankrupt political and government
leaders? A thoroughly crooked and lazy, unmotivated civil service? Compromised
traditional rulers? Corrupt and unashamed parents? Dishonest youth and student
leaders? Clueless and easily-corrupted labour leaders? Unscrupulous business
leaders?
I am waiting for that Miracle!!!!”
Restructuring is not about reckless
access to regional or state wealth. It's not about balkanisation; restructuring
should means accountability - more responsibility for states, more responsibility
for local governments, more responsibility for state governors and for local
council chairmen, and less responsibility for the Federal Government and less control
of governance and government.
Now are we (both the rulers and the
governed) all ready for the additional responsibilities?
Of state police, federal roads passed to
state control? Some federal prisons passed on to state control? Some federal parastatals decentralized and
passed on to state control? Federal hospitals passed on to state control? And
funds generated on each state being used solely by that state but with federal
tax being paid at source and unfailingly?
Are we ready for restructuring and for
the responsibility? Are we really? After Lagos State, is there any other state
in Nigeria that is ready for this restructuring?
Finally, and I must quote my brother,
Eric Ayoola “We should approach restructuring with an open and diverse mind. It is
necessary in as much as change is necessary but it is not and will never be
that panacea for all the evils and problems of the country as some people so
naively believe. So, as I stated earlier, we should expect less centralisation by
and in Abuja and more responsibility to be held by states. We would want to see
more control of state resources by states but with that comes greater
responsibility of ensuring remittance either by way of direct taxation or
actual transfer of funds to the centre.
And above all, comes the hard part: behaving responsibly and managing
responsibly by those in power and positions of authority at state and local
level. Some people seem to believe, quite childishly, that "Restructuring
" will simply materialise and create responsible leadership amongst people
where such attribute has been in such short supply. Such tomfoolery I have
never seen in my life”.
I have no doubt that, as it is,
considering the fractious situation that we are in, the way forward for any
meaningful development requires some form of restructuring. My doubt is the
motive, the agenda and altruism of some of the people screaming for it, from
all sides of the fence.
My reservation is also that of those
that may be put in charge or involved in this very delicate political design
and implementation. Is it the current crop of politicians who have been
misleading for the past five decades that we will entrust with this operational
adjustment and hence the future of the country and our unborn generation?
Tell the Truth Always!!!!
Akintokunbo A Adejumo
MSc, Dip Mngt, CIHM, MCMI, FITP
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