By Babatunde Jose
It is instructive to start this quest by stating that most of us reading this piece today are either by omission or commission part of the problems of this blessed nation, and it is, however, gratifying to know that some of us are part of the solutions.
Let it be said that the root cause of our problems is the political elite. Unlike in other climes where they are in the vanguard of socio-economic change and development, our political elite are not elite in the true sense of the word. Here, they lack the requisite qualities of change agents or transformation leaders. They are bereft of vision and historical mission. We find no Marx, Engel, Lenin or Trotsky, nor the attributes of Kwan Yew, Park, Nehru, or Castro among them. They form parties which lack manifestos and blueprints for socio-economic transformation or emancipation of their people. Glaring poverty of ideas and spiritually deficient, they are incapable of leading the donkey to the stream, not to talk of cajoling it to drink water.
As for the average citizens of this country, all they ask for is their daily bread. As late Awolowo said: The common man is not concerned with who is in power; he is more particular about food, clothing, and shelter of a wretched type.
“Unfortunately, while the world is stirring and creating itself anew amidst many conflagrations, Africa (and Nigeria in particular) has been missing on this radar, this stellar congregation of transformational leadership. To suggest that Africa has not produced its own fair share of transformational leadership would amount to a genetic scandal. Where will one put the Nkrumahs, the Awolowos, the Cabral, the Nyereres and the Samoras?
“In retrospect, it would appear that the cultural and tribal obstacles that some of these avatars rightly identified as barriers to genuine nationhood returned to haunt their aspirations because the solutions they offered could not withstand the difficulties on ground. What is playing out in many African nations attests to the fact that in multi-ethnic nations with religious and cultural fissures, it is often very difficult to produce a leader with a transcendental vision of his society who is also transformational.
“But to produce a nation or a society worthy of global admiration and emulation, a pacesetter for jaded humanity, postcolonial Africa (Nigeria) must come up with this stellar combination: a leadership with a cosmopolitan vision that transcends narrow ethnic and cultural divides and the intellectual strength and energy to transform his nation.” Professor Adebayo Williams
A critical appraisal of the political environment in the country reveals that Nigerians do not have a problem with democracy, or the presidential system of government, but are tired of corrupt leadership and poor democratic values.
Equally, we do not have problems with development and growth models. We have men and women of world renown who are not only great thinkers but also great administrators. However, the leadership is obsessed and mired in self-aggrandizement and greed. Shamelessly atavistic in their lust for wealth, they care less for the suffering of the masses.
If we were to catalogue the many development blueprints, masterplans and various solutions to our problems proffered by various committees, groups, papers, communiques, colloquiums etc., and other ‘Think Tanks’ whose reports never saw the light of day, there would be no space in this sermon of a few pages. Suffice to say that as a nation, the Almighty has relegated our problems to the backburner. He now answers to the prayers and supplications of more serious people. The Quran likens them to the ‘parable of those who reject Faith: Those who have refused to follow the Way of Allah resemble cattle; when the shepherd calls them they hear nothing except shouting and crying; they are deaf, dumb and blind, and so they understand nothing. (Quran 2:171)
To maintain a stable and secure environment, the administration must provide an equitable justice system and most of all provide essential services to the populace. The words of General Colin Powell succinctly capture the essence of this point that “―endeavors succeed or fail because of the people involved and only by attracting the best people will you accomplish great deeds.“
Among other things needed to move this country forward:
· The demands of the various political groups must be addressed within a holistic framework. The context must be inclusive to incorporate all the key political interests, social values, and economic interests of the various regional or ethnic groups.
· Short of sounding like a broken gramophone record, the Nigerian economy should be urgently diversified, to stem the current over-dependence on oil, which is a finite commodity. Investments should be directed to revamping and expanding the moribund industrial base, especially in the less advantaged parts of the country, to address unemployment. The pay-off of this strategy will not only address the problem of unemployed youth but will substantially increase productivity, reduce importation, and reduce poverty in the country.
· The fight against corruption is one that may have a political backlash, since a large majority of the elite groups are involved, but the consequences of not fighting the menace may be more atrocious in the long run. We all know this, but it needs restating.
· There should be investments in civic education for both public office holders and citizens to promote the social contract needed to reduce citizens and leadership’s propensity to engage in corruption.
· Corruption should be seen and addressed as a development issue, in which case governments at all levels should pay significant attention to social provisioning as a way of serving as a disincentive for citizens to engage in corrupt behaviors.
· The Federal Government should ensure that all anti-corruption agencies are autonomous and given all the powers and resources they need to discharge their mandates of fighting corruption. Undue interference in the operations, processes and decisions of anti-poverty agencies should be avoided. There should be adequate funding of anti-poverty agencies and programs.
In a paper, “Time to Reclaim Nigeria’s Greatness,” Rev. Father Mathew Kuka literally heaped the burden of the Nation’s survival on the current leader when he said: …neither God nor history will forgive him if he fails. Almost all the salient points needed to be examined are contained in his homily, and we find no point in overemphasizing them.
“For years, you campaigned for a new Nigeria through restructuring or overhauling the defective machinery of the Nigerian state.
“For years, you fought the military and other forms of dictatorships. For years, you fought for the victims of a deep state. For years, you sought to create an egalitarian society. For years, you sought a just society. For years, you have built networks with individuals, communities, and institutions. Now is harvest time.
“Under your watch, Nigeria must turn the corner. Under your watch, we must end the ugly instrumentalization of religious, ethnic, or regional identities. You have had enough time to think of the answers to many questions that are crying for answers. Your future and that of our country is in your hands.
“This is our moment, our date with history. Now, all eyes and ears are on you. Our prayers for a united country are with you.
“Palliatives will not resolve Nigeria’s problems. The problems are deep and structural. . . reset the template of power, regardless of the cultural or historical myths.
“…the killings of Nigerians by whatever name must end and end now. These senseless killings, abductions, extortions, and kidnappings have to end, and the sacredness and sanctity of human life must be restored.”
Our takeaway from the foregoing is the need for a ‘reset of the template of power, regardless of the cultural and historical myths’. Once the system is overhauled and restructured, all other things will follow, especially if the restructuring is accompanied by a moral rebirth.
No doubt our next sermon will be devoted to the issue of system reset or restructuring with all its attendant ramifications.
As we come to the end of this momentous year 2023 and look forward to a ‘renewal of hope’ in 2024, we supplicate to Almighty God to: “Teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom” Psalm 90:12. Or as the Living Bible puts it, “Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are; help us to spend them as we should.”
Prayer: God, Open the eyes of our elites to see and know that they don’t need what they steal. For only a mad fellow gathers stones and pans that are needless.
Barka Juma’at and a Happy Weekend.
