By Eric Elezuo
The Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), who was Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance and Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has come hard on the government of the day, urging public office holders and politicians in Nigeria to stop weaponising insecurity, oil theft among a plethora of governmental lawlessness.
The former External Affairs Minister made her stance while delivering a keynote address as the Guest Speaker during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on Sunday, held at the Convention Centre of the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. The theme of the 2024 edition, which is the 64th series is Pressing Forward: A National Posture for Rebranding Nigeria.
Frowning at already established path of discussing Nigeria’s challenges, Okonjo-Iweala reiterated that time has gone when it should just be a discussion, but an action.
“I said it is not in recreation, but it’s moving our country and advancing in quick steps. We are leaving in very difficult times, nobody care in Nigeria or also globally. We have seen protest in this country few weeks ago, and we have also seen protest elsewhere on this continent and beyond.
“These difficulties should make us think deeply and decide on what is needed to move this country forward so we can have the right time of conversation not about playing games of reprimandation, but about what we actually need to do to tackle present and emerging problems to assure the bright future for our young people in this country; that is why my speech today is tagged “a social contract for Nigerians”.
She further admonished the public to desist from quoting her out of context as she intends to blame no one in her address.
“I know I have read just a bit of the present need of the press, I am not here to castigate or blame anyone, I just want you to say my words or put out any points that don’t reflect what I am saying. I am here to speak to all governments of my country, all political parties, all Nigerians about possible ways to help the country.
“If we look at health care, it is clear that Nigerians don’t have what it takes to succeed. I want to remind you in the first half of the 1960s, South Korea took up from exporting primary products to manufacturing goods back then, it was textile and footwears compared to today’s integrated circuits, electronics, shipping and autos,” she said
The keynote address was titled, ‘A Social Contract For Nigeria’s Future’, in an event that attracted some of the nation’s political bigwigs and legal luminaries including President Bola Tinubu, who was represented by the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, Former President of Ghana, Dr. John Dramani Mahama; President of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, Governors of Lagos and Plateau states, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Barr Caleb Mutfwang, outgoing President of NBA, Yakuba Maikyau SAN; and NBA President-elect, Mazi Afam Osigwe.
Others were Prof Ihonvbare, who represented the Hon Speaker of the Hiuse of Representatives, Tajudeen Abass; Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi; Hon Adewale Rabiu, who represented Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun; Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ife; Chairman of the Conference Planning Committee, Mrs. Oyinkansola Okusanya and former President of NBA, Mrs. Priscilla Kuye.
Chief Folake Solanke SAN, who is the first female Senior Advocate of Nigeria, as well as first female Commissioner in Western Nigeria, attended via pre-recorded virtual, where she delivered her goodwill message.
“We cannot have socio-economic development without security. We certainly cannot have security without development.
“We all know that security has been weaponised in our country for political purposes by political actors, leading partly to the situation we have now.
“We have politicians who believe that the best way to make their opponents look bad is to instigate insecurity,” Okonjo-Iweala noted.
Taking the audience through a lane riddled with policy somersaults, the WTO DGadvocated policy consistency in Nigeria regardless of change from one administration to another.
She said, “Maintaining good economic and social policies; maintaining policy consistency and adding more reforms on top of that will lead us along the path of good progress that we all desire.”
The globally respected developmental economist, whose best preferred attire is African print Ankara wears and headgear to match, decried a phenomenon she labelled as the “not-in-my-administration syndrome” in governance which she said has been responsible for the not-so-good economic performance of Nigeria.
She said Nigeria needs a social contract and that all Nigerians regardless of political or other affiliations should agree on a social contract.
She said certain sacrosanct policies should not be changed whenever Nigeria witnesses administration changes, adding that some of these policies should be made into law after being scrutinised by the public.
Okonjo-Iweala said maintaining policy consistency, adding more reforms among other factors will foster good governance.
The woman, whose introduction was heralded by the loudest Ovation at the event said the security of lives and national assets should be prioritised in the social contract, adding that basic organs of the economy should be left to work independently, especially the Central Bank.
“No one should tamper with the Central Bank asking for the manipulation of interest rates or exchange rates. Do not use the Central Bank as a fiscal agent asking for the printing of naira beyond agreed Ways and Means limits as this can fuel inflation,” she said.
The former World Bank top executive said the provision of basic infrastructure should form the third element of the social contract. She said the crafting of social safety nets for the most vulnerable of society should be included in the social contract.
True independence of the judiciary should form the fourth element of the social contract, she said, while charging the NBA to hold the government accountable on all grounds.
She said a social contract will enable a strong and stable foundation for Nigeria upon which citizens and residents can thrive.
The NBA Conference is a yearly retreat of all Nigerian lawyers that kicked off in 1959 in Lagos.
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