Was it the amalgamation of 1914 that brought this calamity upon us? After the successful marriage of Lord Lugard and Flora Shaw as the husband built the house, the wife named the region Nigeria. Perhaps, it is the inheritance of a bogus sovereign state from colonial rule, or the proclamation of the look-like independence of 1960 which orchestrated a 30-month war upon us in the late 60’s. And the years of military rule that deprived us our rights and liberty in a nation that proclaims itself to be independent. Was it the 1993 election that was supposed to usher in the true picture of democracy which was ultimately stolen and was later paid back by the declaration of June 12 as our democracy day. The truth need to be told “we never entered into a democracy” which is why the aftermath of June 12 election will often witch-hunt and define the success of our electoral processes as it is bedeviled by rigging, political thuggery, hooliganism and bloodbath.
The past years of injustice and ultra-ethnic majority rule have not liberated us from corruption and inequity. A nation that is projected as the giant of Africa with Pan-Africanism as the center piece of our foreign policy now appears like a “clay foot giant” either in domestic politics or our contribution to the committee of nations.
Our contemporary history is bitten bitterly by the ravaging insurgence of book-haram menace, which has culminated to a great difficulty in locating our stability and peace. Kidnappers and bandit groups are terrorizing our society on sporadic level. Our sons and daughters died like apple and lay down their lives as fallen heroes just to escape from this endemic war. Still, the Biafra agitation for liberation cannot be overemphasized, what is the point in maintaining a barren marriage in the hope fruitless flowers. Indeed, ‘there was a country’, and when ‘things are no longer at ease’ as it appears today, undeniably ‘things fall apart’.
Is it all a religio-political issue or long years of division perceived to have emanated from a forced and unwanted marriage in the first place? The answer lies within and without. First is the overwhelming social inequality between the ruled and the rulers. And the consisted rivalry among the demagogues who have little interest of the populist at heart. Secondly, the economic and financial mongers both local and international who invest in bullet and guns would always find or create a market for their products which makes war the biggest business in the 21st century around the globe today as argued.
What is our goal as a nation?
A nation with a population of about 200 million people who can neither boast of its own functioning political entities from family to state, uninterrupted electricity, durable roads for both public and private transport, a corrupt free political and security apparatus where court ruling is not for the highest bidder. Or youth driven by knowledge, innovation and self-development with adequate moral and civic education. An aviation sector distinguishable from a lion zoo. A proper and adequate healthcare facilities with qualified individuals running its operations.
We fall prey to industrial age and failed to match up with the pace of time. Modern economy is no longer job economy but skilled economy. We need to prove our relevance among economies. Agriculture seems to be the bedrock of our economy only to have been bewildered by the outrageous input of oil and the mad wealth it brought. How better can this be said but to speak from the mouth of the former head of state Yakubu Gowon who says “our problems is no longer wealth, but how to manage it”.
Would 2023 bring prosperity or the status quo remains?
For those who think that the President, Muhammad Buhari is the problem of Nigeria, I advise them to be patient and wait till 2023 when he leaves office and transfer the legacy he inherited. Thus, we ponder whose head fits the crown? Will it be a continuous run for APC flagship or PDP returning back to limelight? APC or PDP, the heads are still one who has continued to suck the wealth of this nation conscientiously. We either have a Muslim President and a Christian Vice, or we have a Christian President and a Muslim vice. Yet, we say religion has little influence in our politics. It is better we start rewriting our laws.
Without national goals, vision and aspiration, our callings and prayers remains a fantasy in so far we fail to create an enabling environment with functioning institutions and laws well implemented irrespective of class distinction.
Who said the beautiful terrain of the Niger Delta region cannot become a tourist empire which attracts another pounds of wealth to our national economy. But we have neglected it to be destroyed by oil leading to environmental degradation. Or would the middle belt blessed soil not be sufficient to feed our nation and other nations. If all things put in place, why can’t we have the eastern states as home of technological innovation and ICT development. The agricultural reach north can serve as food conservative basin for us and our generation unborn. The south-west intellectual and natural resources cannot be overemphasized in catapulting us to the dream land. What then is missing?
This is 2020 and yet the past prospective vision for today’s vision 2020 could not translate into reality. We promise and failed because we lacked the political will. We earn more and work less whenever we drive in the wagon of As0-Rock. A senator’s monthly salary is sufficient to pay more than 1,600 Nigerians minimum wage, if paid at N18,000 and exactly 1,000 if paid at N30,000. Where is equality, who made those fraudulent law, was it our past heroes as proclaimed or our present misfortune?
The campaign slogan which brought the Buhari’s administration into power in 2015 was the promise of a corruption free regime; only to have been surrounded by these wolves who sits on the national cake galvanized by the “invisible hands”, the conservative status quo. Here comes the generation of the revisionist.
The 8th assembly no doubt was tremendously brokered by Saraki’s domination and over rule. His incessant disagreement with a non-aligning view with the Presidency, drained the spirit of political development and success in the past administration. With his outset from the senate as Kwarans decisively unshackles from the Saraki’s dynastic hegemony, Nigerians happily celebrated.
The present senate though not substantially different from the past, it has employed the habit of a coherent and harmonious relation with the Presidency until the shocking renovation fund saga. Corruption indeed, has become another institution in the Nigerian politics.
Leadership requires leaders to be foresighted. We can’t continue to have leaders who aren’t strategic in their thinking except celebrating birthday and signing Christmas gift in Aso-Rock. We can’t continue to have leaders who run state affairs like a family house. Our borders are gone and we can’t make a strong military and security alliance with other states. If the outlet is there existing but haven’t achieve the success we aim for is different from not having one at all.
The Preamble of the constitution reads “we the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria – Having firmly and solemnly resolve, to live in unity and harmony as one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign nation under God, solidarity, world peace, international cooperation and understanding. And to provide for a constitution for the purpose of promoting the good government and welfare of all persons in our country, on the principles of freedom, equality and justice, and for the purpose of consolidating the unity of our people” take note of the italics words and more keen focus on the bold words to see where the problems lies.
We ask which administration has been able to achieve this since 1993. If we fail to implement the preamble of our constitution, how then can we establish the whole body and content?
The only thing we discuss in our political affairs for more than a decade ago is election, the aftermath results and budget issues. Nigerians are being killed in an uncontrollable manner. The state is on the verge of collapse, little did we see any peace-pact between majority ethnic groups, or leading religious groups.
Quite frankly, we are not fortunate to have leaders with vision and courage to enter into several academic institutions to preach their goals and ambition and let it translate and reflect in our constitution as well as our learning environments. So that youth can be optimistic for a better tomorrow. Neither are we bless to have leaders who have the capacity to sit in the presence of youth to engage in critical academic and political dialogue to hear their views and feel their yearning. What we have are leaders whose houses are in London and Dubai living in Nigeria.
How would Nigerians finally decide?
Is the country still Nigeria, democratic or republican? We only tend to have political right on every four years during electoral process. After election, the doors to other political exercise and social rights is shut at us. We continue to pray in destitute till another four years. We faithfully go back to chanting our popular historical mantra “E go Better”.
If Nigerians want liberation from the oppression of the aristocrats, it is never by a political revolution with bloodbath. But rather, an intellectual revolution with citizens who have the agitating minds to deliver themselves from reelecting similar worn out faces into the senate and state houses of assembly. As earlier mentioned, what gives the right to a senator to earn such an enormous amount of money, is it the laws or the lies. Without a constitutional reform, no government can pull out any significant difference. Democracy no doubt has its own deficiency which is a different argument entirely. Yet, whether power belongs to the people or not, we demand for a radical change.
If we go to the poll again in 2023 doesn’t mean our vote count. It is just a repetition of history and tradition. If you can’t fully satisfy or convince yourself of your right as a citizen satisfactorily, then think twice before the bullet in the polling unit catches you. It is either referendum or constitutional reformation will all hands on desk.
All these symbolic, dramatic uprising and political phenomenon begs for one question, can the house Lugard built –Survive another 50 years?
