2011 and The Future of Our Beloved Nigeria

2011 and The Future of Our Beloved Nigeria

Written on Friday, April 15, 2011

My fellow Nigerians our beloved country; the great nation Nigeria is close to being a failed state. Nigeria is blessed with both human and natural resources that have not been utilized to optimum potentials, after 50 years of our independence.

Ever since I was a child I have loved my country Nigeria. Despite all the external media negativity and purported depressions, I still love my country but I fear for the future of my unborn children and grandchildren. I fear for the child that is being born as I write this article. Has that child’s future not been mortgaged, how does such a child grow and what are the hopes of aspiration of such a child?

I was in the Middle East recently and the hotel concierge who checked me in was a young Asian man, we started chatting, then he asked where I was from and I said Nigeria and his reply was ‘‘your country has the curse too’’ then I asked what curse? He replied: the curse of oil and pointed to the television which was showing the CNN report on the ongoing Libya crises.  I repeated ‘curse of oil’, he left me in such a ratiocinative state I forgot to give him a tip. What exactly has Nigeria benefited from its oil? Has the discovery of oil been a blessing or curse? But some other oil producing nations have benefited immensely from their oil, so it can’t be the oil that is the problem but mismanagement of its resources. Nigeria’s problem has been its corruption oriented administrations and its continuous detrimental effects on society. Majority of Nigerians are living in poverty: ‘‘Absence of necessities indispensable for survival’’

What's the quality of the Nigerian life? As Fela Anikulapo Kuti aptly sang, are we not really 'suffering and smiling’? How many individuals do I want to assist with my limited resources; due to high unemployment, how much does it cost to fuel my vehicle, how many bad roads do we ply daily even in the best of jeeps, how many times do we get to our places of work or home and there’s no electricity, how much do we spend on fuel and diesel for our generator sets. Note: some human beings have come and departed planet earth and never knew what a generator set was. Some Nigerians have resorted to checking out like ‘Andrew’

But how many a time have I seen my fellow Nigerians cleaning the toilets or streets in London all in the name of a better life? How many a time have I heard of complaints of either racism or sabotaged career advancement and limited remuneration; for those who are fortunate to have better than menial good jobs in the corporate sector? And with the staggering figures of unemployment increase caused by the global financial crises in those countries Nigerians have fled to, can one really blame those governments for protecting their own?  But every great nation Nigerians are fleeing to was made great by their forefathers. Why would a better Nigeria be any different?

If only the government of Nigeria could excogitate developmental plans for its own citizens. But our so called ‘leaders’ are more concerned about sharing the proceeds from the federal allocation, dividends from the excess crude account, depletion of our foreign reserve and ‘Estacode’ for foreign trips. For an oil producing nation blessed with untapped human and natural resources; it is a very poignant situation indeed. Unfortunately, some see the nation as just a national cake or smorgasbord of some sort, which must be devoured by any means necessary, it’s been that way since independence.

Many have pondered on revolution and why it has not occurred in Nigeria and how Nigeria has defied both socio-political and socio-economic theories. Do we really have to shed blood for a better life? Or do we follow the bloodless democratic path?

The presidential elections 2011 are very close and Nigerians have the opportunity to determine those who will rule in the next dispensation. I personally have not been this excited about any election since the June 12 presidential election of 1993, which is adjudged the freest and fairest in our nation’s history; but was unfortunately annulled by the IBB lead military junta. The late philanthropist cum politician: M.K.O Abiola was our President-elect.

The front runners for the 2011 elections are the incumbent Goodluck Jonathan, Nuhu Ribadu and Muhammadu Buhari. A rational analysis of each candidate:

Goodluck Jonathan (P.D.P):

Who many have accused of being a victim of the party (P.D.P) he belongs to, some others have even published articles claiming his wife had a case file with the EFCC while he was at the helms of affairs in Bayelsa State. While some have contended he is a Ph. D holder and it’s too early to judge him, others have argued his problem of articulation and the real reason of him shying away from the NN24 Organised

Presidential Debate. Of important note though is the question of his integrity; which Atiku Abubakar raised at the P.D.P Presidential primaries. Atiku claimed that President Goodluck Jonathan agreed to the presidential zoning policy of P.D.P and even went further to state where the President appended his signature on the party resolution.

Anticipating a rebuttal, I was surprised the only response the president could give was ‘I will not join issues with the other presidential candidate (Atiku)’. If someone openly challenges my good name and integrity with documented proof in public, then the onus is on me to vehemently defend my honour. The rest they say is history.

‘‘Power tends to corrupt: absolute power corrupts absolutely’’- John Dalberg-Acton.

The P.D.P may actually have some good people or serving representatives and it is definitely not the origin of Nigeria's problem but has perpetuated it relentlessly. The P.D.P had 12 years to ameliorate the situation in Nigeria but hasn't. How much does it cost to have constant electricity or build refineries? The multiplier effects of these infrastructures on the economy alone would be tremendous.

Nuhu Ribadu (A.C.N):

I had a lot of admiration for Ribadu as the czar of the E.F.C.C, even though his critics may argue his prosecution was selective and under the tutelage of Obasanjo, but he did challenge the status quo to an extent. I personally admire Ribadu but as El-Rufai put it ‘‘he is my friend but I know his limitations’’ The question for me is, does Ribadu possess the clout to lock up his ‘godfathers’ for corruption?

His recent visit to IBB made me question the rationale behind the move; IBB- The man that annulled June 12; a man openly criticised by Gani Fawehinmi and questioned on certain events during his regime, including the circumstances of Dele Giwa's death and the oil proceeds from the Gulf War era; a man even Tinubu refused to share a podium with in Edo State during a rally. Maybe Ribadu is actually a good man but does have ‘limitations’.

Following the April 9th 2011 parliamentary elections, The A.C.N in the South West has been able to wrestle back power from the P.D.P. after 8years. I can boldly state, there were no elections in Ogun State2003, what the P.D.P did was systematically rig with the help of the armed forces; it was like a war zone. The 2003 elections lead to the ouster of the likes of Governor Olusegun Osoba, Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye etc in Ogun state and the imposition of P.D.P candidates not only in Ogun State but across the South Western states except Lagos State. Currently, The A.C.N can boast of the performance of Governor Fashola and the restoration of the peoples mandates in some states.

Muhammadu Buhari (C.P.C):

Some of Buhari's critics have posited Human Rights Abuses; which is envisaged under any military government. He has been criticized for overthrowing an elected government, even though it was bloodless in comparison to other coup d’état of our dark history in Nigeria. Also the metamorphosis of the Shagari government was characterized by massive rigging in which Fela Anikulapo Kuti highlighted the hypocrisy of the international community on the 1979 Nigerian elections at the crescendo of his song ‘‘Teacher don’t teach me nonsense’’

The Shagari government was regarded has profligate and visionless by many. Circa 1982 the late sage Obafemi Awolowo warned that unless immediate sound economic measures were put in place, the nation would spiral into severe economic collapse; which was attributed to the falling price of crude oil, absence of economic planning and the profligacy of the Shagari administration. For highlighting such stark realities to the nation, Umaru Dikko labelled Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo ‘A prophet of doom’.

Buhari has also been labelled a figure head ruler and General Tunde Idiagbon being the real head during his regime. With all due respect to one of our selfless leaders the late Idiagbon (R.I.P), I don’t suppose Idiagbon was the one in charge when Buhari was a military commander and conquered the invasion of Islamic militants from Chad, nor was he the one in charge when Buhari was a State Governor, Head of NNPC; during the construction of Kaduna and Warri refineries.

According to Obasanjo: “General Muhammadu Buhari as a member of the Supreme Military Council and as Head of NNPC was by nature taciturn and introvert. But he took any work that was given to him very seriously. He is reliable as he is hardworking and honest”. - President Olusegun Obasanjo, in his book, "Not My Will".

Another criticism is the Abacha association and the P.T.F. It is claimed that he was bias towards the north and neglected the south while at P.T.F. But some have argued that Prof. Dora Akunyili was one of those in charge of the South Eastern region and can verify the impact of the P.T.F in South Eastern Nigeria. Interestingly, P.T.F published its accounts annually and Buhari has openly challenged those with corruption proof to come forth. It is reported that as P.T.F Head, Buhari was fond of telling contractors on visits to sites ‘‘if you perform well, you get a handshake. If you perform badly, you get a

handcuff’’ I also gathered Buhari recently openly challenged all other presidential aspirants on their corruption-free credentials and dared anyone of them to make the same claim in service to Nigeria that they‘never touched a kobo of public funds’ None of them have responded as at the time of writing this article.

As Head of State Buhari challenged the international world order by defying the IMF and World Bank and reduced inflation with the help of our economists. As one writer put it ‘‘History informs us that if the Americans talked about Reaganomics in 1984, their Nigerian counterparts talked about Buharinomics.’’ On that note I was evidently surprised to learn that apart from Nelson Mandela, Buhari was the only other private African individual invited to President Obama's inauguration.

During Buhari’s lecture on May 10th 2010, at Oxford University titled; Nigeria: Ten Years of Democracy, the former Head of State highlighted the travails of Nigeria as a nation and the global implications of the failure of the Nigerian project. For the sustainment of Nigeria’s democracy He proffered: (a) Free and fair elections conducted by an independent electoral body. (b) The impartiality and independence of

the judiciary. (c) The establishment of elements of good governance to ensure full accountability. (d) The smooth democratic transitions to handover are sustained over at least three consecutive elections. Has this former military ruler truly become a reformed democrat and an intellectual one at that?

Recently, I learnt Buhari shed tears at a town hall meeting in Abuja; it immediately reminded me of the late Gani Fawehinmi shedding tears for Nigeria. It is only a patriotic Nigerian that would shed tears for his beloved nation. I attended a pro- democracy lecture at the residence of M.K.O Abiola on June 12, 2010. It was organized to discuss the state of the nation and lessons from June 12. Some of those in attendance were, Pat Utomi, Dele Momodu, Festus Keyamo, Osita Okechukwu and others. I remember one of the speakers, Ann Kio-Briggs saying she was discussing with a serving Senator; which she didn’t mention the name of but said: the Senator literally wept for the future of Nigeria because majority of our elected representatives are more concerned about the sharing of money than anything else.

So when such a man like Buhari a former head of state, sheds tears in public it’s probably not because he was attacked at one of our airports by a stranger. Neither are those tears for his indictment for embezzlement of public funds or depravation of a promising future at 68 years old. Those tears might actually be for the future of a nation he truly loves; maybe those tears are for the millions of masses whose potential futures have been sabotaged by our self aggrandizing government officials.

I am not attempting to exculpate Buhari from whatever his critics accuse him of, but if nothing we know what Buhari is capable of in terms of tackling indiscipline and corruption. He has served our great nation Nigeria in various capacities; state governor, minister of petroleum; head of NNPC, Head of State and P.T.F chairman but yet he still lives on his pension and holds his head up high anywhere he goes; that to me is remarkable.

His critics would say he is old and part of the old brigade, but he is still the only presidential candidate his worst enemies can't fault on corruption, the only one the anti-progressive and corrupt elements amongst us fear. With the exigency Nigeria is confronted with, I believe Nigeria needs a cleanup exercise spearheaded by an exemplary leader; a leader without godfathers, a leader that is incorruptible, a selfless visionary that puts the interest of our great nation first.

Then may be thereafter the likes of Ribadu, Adeola, Fashola etc, can continue the leadership of 'servitude with rectitude'

I am of the opinion Buhari can assist, to clean up the mess he partly perpetuated if not initiated. Buhari might be the only one bold enough to challenge and hopefully lock up or keep at bay his contemporaries for putting Nigeria in its present state of perpetuated inertia and economic ruin.

I have wondered though, how a party (C.P.C) unknown by many months ago is able to garner so much voluntarily support from Nigerians. How a party without the same financial muscle as P.D.P can mobilize breathtaking crowds across the nation, even in Lagos. I believe it’s because majority of Nigerians are fed up with the existing status quo and want change. The wind of change truly transcends beyond religion, ethnicity or social strata.

The genesis of Nigeria’s problem can be traced to corruption, it’s become part of our ethos to the extent that many of our politicians and civil servants have forgotten what servitude to the people they represent means. Our avarice motivated politicians, desperate to attain political posts have made it ‘a do or die affair’, it has become a matter of life and death. So an anti-corruption crusade is the solution.

I must at this juncture thank all the Buhari bashers, haters and anti-Buhari propagandists, I am not exactly sure what the basis of their hatred is, is it against Islam, Northern Nigeria, the military and our history or they have just allowed hatred and tribalism beguile their sensibilities. The truth is they have made various nation loving Nigerians like myself curious to the point of researching on factual matters of our national history, for that I am very grateful. I would implore them to please continue the somewhat baseless, fact-less, senseless albeit otiose, smear campaigns against Buhari, you lot are unknowingly campaigning for Buhari.

I do not belong to any political party, but I believe in good governance and leadership with accountability. I will vote with my conscience and not across party lines. I will vote for change and a corrupt-free Nigeria and not because I have been paid. I hope and pray

the Electoral Commission can make our votes count as they did during the June 12 presidential elections of 1993.

GOD Bless my beloved country Nigeria and honest Nigerians and may the opposite heavenly rewards befall those who are unpatriotic and dishonest Nigerians: if you can’t say Amen to the prayer then you know which side of the spectrum you belong.

-M.B.O
 2011©