17 Dec 2007 |
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December 17, 2007 Alhaji Yar ‘Adua President of Federal Republic of Nigeria Aso Rock Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria
Dear President Yar ‘Adua:
I am taking this unique opportunity as a Nigerian citizen to write you this letter with the hope that some of the issues brought up here will, at least, be considered by your government even if they are not adopted. You have been on the job for six months now. This time is enough for reasonable citizens to begin to dissect your policies, their implementation and to ascertain which direction you plan to take the nation.
Mr. President, you must forget about the flawed election that ushered you into office and concentrating on serving the people of Nigeria. Election of May 2007 has come and gone but its effects are nullification on local, state, and national levels. It is also disheartening that our democratic DNA reflects a dare politics with citizens losing 100% while politicians win 100% of the time. You must help change our nation’s attitude from politics of winner takes all to politics of real service and advocacy.
On this note, Mr. President, there are issues that all Nigerians must address so that we are not continually tagged inferior race and we are not a nation where stealing is the norm. There are some critical sectors of our daily lives that you need to give immediate attention to.
1. There is an urgent need to establish our nation’s national interest on which both our domestic and foreign policy strategies are pivoted. May be of Nigeria had a national interest she would not have gone to World court to cede part of Nigeria away. In the past, individual or the interests of a few have been taking as Nigerian’s national interest. For this reason, our nation has not been able to move forward in terms of human, infrastructural, and technological development. This is also why there has not been measurable unity of purpose. The national interest which I refer to can also become a means of measuring citizen’s patriotism during time of difficulty and national euphoria during time of peace and abundance;
2. The endemic corruption which is bankrupting our nation and making other nations rich must now be adequately addressed by your administration. Corruption might be a symbol of something larger and complex and we must begin to address if we are to win war against corruption. Our nation cannot claim to be committed to rule of law and democracy when the dividend of democracy and rule of law evade ordinary citizens. There must be absolutely zero tolerance for looting of our treasury, sir we are tired of the lip service given to this disgraceful conduct encouraged by citizens and welcome by the leaders. It is a sad commentary to see that our stolen funds are transferred out of Nigeria. We are yet to see any persons from developed world steal money from their nations and deposit it in Banks in Nigerian or put their loot to use in our high yield capital market.
No wonder, many think black people are inferior. You need to find a human but firm way of changing this national behavior by: a) plugging the holes where our treasury is leaking; and b) Give Nigerians reasons to think outside the box by using our excess liquidity to establish African Monetary Fund, AMF. How, in good conscience, can any reasonable citizen defend the James Ibori, the Alamasiegha and the Orji Kalus of this world? These are criminally greedy creatures who have destroyed many citizens and they need no defending and no rule of law to protect them. Nigeria must create a retirement benefit to dissuade citizens from engaging in stealing to assure happy retirement.;
3. Be committed to excellence in education, and maintaining excellence in all university programs. Our educational system which you were a product of must enjoy increased funding, better pay for Professors/teachers while demanding for accountability. In the past when the nation was generating less revenue, Nigerian Federal government was able to award scholarship and/or bursary. It is time for the glory of Nigeria to shine through academic excellence again. Education creates informed citizens that are able to support good leaders, citizens who can develop entrepreneurial spirit that create jobs in the private sectors, and citizens that are capable of producing a change in our nation’s consciousness;
4. In your inaugural speech, you promised to declare state of emergency on the energy sector and champion the restoration of a healthy energy sector. Up to now, energy is as epileptic as it was when you got into office. Sir, have you been able to determine if our energy problem is due to inadequate generation, transmission or distribution? In spite of those sabotaging the sector, what have you been able to do knowing that energy is the engine of development. Your administration needs to embarked on rural electrification if you have not already stated;
5. Our road and bridge networks need serious rehabilitation. Fortunately both the poor and the rich Nigerians use the roads and the bridges and are exposed to the high risks on Nigerian roads. We need many Nigerian civil engineers to be given authority for and responsibilities to rehabilitate roads and bridges;
6. With dilapidated death trap roads, the nation needs good, affordable healthcare system. A former Minister in charge of roads, General Adisa, died on the same road he claimed he rehabilitated. Maybe with good roads his life would have been saved but if he was to even have that accident, with good healthcare, ambulances, and better Emergency communications, his live could have been saved. Many Nigerians die of treatable deceases and injuries on our road, why? In deed, we have abundance of healthcare professional scattered all over the world. Sir, we request your administration to embark on a good healthcare delivery system;
7. Reestablish our national career. A nation must be proud of her national carrier and be part of the global aviation out reach. By establishing a national career, taking into consideration mistakes that brought about the demise of Nigerian airways, Nigeria can prevent the embarrassing situation of foreign carriers operating in Nigeria spraying your fellow citizens like animals. Reestablishment of a national aircraft career could also stop the discriminatory use of uniform standard with respect to excess baggage, break monopoly in the aviation industry and gouging citizens of their hard earned dollars. By reestablishing a national career, our aviation sector can see a rebirth and advancement in technology. If you can help stop our looting tendencies, we can build many standard airports in different strategic locations and reduce the demand on our roads;
8. Nigeria needs to rebuild her railroad system to move people and goods. This will also stop armed robbers from operating at will if security men are stationed in each coach;
9. You should be comfortable picking Ministers and members of your kitchen cabinet who are capable of telling you the truth at all times, protecting you by giving you facts when they matter and those who are capable of looking your right squarely in the face and respectfully telling you the truth. At this time of your administration you are better served by men and women with integrity and patriotic zeal;
10. When crooked Nigerians are cut with the hands in the cookie jar, they always resort to blackmail. Whatever the likes James Ibori have on your administration, allow him say it now because Nigerians are tired of these blackmails and we can take the worse that the Iboris can give. A genuine example must be made to discourage other Iboris waiting in the wing from replication;
11. Now that you have visited US and other nations of the world and saw how their roads, and transport system work, it is time to challenge Nigerians to perform beyond expectation; finally, and on a lighter note,
12. You must revisit and research into the speech your speech writer prepared for you. I enjoyed your speech or impromptu speech made at the white House but some phrases ought not to have been included. No matter how developed US is, both you and the US president are presidents of sovereign nations. Your elections were mired in controversy and as such there is no need to get overly excited visiting the White House or President Bush. During your own tenure, you can make Aso Rock the White house of ideas and of development. It is America that usually say, “do not let your enemies see that you are sweating” so let that be with our President, Yar ‘Adua;
Mr. President, it is time to break away from the failed policies of the past 47 years and take the bull by the horn. If you are prepared to give up your life in the service of our nation, many of our citizens may be willing to follow you to the fox-hole. Julius Caesar was once quoted as musing, “Cowards die many times before their deaths but the valiant never taste of death but ones.” Death is inevitable and so we must serve our nations with all our might and with all that the Lord has given us. Mr. President your legacy as a leader of Nigeria should not be remembered for how much you accumulated but for how many lives you improved. You must give your fellow citizens reasons to change their current lackadaisical towards crimes especially corruption, rule of law and get them to focus on being good and productive citizens. Sir, from now on, let all those in your administration, yourself and every citizen of Nigeria be prepared to die empty in order to safe Nigeria for the next generation.
I thank you for your audience. Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Sincerely,
Christopher Odetunde Houston, Texas
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