The truth is, in principle I empathise but in practice I don’t, because I believe the problem Nigeria is facing is not that of marginalisation but that of institutional corruption. Before anyone says Nigeria is corrupt they should see the book publish by Biafra titled ‘The principle of Biafra Revolution’, in that book there were references to corrupt civil servant, police, and judiciary within Biafra.  Corruption is embedded all walk of life in Nigeria of today, both in the public and private sectors. Corruption in Nigeria has no bound it’s a norm and it cuts across all the ranks and file right from the federal to state and local governments

Successive administrations in the country have fall short of the least expectation of the people. I believe, because of Nigeria’s population, true federalism should be adopted. Various regions (states) in Nigeria should be allowed more autonomy in term of the control and distribution of their resources to create employment and great enabling environment to encourage local investment and direct investment by foreign business organisations. In fact councillors should also be given more roles in the governance of the country because they represent communities and they should be closer to the people than the chief executives of the central, state and local governments. These, besides bringing govt closer to the people, would also bring people closer to the govt. The resultant effect would give them the opportunity to benefit from their local resources.  Nearly all the states in Nigeria have resources in commercial quantities which if well utilised can create employment and increase their citizens’ economic power. Nigerian are also very competitive,  true federalism could also set in a motion where neighbouring sates would try to outwit each other in term of economic, social and infrastructural  development.

The situation in Nigeria at the moment is precarious, it is a place where politicians take up public offices to line up their pockets and most of them are stupidly elitist, egoistic and insidious, see Ngige and Obi, Alao Akala and late Adedibu, etc.  They simply don’t care! In this time when so many problems are brewing from the Niger Delta, when ordinary Niger Deltans are squeezed to the marrow of their bones by instabilities in the region, the chairman of the NDDC was bathing with millions if not billions of naira?

 When president Yar’ Adua was ill, they tried keeping it away from the citizen when they could actually come out and simply tell them he was simply ill. This goes to show how in fact that the people in charge in the presidency are incompetent and lack simple situational management skills. They created uncertainty and in doing that denied Nigerians their right to know the state of the president’s health.  

You don’t even need to look deep at the national assembly before you realise how many people in there are being recycled. It has become a retirement parlour for past public holders, a place where they can continue to promote nepotism, successfully defend their corrupt pasts and block any reform that could expose them and bring solace to ordinary Nigerians.

We need to make sure that people who represent us are well vetted. Political parties need to go beyond rhetorics that have not got us any where. Political parties should be managed not just by competent politicians with distinct political ideologies Nigerians can choose from and identify with, but also by politicians that understand contemporary issues facing people they aspire to represent. For example, we need politicians that understand that provision of security and infrastructural facilities like good education, energy, transport and communication networks are not just some basic tools for any nations to develop but also are the rights of the citizens that must not be denied.

I alluded to provision of infrastructural facilities above, but sometimes Nigeria’s problem is not just making these facilities available but maintenance of the little facilities available. There need to be institutionalised maintenance structure embedded in all departments of public organisations where proactive steps are taken towards keeping facilities at optimum working capacity. Private-public initiatives are necessary in term of management and running of some public facilities. I understand this does not come cheap but it cost more when nothing is in place or when money was siphoned away. Some public school buildings are so dilapidated that it makes you wonder how meaningful educational impact can be made in such sorry states. What is wrong in having a structure in place that would be charged with routine maintenance of these buildings every so often? If the right public-private partnership is in place, government would realise that it cost less to maintain rather than waiting until they are beyond repair.

In term of Nigeria’s economy, it pains me that our government has not been able to take advantage of our enormous population to our favour. All the government needs to do is provide enabling environment with security that will attract foreign investors on one hand and mobilise local investors on the other hand.  

Many of the supporters of Biafra/secession claim they are being denied their rights of self determination if not allowed to secede from Nigeria but the issue is even more complex and complicated than many people make out. For example, there were ethnic groups that believe they are not well represented in the government of Biafra, there are some that even believe they don’t belong to Biafra.  Where do you put these groups? Do we want to make every street in Nigeria a country? What I believe is important is individual state should be given more right towards the judicious, efficient, effective, distribution and control of their resources.

Robot  # 1 | 16.09.2008 23:08

...Read the full article.

libmoderate  # 2 | 18.09.2008 19:10

i hope someone responsible out there is listening....