Early in October, Nigeria celebrated its 65th independence anniversary. There are still talks about unfulfilled potential since 1960. Are we closer to a dream nation now?
In 65 years, Nigeria has experienced transformation. Let me not just call it growth but transformation. From the days when there were only a few vehicles and narrow roads to the highways we now have. In some areas, we have made significant progress, but in others, we have retrogressed badly.
Quite a lot of things had happened that had shaped the country, depending on how you perceived it. At independence, we had a parliamentary system of government, with three regions and eventually a fourth by 1963. We were operating under a constitution that could be called a people’s democratic constitution. But then the military came in, jettisoned that constitution, centralized everything, and imposed a military constitution.
Back then, the railway was working, the post office was working, and Nigeria Airways was working. Nigerians were well respected internationally, unlike today, when other nationals are suspicious of us, and people think twice before they do business with us. Then other countries in Africa saw Nigeria as the hope of Africa and a role model of sorts. But over time, during military rule, all of that collapsed.
We had forest guards, sanitary inspectors, and two types of policing – the Native Authority Police and the Nigeria Police. The military scrapped the Native Authority Police, leaving only the Nigeria Police, and today we are crying to return to state policing. The path of progress and development that was bequeathed to us was destroyed by the military. Despite the Civil War, Nigeria remained united and continued to forge ahead.
But in recent times, since the return of democracy, violence has spread everywhere. We had faced uprisings like the ‘Maitasine’ before, but those were minimal and quickly crushed. Today we are dealing with insurgency, kidnapping, and insecurity all over. Today there’s insecurity everywhere; the public space, especially the media, is often awash with negative stories of killings and other forms of retrogressive activities.
Tribalism and religious bigotry have gone beyond acceptable levels. Nationalism has deteriorated, and what we now have are ethnic nationalities clamouring only for their people’s benefits rather than for Nigeria as a whole. Still, there is hope if we can put aside pride and selfishness and forge a new beginning with a clear understanding of why we should remain together.
That means we go the way of restructuring; we cannot continue with the present structure and expect any meaningful development. Though some people or parts of the country don’t want this, that is the way to go considering the enormous challenges besetting Nigeria. Also, we need a constitution that works, perhaps going back to the 1963 Constitution, updating it with the 2014 National Conference report and other developments. Ultimately, we should have a people’s constitution that begins with ‘We the people’ and is adopted by referendum.
Unfortunately, the system we have in place is hostile to such reform. But we must focus on Nigeria rather than selfish interests. Just as the president has restored the old national anthem, we should also return to a constitutional arrangement that truly reflects Nigeria – not necessarily parliamentary, but something uniquely Nigerian and acceptable to all.
Would you say that the scrapping of the two-level police structure by the military affected the state of security in the country?
For over 10 years, we’ve battled insurgency, something that could have been crushed. Instead, the military is being forced to treat insurgents with kid gloves, leaving soldiers frustrated and our armed forces weakened by ill-equipped non-state actors. The way and manner the insurgents are on a rampage, especially in the North-West, is despicable and insulting to Nigeria.
In some states in the North, the bandits dictate or call the shot. I don’t think there’s any country in Africa where the government negotiates with bandits. In terms of security, we have missed it. The government should empower the military and give them the matching order to move against these undesirable elements because the image of the Nigerian military is at stake at the moment. So things must change for the better, and the 65th anniversary of our independence should be the turning point.
We in the Middle Belt believe in one Nigeria. We believe Nigeria can still be rescued despite the clamours for domination and the insurgency spreading across the country.
The majority of individuals who have been following the trend of events in Nigeria for quite some time believe that bad governance is to blame for the nation’s underdevelopment. What is your opinion on this?
At the moment, governance is failing. In trying to correct one problem, we often fall into deeper traps. After the PDP, with all its flaws and corruption, the APC came in. But to be honest, APC has not done well for Nigeria. Yes, they are still in power and trying to turn things around, but it is not easy. The truth is, APC’s coming into power, under its past leadership, set Nigeria back many years. Whatever reforms are happening now are merely corrective measures. We just pray they succeed and that detractors are kept at bay so Nigeria can move forward.
What are the prospects of Nigeria regaining its lost glory?
We have a bright future if we take our destiny into our hands and act with patriotism. Take Zamfara, for instance. Gold has been mined there for years, yet it contributes almost nothing to the national coffers, even though tons are leaving the country. Today, we have lithium in abundance, a resource that could generate even more revenue than oil. But what are we doing with it?
With no proper regulation, in some parts of the country bandits have taken over the mining sites in collaboration with some politicians and traditional rulers. Though the government is trying, its intervention in this regard is not enough. This should be harnessed to complement what the country is gaining from the oil sector, more so because oil is gradually becoming a problem for the country.
We must become wiser, stop exporting raw materials, and instead build industries that create jobs, grow the economy, and strengthen the naira. The future is bright if we unite and do the right things.
What role should the political elite play in nurturing the development we all yearn for?
The political class, especially those in government, must change their thinking and be more responsive and patriotic in the way they respond to national issues. They should be more patriotic than before, considering the state of Nigeria at the moment. Enough of divisive politics that could rock the boat of Nigeria.
This is not where Nigeria is supposed to be at 65. Most of the countries that gained independence after us have gone ahead, and this should be a lesson to us and spur our elected politicians to work harder and work towards repositioning this country.
Nigeria can still be great and regain its lost glory, but this cannot happen until those in positions of authority change their perception about governance and are ready to be more sacrificial in their approach to governance. Nigeria is a blessed country, but it cannot attain its full potential with bad governance, so those in government need to redirect their focus.