Balogun market in Central Lagos |
Over a century, African Nations have strife so hard to maintain her
position in global economy. But the reverse has not been favourable due
to various socio-political vices imbedded in policy direction and poor
leadership style. In a pre-colonial era and pre-slave commercialization,
Africans had a stable economic system and centralized unit of control
or power with which they led their own people.
This was mostly achieved through monarch and other form of centralised
unit of administration, this operational government system cut across
the continent of Africa as it were.
The continent was graciously blessed by natural endowment. Starting
from gold, copper, lead, crude oil, natural gas shade, timber,
agricultural produce (arable and aquatic farming),
and abundance of sun shine and rain. Her land was very fertile, yield
without artificial earthy or botanical energizer like fertilizers or
genetically motivated crops that is via through evolution science. All
things were naturally beautiful in their own God given way.
Africa had a very stable and unique culture, which depit brotherhood
or neighbourliness. A unitary and a communion system of living was the
cord that bind citizenry together in all ramification until the advent
of slave trade by the Western world in 18th century, which consequently
breaded colonialism and neo-colonialism in the 19th century. In a
pre-colonial era, Africans economy was agro base until late 19th century
when other mineral resources were gradually being discovered in the
continent, prominent of these are Lime stones, crude oil, Iron Ore,
gold, bitumen, copper, lead, etc. the ironing of it all, is that, at the
return of self-governance of each State, most independent nation within
the continent refused to internalise her economic growth and
development. Rather, tailor or patterned their growth towards their
colonial masters’ ideology which ordinarily negated the value system of
the African people thereby hampering sectorial development.
This situation enlarge the theory and principles of cultural
imperialism within African States, thereby largely influences and
patterned the structure of her socio-political and economic ideals
towards their colonial masters depending on whose divide the country
belong to among the Western Bloc (colonial masters). Nigeria, one of the
colonies of British had her own share of cultural vandalism and
imperialist mentality which has continued to be a stumbling block to her
socioeconomic and political development till date.
There is no doubt, that Nigeria was once the giant of Africa
continent, her big brother role in liberalization of some African
countries from colonial slavery, military subjugation, assistance in on
conflict resolution, mopping up of multifarious arms in circulation,
control/ dismantling of militant prone region in the content, financial
human resource assistance, among others, earned her the ‘Big Brother’
accolade of the continent. The discovery of large deposit of crude oil
and gas and other solid mineral resources in the late 1950s, gave the
country the economic leverage to stand out among her counterpart in the
committees of States. But, with all these charitable benevolent
accredited to her, she has become a toddler in the African economic
scheme of events. Which has been adduce to poor structural policy style,
inconsistency in leadership proficiency, long rule of military
governance, elitist corruption, lack of focused leadership direction
etc. has humbled the once known giant of Africa to mere economic
toddler.
There are three prominent problems confronting the growth and
development of the country, which we had ignore over decades, yet, our
major setbacks as long as they remain unattended to. These are:
Structural Problem;
Generational Problem; and
Regional sentiment
Africa continent is great and God has given each of its nations seeds
of greatness and except there is paradigm shift in her generational
methodology, she will continue to remain the very way she is. We must
stop being sentimental and begin to think and do things in a new way in
our leadership portfolio if we must become greater and be recognized in
community of nations globally.
As a growing child in the 70s things were better and life was
pleasant, but busiest energetic economy then was that of Nigeria. We
were focused, proud and have our pride in the country because our hope
and fate was not dampened, our futures were full with aspiration to
uphold the tenant value system that was handed over to us by our
parents, teachers and our religious leader who constantly drum the
ethics of responsiveness, honesty and hard work in our ears at all time.
This kept us check and going. But unconsciously, there was a satanic
paradigm shift from credibility consciousness to wealth consciousness
leading to a gradual depletion of our values and culture which was built
fear of God, morals, respect to one another, discipline, hard work,
brotherliness, etc.
Structural Problem:
The deliberate of introduction of Federal Character structure and
Catchment Policy introduced to our education policy killed and brought
socioeconomic gaps in our polity as the region begins to segregate in
the oneness that once existed amongst Nigerians.
The decades of military rules in the country helped to also polarize
the polity. Integrity was thrown off board, mediocracy, tribal sentiment
took center stage, military elastic corruption became the order of the
day creating a hug platform for regional and religious sentiment, wrong
pegs where found in the right holes paving way for nor performance and
inefficiency, just to mention but few of these challenges.
During pre-independence of Nigeria, we had what looked like a perfect
country because our Heroes had one and common agenda with the Colonial,
to be liberated. And there were neither boundaries nor ideological or
regional sentiment. Rather, there was one common enemy one battle and
one ‘Nation” to die for. No sooner, independent was attained in October
1st of 1960 there was an urgent quest to pattern and structure the New
Bride ‘Nigeria’ in a way that will benefit all Nigerians irrespective of
religion, tribal sentiment, beliefs and boundaries. We were one
indivisible entity.
Shortly afterwards came the ugly civil war of 1967 which created
ethnic and regional barriers and political shift that triggered new
class struggle among the military and public servant elite class,
regional and segregation struggle emerged that created a gradual
collapse of the common ideas of one nation that was handed over to a new
dispensation by our forefathers.
The civil war brought about a new paradigm shift in tribal sentiment,
catchment differences, quarter system regionalism in the federal and
state public service, splitting Nigerians into three major ethnic
groups, religions differences etc. while another section of Nigerian
known as Minority Groups come together to fight as bloc of the
under-dogs in the country polity
The above sentiment, led to a gradual systemic and structural decline
of the country’s Unitary force that once bind the country together
which further enthroned scientific disintegration and the opening up of
primitive acquisition of wealth, multifarious arms possession, poor
political class, regimental policy framework, poor administrative
efficiency of appointees, and the heighten of power struggle amongst the
ruling class took the center stage of our socioeconomic and political
platform to the detriment of national peace.
The pre-colonial structural heritage was thrown to the wind.
Traditional respect and values became a taboo while greed for power,
wealth and position took the norms and values of most Nigerians.
Regional sentiment grew out of proportion given a wider margin of
structural or systemic failure of post-independence ideas gradually
became elusive.
Here we are today, unable to define what system of government we
truly practice. Some regional glamour for regional government, some true
federalism, some presidential system of government; what a confused
state of nation we are. Any nation with the aforementioned will
definitely collapse. The current economic recession in Nigeria is a
pointer to this undisputed fact.
Our selfish drive for power, led to the killing of our foremost
nationalists who were not given enough time to instill and mentor
younger generational for leadership was one of the country’s greatest
undoing. Here we are almost 60 years post independents we are still
complaining whether to remain in light or darkness. While nations with
almost same years of independence from same colonial master have gone
far ahead in development, we’re still picking the pieces of structural
failures pillared by lack of leadership style.
Nigeria structure is based on Neofanatism, tribal, religious,
regional sentiment. Nigeria is one country that have perfect hatred for
those who are intelligent, love for mediocracy, and those who are very
lazy who possesses greater skills for manipulate them at will.
Nigeria is a country where most of their socio-political parties are
bereaved of nationalistic ideas, rather the parties are garnish with
administrative wickedness, illogical manifesto, and unrealistic ideas
that has further lunch the nation retrogressively into a neolistic era
of the current ongoing economic recession witnessed in Nigeria.
Although, the current recession should been seen as a teacher of
experience, this means that, Nigeria should domesticalise her
development purposefully with the intention to avoid her past mistakes
in her derive for development. Thus, our structure needs serious
visitation or else, we are likely to be confronted with depression.
Generational Problem:
Nigeria is one country that kills or distorts the growth of the younger
generation deliberately. Leaders, either die in power or bequeath power
to their next of kin with the intension to strategically position them
for future leadership position whether qualify, fit or not. As long as
his/her is from their lineage he/she fits.
Take a look at the class of those ruling or had led this country,
Late General Murtala Mohammed, Obafemi Awolowo, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Aminu
kano, Anthony Enarhoro, etc they were known as Nationalists. But, this
can’t be said of our present leaders. Now the absolutism am talking
about is found in obsolete ideology promoted by older generations who
have lost touch with modernity, science and technology. A threefold
element that drives the global development is: technology, socioeconomic
policy and human capacity development of countries of the world which
Nigeria is aspiring to become.
Every developed economy entrenches younger generation to the scheme
of events with a view to mentor them into good leaders when they finally
passes on. But this can’t be said of Nigeria leaders. If by chance
younger generation gets close to power, they are pushed or frustrated
out with various forms of treats. When a generation out leaves its
usefulness it can’t generate new ideas that will move a new generation
forward. Surely older generation should give way to a new dispensation,
while the old order stays as advisers or mentors. Fundamental theory of
nation building recognizes change. It is only the principles of positive
change that can trigger meaningful development. As long as the Nigeria
Nation continue to recycles her older generation, thing will only remain
the same old ways of doing thing and can’t be better. The theory of
absolutism is a quest for radical change that will effectively energize
industrial development. Serious thought should be accorded to this
concept. Hence, the country will continue to move in a circle of
non-achievement.
Regional Sentiment
Any nation that want to grow and develop must approach it daily
activities with the best of hands not trading on sentiment of any such.
The argument in some quarters in the country is that, Nigeria is
multicultural ethnic groups with diverse cultural heritage. It’s a
statement of fact. But, no country I n the world has one culture or
value system. What they have in common is one linguist or a common
language, yet they are fact developed. What makes them tick? Is self
determination to get the best in all spheres of their endeavors? Until
we realign our divided boundaries of hate, religious bigotry, tribal
sentiment, nepotism, etc. we might remain static in the Common Wealth of
Nations. The currently crisis perpetuated by different militias groups
in the country is a trickle impact of long neglects of one minority
social groups or the other within a particular region.
Sentiment is a social killer, it hinders growth and efficiency and
unproductiveness within the system where its encouraged to function or
where it’s dominant. Nigeria has no business being in the current
position she finds herself. A country that is much endowed with high
potentials of natural and human resources, none has seen in other
developed and developing economies of the world. Our inability to
effectively manage these resources has led us to where we are. Nigerians
level of intellectualism in every facet of discipline across the globe
is amazing. Yet, we are where we are today. The gains of creditability
outweigh the dividend of mediocracy. Sentiment encourages laziness and
enthrones woeful failure and retrogression.
Knowledge of tremendous increase globally, and actuation should be
enforced in Nigeria, skill and scheme developed for others, the slogan,
‘this is my brother, friend, religious affiliate’, etc. should be done
with; while meritocracy take front stage in polity of our country. Only
at such instances we could be bold enough to collectively confront our
lapses, fears, worries and enemies and being leap-frog further in growth
and development. Once these steps are taken, structural development
will begin to set in.
Nigerians should appreciate the current ongoing recession. It means
the country is great and she has the power and potentials to bounce back
to economic acreage. What this mean is that, we must domesticalize our
industrialization process and markets strategies, motive the labour
force to be result oriented, harness our natural human resources,
bravely and boldness to execute profitable policy direction and
structurally reposition the public sector towards functionality driven
sector and economy diversification will give the country a new
socioeconomic independence to develop.
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Disclaimer: Comment expressed do not reflect the opinion of African Parliamentary News